How to grow catharanthus from seeds at home?

The flowers around are wonderful, and it doesn’t matter whether they are in the house or in the garden. A riot of bright colors, a variety of shapes and sizes always cheers up, makes you stop and admire the natural charm.

Katarantus is one of the wonderful representatives of the flora. The tropical green shrub captivates, touches with numerous flowers and a delicate, sweet aroma. The flower is used for indoor cultivation in pots, and they also decorate urban flower beds, summer cottages. From the article you will learn when to plant flower seeds for seedlings, as well as how to grow a luxurious flower at home.

General Provisions

In temperate climates, cataractus is a larger indoor plant.. It is difficult for him to endure harsh European winters. In this regard, to meet a plant in the garden is quite difficult. However, a system of agrotechnical measures has been developed that allows preserving the flower in winter.

Gardeners, through trial and error, found that the best option is to grow catharanthus in containers.

Advantages and disadvantages of the seed method

Growing catharanthus is easy. The main thing is to follow the basic rules for breeding and landing.

Bred catharanthus in three ways:

1. seed;
2. vegetative;
3. division of rhizomes.

The simplest is considered a method of obtaining a plant from seeds. pros:

• seeds can be planted at any time;
• fast and uniform germination;
• short germination time;
• low cost of planting material;
• variety of varieties and colors of catharanthus seeds available on the market.

Minuses:

• seed reproduction process is quite troublesome;
• the need for a warm and bright place;
• You can purchase expired seeds, with poor germination.

When and how best to plant?

To understand how and when to sow seeds for seedlings, you need to know certain nuances. First of all, you should stock up on seed. It is sold in stock in any gardening store. However, before buying, you should pay attention to freshness, the term of packaging. Sow seeds in late February - early Marchso that the plant blooms by summer.

Also at this time, the air temperature gradually rises, daylight hours increase. It takes 8-10 hours of intensive lighting, so when sowing seeds in February, you should use additional lighting, it is best phytolamp.

You can learn more about the features of planting and growing catharanthus here.

How to choose a good seed?

Katarantus, although an exotic plant, but seedlings can easily be purchased at flower shopsonline stores. However, seeds are often bought, paying attention only to a beautiful picture. Later, after landing in the ground, they get a sad experience. Therefore it follows:

1. purchase seeds in trusted, specialized stores;
2. see that there is a strong packaging, without defects;
3. pay attention to the number of seeds and the expiration date.

High-quality seeds of an exotic plant are large enough, dark brown in color, closer to black. Unfortunately, it is not possible to collect seeds of an evergreen shrub independently. Because the fruits during the warm period in temperate latitudes do not have time to ripen.

Soil preparation

Katarantus prefers light, loose soil. And also the prerequisites are moisture and air permeability, because the plant does not tolerate stagnation of liquid in the pot. Ready soil for seedlings can be bought at a garden store or prepared with your own hands.

If you choose the second option, then you should mix in the same proportions:

• turf land;
• deciduous land;
• peat;
• humus;
• sand.

Pre-disinfect components. Do not forget about the drainage layer.

Peat tablets are still used as a substrate. In this case, you can do without picking a plant. Before sowing, spread the tablets on a tray and moisturize intensively.

Direct landing process

1. The earth must be moistened with warm water and wait until completely absorbed.
2. After carefully planting the seeds.
3. The immersion depth of the seeds is not more than 1 cm.
4. The distance between the seeds is 1.5-2 cm.
5. Sprinkle with soil on top (0.5 cm), then spray with water from a spray bottle and tamp a little.
6. Place the landing container in a mini greenhouse or simply cover it with transparent material (film, glass).
7. However, it is believed that the catharanthus emerges better in the dark, so you can cover the container with dark material or put it in the dark.

It is necessary to maintain a predetermined temperature, ventilate the room daily and moisten the earth as needed. After 7-10 days you will see the first seedlings, then you need to put a box with sprouts into the light. Shelter can not be removed longer, to maintain the required microclimate. The main thing is that the film or glass does not touch the young leaves, otherwise a thermal burn is possible.

You can learn more about planting and growing catharanthus at home here, and more about planting in open ground in this material.

Photo

In the photo you can see plants grown from seeds at home.

