How to propagate campanula? A full analysis of propagation key points

The colors of campanula are fresh and elegant, very popular in Europe, and it is also a common herbaceous flower in small courtyards in late spring and early summer, very beautiful. Campanula is not difficult to cultivate, and artificial propagation can use sowing, cuttings and division methods.

Campanula

Campanula is mainly propagated by sowing, and can also be raised by division or cuttings. After flowering it forms capsules, and the capsules contain many seeds. The seeds are extremely small and can be dried in the sun for storage. In spring or late winter to early spring, sow in a plastic tunnel with heat preservation to help the flowering period avoid the hot summer heat. According to the requirements for small seeds, the soil should be prepared carefully, deep-plowed and broken up more than 2 times, the ground scraped level, watered thoroughly, and then the seeds evenly scattered.

After sowing, do not cover with soil again, or cover thinly with sifted fine soil. During the seedling stage, spray water with a sprayer, and according to the growth of the seedlings, thin and fill in seedlings. The seeds can also be sown with heat preservation in a sand tray, and once seedlings emerge, apply compound fertilizer. When the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, transplant them to the nursery field or pot them for final planting. For field planting, a plant and row spacing of 20 cm x 40 cm is more suitable. After transplanting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and thereafter follow ordinary management. Autumn sowing is also possible; generally, seedlings sown in autumn of the same year need to be cultivated until the following spring and summer before they can bloom. Division is mostly carried out in autumn, and after one winter of cultivation, they can bloom the next year.

For cuttings, mostly in spring, take the new shoots sprouting from the base, insert them into a wet sand bed, frequently spray to keep moist, and transplant after rooting.

Key points for cultivating campanula

Latin name: Campanulacarpatica

Classification: Campanulaceae, Campanula genus

Planting requirements: full sun

Application: planted in rock gardens, can be potted

Seed type: common seed, about 13000 seeds per gram

Recommended varieties: ‘Clip’ is about 20 cm tall, with extremely strong branching, and has a habit of clustering into a spherical shape. Abundant flowers, shaped like wind chimes, with delicate leaves. Very suitable for planting in rock gardens, at the edges of stone walls, and can also be used in flower borders. Can be produced year-round. Flower colors include blue, dark blue, and white. ‘Pearl’

Plant height 18 cm, early flowering, about 2 weeks earlier than the ‘Clip’ series. Consistency and compactness are very good. Flowers face upward, with a habit of clustering into a spherical shape. Flower colors include dark blue and white.

Plug seedling stage one: radicle germination stage

After sowing, the seeds can germinate in 14 to 18 days, with a day temperature of 20°C to 22°C and a night temperature of 16°C. Keep the soluble salt content in the substrate relatively low, and keep the pH value between 5.5 and 6.2. After sowing, the seeds do not need to be covered. Keep the soil slightly moist but not overly wet. After sowing, avoid direct sunlight and provide appropriate shading. Alternating temperature changes will stimulate seed germination, and supplemental lighting after germination can promote plant growth and also promote flowering.

Stage two: cotyledon emergence and growth stage. From this stage onward, appropriately lower the soil moisture, but it still must not be too dry. The EC value of the growing substrate must not be higher than 0.5. You can begin spraying fertilizer, with 50 ppm balanced nitrogen fertilizer being suitable.

Stages three and four: true leaf growth and development stage, and hardening-off stage

During these two stages, the fertilizer concentration can be increased to 150 ppm to 200 ppm.

Cultivation management

1. Transplanting: 6 to 8 weeks after germination, transplant using pots with a diameter of about 9 to 11 cm. When transplanting, do not plant the plants too deep.

2. Substrate: The growing substrate needs good drainage, with a clay content of 20% to 30%, and 1 to 1.5 kg of complete balanced fertilizer applied per cubic meter of substrate. The substrate should contain iron chelate and micronutrients, with a pH value of 5.5 to 6.2.

3. Light: It is a long-day plant.

Cultivation method one: In spring, the plants begin to grow under short-day conditions for 2 weeks. At this time, supplemental lighting is needed for 10 to 12 hours, at 20 to 30 watts per square meter. When the plants reach the ideal height, the daylength can be extended to 16 to 18 hours to promote flowering. Supplemental lighting needs to be interrupted at night.

