Sowing eustoma for seedlings: when and what to do so that the flowers are already in June

When to plant eustoma seedlings

From seedlings to the beginning of flowering of eustoma, or lisianthus, it takes about 5-7 months. If you are going to grow it in the garden, hurry up to sow the seeds from the end of December to the end of January, then the eustoma will delight you with buds by mid-June.

This plant can be not only garden, but also indoor. It feels good indoors, if favorable conditions are created. So that eustoma decorates window sills in a dull winter, sow it for seedlings in July-August. By the way, in the open field the flower will grow only one season, but in the apartment it can live for several years.

How to choose eustoma seeds

First of all, eustoma differs in the size of the bush. According to this parameter, it can be divided into three types. Tall varieties reach 90-120 cm, medium-sized - 50-80 cm, undersized - 15-25 cm. All of them are suitable for open ground. So you can choose any. But give preference to tall lisianthus if you want to use them for bouquets.

If you plan to grow eustoma at home in a pot, it is better to choose low-growing varieties that form a compact bush.

Eustoma flowers are simple and double in a variety of colors - from white to deep purple. At the same time, there are not only monophonic, but also combined options - for example, petals of the same color with contrasting edging or a more delicate color with an ombre effect.

How to plant eustoma seedlings

Usually, eustoma seeds are sold in the form of a dragee. They are coated with a special disinfectant solution and do not require additional preparation before sowing.

Prepare containers for seedlings

For sowing eustoma, take a ready-made peat substrate with a neutral level of acidity (pH 5.5–6.5). Suitable soil can be found at stores or garden centers. By the way, special soil is well suited for growing eustoma. violets.

Take plastic containers 5–10 cm high and fill them with soil, compacting it slightly. About 1–1.5 cm should remain from the soil surface to the edge of the container.

Moisten the soil with water using a syringe or syringe so as not to wash out the surface. Don't overdo it: the soil should only be slightly damp.

Sow eustoma

Spread the seeds over the surface of the soil at a distance of 1–1.5 cm from each other. At the same time, they do not need to be buried in the soil. If you are planting several varieties, it is convenient to use a separate container for each. Do not forget to write the name on the container so as not to get confused.

Lightly spray the sown seeds with water from a spray bottle and cover the container with a transparent lid, cling film or glass.

Place the containers in a warm place with a temperature of at least 20 degrees. Germination of eustoma seeds will require additional lighting for 10-12 hours a day. To do this, install special fitolamps or ordinary fluorescent lamps at a height of 10–20 cm above the containers with seeds. One 36 W lamp is enough for 1 square meter.

Wait for shoots

Every morning and evening, remove the lid from the container and air the crops for 20-30 minutes. Eustoma cannot boast of fast germination. Usually the first sprouts can be seen 1-3 weeks after sowing.

After a couple of true leaves appear in the eustoma, continue to ventilate the crops, increasing the procedure time by half an hour daily, in order to gradually accustom the tender plants to room conditions.

Do not forget to moisten the soil between the sprouts with water from a spray bottle as it dries.

How to care for eustoma seedlings

In order for the eustoma seedlings to grow strong, do not forget to highlight it with a phytolamp for 10-12 hours a day at all stages of growth.

Peak eustoma

When the plants begin to form the third pair of true leaves, you need to transplant them from a common container into separate containers. This happens about a month after germination.

Take pots or cups with a volume of at least 200 ml and fill them to the top with soil (the same as for sowing seeds).

Pour a container with seedlings with water, let it soak. Then remove the plants from it along with the earthy clod.

Carefully separate the sprouts from each other with a fork, being careful not to damage the roots.

Make a small indentation in the center of the soil cup. Place the roots of the sprout in it. Sprinkle them with earth, lightly compacting it with your fingers around the eustoma stem.

Water the seedlings with a small amount of water from a syringe or syringe so that the soil in the cup becomes moist from top to bottom. Approximately 50 ml of liquid is enough for this. And do not forget to write the name of the eustoma variety on each container. Place the seedlings under the phytolamp and cover them with a transparent cup, after making a hole in the bottom.

Such a greenhouse will be needed literally for two days and will help the plants better. settle down after the pick. After that, remove the cups and leave the eustoma to grow at room temperature.

Water the eustoma

Stick to the golden mean: do not allow the soil to dry out or overmoisten. The top layer of soil in the seedling cup will tell you about the need for watering: as soon as it dries, pour the eustoma under the root with a small amount of water at room temperature. As a rule, this should be done every 2-3 days. Make sure that the liquid does not get on the leaves, otherwise the plant may get burned under the fitolamp.

Feed the eustoma

The first feeding should be carried out 7-10 days after picks. Dilute 1 g of calcium nitrate in 1 liter of water and pour the resulting solution over eustoma at the rate of approximately 50 ml of the product under the root of one plant. It is better to carry out the procedure in the evening and immediately after it turn off the phytolamps. So you will save the eustoma from burning the leaves if they get droplets of fertilizer.

Subsequent feedings are carried out every 10-14 days. For them, you can use special fertilizers for flowering plants or products with a uniform distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - for example, 18: 18: 18. You can alternate them with ordinary urea (urea). The consumption rate and method of preparing the solution depend on the manufacturer and are indicated on the packaging.

By the way, feed eustoma can be done both by the root method, that is, by applying fertilizer under the root, and by the foliar method - by spraying the leaves with a nutrient solution. The main thing is to do it in the evening and turn off the phytolamp for the night.

When to plant eustoma in open ground

Wait until the threat of return frosts has passed, and the night air temperature will not fall below 10-12 degrees. In most regions of the middle lane, planting eustoma on street flower beds does not begin until mid-May.

At the same time, pay attention to the appearance of seedlings. They should be at least 8–10 cm tall and have at least 5–6 pairs of well-developed leaves.

If your seedlings have not yet grown enough, it’s better not to rush, let it “grow up” at home and plant it in open ground in June.