Care

Watering Rules

As you know, catharanthus is a water-loving plant. However only an adult flower should be watered abundantly. After planting the seeds, the soil should only be slightly moistened with warm water from the spray gun. And continue to perform this procedure as necessary.

Temperature and Light

To sprout well sprouted, it is covered with dark polyethylene, or germinate in a dark place, with a temperature not lower than + 25 ° C. After the first gatherings, the box with the sprouts is rearranged and the polyethylene is removed. Lighting should be intense. Temperature indicators should also be changed, reduced to + 18-24 ° С.

Top dressing

Before sowing the seeds should be prepared.

• To do this, they are soaked in an aqueous solution of the drug Epin, Kornevina for 24 hours for early germination. Or in a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes to prevent the eating of seeds and sprouts by harmful insects.
• You can still use the drug Zircon, which has many positive reviews among gardeners. When soaked in a Zircon solution, the seeds receive 2.5 times more moisture than usual. The faster the activation of growth processes, the more intensively the sprouts awaken and develop.

  An aqueous solution of Zircon is obtained as follows: in half a liter of water, 20 drops of the drug are diluted, in which the seeds are left for 6-8 hours.

2 weeks after the appearance of the entrances, it is recommended to make top dressing. It is preferable to use phosphoric fertilizers. Nitrogen should be presented in the form of nitrates. Also apply special nutrients for mineral fertilizer seedlings. The dosage of the drug is carried out strictly according to the instructions indicated on the packaging. Use the drug only on moist soil.

Dive

When 3-4 leaves appear, the young plant should be dived. You can do without this procedure if seeds were planted in peat tablets. You should not tighten the picking procedure. After all, sprouts with a large root system are poorly transplanted, the roots are confused, and they also tolerate adaptation to new conditions worse.

1. When picking, the root is cut by 1/3, this operation is important for further growth of the root system.
2. The composition of the soil mixture for diving should be the same composition as for planting seedlings.
3. It does not hurt to add 1 tablespoon of mineral fertilizer - nitrofoska to 3 liters of soil.
4. Pour 500-600g of humus and vermiculite into the same volume for greater loosening of the soil.
5. After transplanting the sprouts into separate containers, they can be fed on day 10-14.
6. Do not forget to properly care for small plants. Regularly loosen the soil around the seedlings, irrigate with water from a sprayer.

Features of sowing seedlings

Nuances of sowing:

1. For sowing seedlings using any containers that you like:
   • containers
   • pots;
   • plastic seedling boxes;
   • cups.
2. A drainage layer should be placed at the bottom.
3. Then fill the container to the top with prepared, room temperature soil.

Recommendations

Katarantus from seeds grows quickly enough. But to be sure that the process is proceeding normally, in accordance with the schedule, it is important to know:

• In 7 days - during this period, the seeds should hatch and appear thin sprouts.
• 1 month later - 5-6 leaves should appear on the plant. The size of the sprouts is about 8-10 cm in height.
• At 3 months - flowering begins. Usually, the bush blooms on average 60-70 days after planting the seeds.

But it happens that during the cultivation of seedlings there are troubles:

• Seeds do not peck for a long time, this often happens due to dry soil or low room temperature. Measures should be taken: water the soil, increase the temperature in the room. This is possible if you purchased low-quality, obsolete seed.
• Seedlings are drawnbecoming long and thin. Plants clearly lack sunlight. If possible, it is worth moving containers with seedlings closer to the light source or organizing additional highlighting.
• Slow growth. Maybe the young plant lacks nutrients in the soil, the earth is insufficiently nutritious. Therefore, sprouts should be fed with complex mineral fertilizers.
• Young leaves turn yellow. This is due to excess or lack of moisture. Carry out a moisture control of the earth. If necessary, stop hydration for a while. Allow the soil to dry. Watering reduce and carefully monitor so that rotten processes do not develop. Or vice versa, abundantly water the seedlings.

When breeding cataranthus at home, you will certainly have to work hard. The matter is not easy and painstaking. However, for the hardworking gardener, nothing is impossible. As a result, grow a bright array of beautiful young specimens. Which will decorate your home, garden or porch. The result will certainly exceed all expectations.

Further, a visual and informative video about the cultivation of Catharanthus from seeds:

Watch the video: How to Grow Vinca or Periwinkle from Seeds With update videos (May 2024).