Cultivation method two: First, during the first 3 weeks of cultivation, in order to allow the plants to grow, place the plants under short-day conditions while providing supplemental lighting for 10 to 12 hours, at 20 to 30 watts per square meter. When the plants reach the ideal height, the daylength can be extended to 16 to 18 hours to make the plants flower. Supplemental lighting needs to be interrupted at night.

4. Temperature: The suitable growth temperature is 13°C to 18°C. Under frost-free conditions in winter, the indoor or outdoor temperature can be kept at 3°C to 5°C. Outdoor cultivation requires covering. In spring, the plants begin to grow at a temperature of 15°C to 18°C for 5 to 9 weeks. At a cool temperature of 13°C to 15°C, the cultivation time will be prolonged. The plants do not need vernalization to flower.

5. Fertilizer: The plants have moderate fertilizer needs. Apply alternating nitrogen fertilizer and potassium balanced fertilizer at a concentration of 150 ppm to 200 ppm weekly (N:K2O ratio of 1:1.5). Avoid excessively high ammonium and nitrogen levels. Do not fertilize after mid-September. To prevent magnesium and iron deficiency, spray 0.025% magnesium sulfide 1 to 2 times and iron chelate 1 to 2 times respectively.

6. Cultivation tips: When growing in outdoor pots, spray fungicide to prevent the reproduction of Botrytis, Rhizoctonia and Pythium. Campanula can be sold when the flowers open to 10 to 15 blooms. At this stage the plants are convenient to transport.

What cultivation technique key points are there for planting lily of the valley?

Image: planting lily of the valley

[Common question] What cultivation technique key points are there for planting lily of the valley?

[Expert answer]

1. Site selection

Lily of the valley likes cool, humid environments and is cold-resistant. Lily of the valley is not very strict about soil requirements. But in fertile, loose soil, it grows robustly, with luxuriant branches and leaves, and the flowers have a strong fragrance. Therefore, choose soil with medium or above-medium fertility and slightly acidic soil; semi-shaded, semi-sunny sites are more suitable.

2. Planting season

After lily of the valley unfolds its leaves, it then sends up flower stems. Before the leaves unfold is the best period for cultivating lily of the valley. After the leaves wither in autumn, it can also be cultivated before the ground freezes, but spring cultivation is best.

3. Plant spacing

First level the land and deep-plow 30 cm. If the soil is poor, apply 4 to 5 kg of farmyard manure per square meter. For bed planting, make the bed surface 1.5 m wide, with the length determined by the plot. A density of 30 cm × 20 cm is suitable. For ridge planting, the ridge width is 30 cm, and a plant spacing of 15 cm is suitable.

When cultivating seed-grown seedlings, because the young seedlings have tender roots, be careful when planting; the plant spacing can be closer, and the depth should leave the seedling tip 2 cm above the ground. For cultivating mature seedlings, in early spring when the frozen soil has thawed about 20 cm, lift the seedlings and plant them immediately for a high survival rate. Some plants can flower and set seed in the same year. When planting, the root system should be spread out, and the covering soil depth should be 2 to 3 cm, then firm it. In drought, water thoroughly and close the planting holes. When transplanting, clean the root system, and cut off excess rhizomes to use as propagation root stock.

4. Management

When planting seed-grown seedlings, the focus is on removing weeds. In particular, hoe frequently and shallowly around the seedling roots to prevent loosening the seedlings. For mature seedlings, the main tasks are loosening the soil, preserving soil moisture, watering in drought, and preventing weeds from growing thickly. If soil fertility is insufficient, apply farmyard manure once shallowly after the leaves wither or at sprouting. In perennial plots, because the rhizomes extend, there are more latent buds, and density increases, at this time appropriately thin the overly dense seedlings. Deep hoeing and deep cutting can be used to kill seedlings, as well as manual thinning.

5. Pest and disease control

In cultivation areas, no pests or diseases have been found on lily of the valley, and chemical control is generally not needed.

[Editor's comment] Lily of the valley is also called campanula. Its flowers are very beautiful and lovely, and many people like to grow potted lily of the valley for appreciation. So, how should lily of the valley be planted? Above, the First Agricultural Economics editor shared with you the key points of lily of the valley planting and cultivation techniques. Friends who are interested can dig deeper to learn more. This article introduces it here, and we hope it is helpful to you.