How to Grow Lobelia? A Full Guide to the Latest Growing Methods
Lobelia is also known as the jade butterfly flower, edging lobelia, and half-flower lobelia. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Lobelia in the family Campanulaceae, with very high ornamental value. When in bloom, the whole plant takes on a swollen rounded shape, and the plant is almost completely covered by flowers. It is suitable for flower beds, potted plants, hanging baskets, and garden landscaping, and it is widely loved by households in Europe and America. Now let us take a look at how to grow lobelia!
Lobelia's Growth Habits
Lobelia is native to southern Africa, and is also widely distributed in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, China, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou and other places in China. Lobelia only blooms under long-day, low-temperature conditions. It is not very cold-hardy, dislikes intense heat, and prefers loose loamy soil rich in humus.
Lobelia's Propagation Methods
Lobelia is sown from January to March and blooms after July. If sown from August to October, it blooms the following year. The seeds can germinate 20 days after sowing at a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. It is generally commonly used as a potted or hanging basket plant or mixed with other flowers. The plant grows slowly, and the seeds are very small, so no covering is needed at germination. It does not adapt well to high temperatures and grows better at temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees Celsius. It can bloom 65 days after sowing, and generally 8 to 12 seeds are sown per cell.
How to Grow Lobelia
1. Potting soil: Lobelia needs loose, well-drained sandy soil rich in humus. Put the soil into a flower pot with a diameter of about 10 cm to 15 cm, and add some base fertilizer. You can plant 2 to 3 seedlings in the pot, so that the potted lobelia blooms more fully and vigorously.
2. Light: Lobelia is a long-day plant and needs to be ensured a relatively long period of light. Lobelia needs to receive long hours of sunlight every day. In winter and early spring, when daylight hours are shorter, you need to provide supplemental artificial light for lobelia to meet the light conditions for blooming.
3. Temperature: Lobelia only grows well in a low-temperature environment. The suitable growing temperature is between 15°C and 18°C. Its cold tolerance is rather poor, and it is also not tolerant of intense heat. In winter, when the weather is cold, it does not have to be kept indoors for the winter, but note that lobelia is not tolerant of frost, so it must be protected from freezing.
4. Water and fertilizer: During lobelia's growing period, you can water once every 7 to 10 days, basically following the principle of watering thoroughly once the soil has dried out. Fertilization needs to be carried out according to lobelia's growth needs. During the growing period, to help lobelia grow healthily, you can apply a nitrogen fertilizer once a week.
5. Pinching: Pinching and pruning lobelia is a simple way to control the plant's shape. Pinching during the growing period promotes the growth of lobelia's side buds, so there are more branches and therefore more flower buds.
6. Pests and diseases: During lobelia's growing period, you need to frequently observe the growth condition of the lobelia plant. Use some fungicidal and insecticidal agents to prevent and control damage from mold or red spider mites.