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LOBELIA GUIDES

purple flowering lobelia being grown as groundcover

Container GrowingSowingVarieties

Lobelia can be annual or repeated , so there are a range of different type to choose from .

However , no matter which character you opt for , it is potential for you to grow these attractive anthesis plants from cum .

packet of Thompson & Morgan seeds Lobelia ‘Crystal Palace’

To uprise Lobelia from seed :

I demonstrate each step below , having mature Lobelia ‘ Crystal Palace ’ – a half - audacious annual – using seminal fluid from Thompson & Morgan .

1) Mix The Tiny Seeds With Sand (Optional)

Lobelia seeds are highly small so you may find them challenging to handle .

you could see from the image above just how small these seeds are .

I found that sowing individually is near - out of the question and you will inevitably need to thin out your seedling presently after germination .

an open packet of hundreds of tiny lobelia seeds

To make sowing easy , you could consider mixing the ejaculate with some o.k. horticultural sand .

2) Sow Your Lobelia Seeds

Sow the seed on the airfoil of a seed tray or into pots that have been filled with ejaculate - commence potting mix or a suitable igniter and spare - drain metier made at domicile .

“ I suggest sow in into trays to give you the best probability of even germ distribution , ” articulate Gardening Expert Dan Ori .

“ When cover the seed , I recommend place the seed in the palm of one hand , then placing your other hand on top , slightly tilt your hands and rubbing them together move them across the tray .

a lobelia seedling shown next to a handwritten label on a potting table

“ It ’s exchangeable to how you would spread flour on a Earth’s surface before making pastry and you may then thinly overlay them with compost or vermiculite in the same way . ”

As I was growing a lot of plant all at once in a het propagator , I decided to use a plug planter . you may see the resulting Lobelia wad seedling below .

Remember : if buy the potting mixture , be sure to take a peat - free option .

lobelia seedling shown next to a pot filled with compost

Cover the seeded player over softly with a niggling of the metier you have chosen and firm it gently into plaza .

It is best , because of the size of the seed , to check that the mass medium is moist before inseminate and to water from below .

3) Grow In A Warm Spot

Lobelia seeds require temperatures between 18 - 24 ° C for germination to take position , so I have found it good to use a heated disseminator – to make certain that you provide the good temperatures .

If you do not have one , a cheery windowsill may serve , but you will see better results if you place some sort of cloche or cover over the top ( I find adhere film work well ) to retain passion .

4) Prick Out Lobelia Seedlings

Once the seedlings are gravid enough to plow , prick out each one and carefully place them into an individual pot fulfill with a peat - free multipurpose potting commixture or homemade equivalent .

“ The beneficial time to prick out is when they have two sets of true leave , ” shares Dan .

“ To avoid damaging the stem , make certain you handle the   industrial plant by a leafage as it is easygoing to originate a new leafage than a stem . ”

lobelia seedling transplanted into a pot filled with compost

5) Harden Off & Plant Out

You should keep the potted seedling in a freeze - free location and only plant them out into your garden once all risk of frost has pass and the weather has commence to warm up .

I plant mine out in early May and the works had no trouble establishing itself .

Flowering should begin in other summer and in my case lasted for months – you may see from the image above that the outcome were beautiful and highly rewarding .

lobelia flowering profusely in late summer, with many small blue flowers