Growing gloxinia from seeds at home. How to grow gloxinia from seeds at home. Step-by-step instructions for growing gloxinia from seeds

Growing gloxinia from seeds at home is a very interesting activity. The homeland of this plant is sunny Brazil. Gloxinia is a subspecies of tropical perennials of the Gesneriaceae family, which consists of many incredibly beautiful plants. Their flowers look like large bells, and their leaves amaze with their velvety texture and variety of shapes. Gloxinias bloom very profusely, so even in an apartment you can create a chic mini-flower bed. You can grow gloxinia from seeds either from your own seed material or from store-bought ones.

Reproduction of gloxinia is quite possible from flowers already available at home. To obtain a new species, you need to pollinate the pistils of plants different shades. After some time, the flowers will fade and seed pods will appear that grow on peduncles. Seed ripening period is 6-8 weeks after pollination. Cracked boxes must be carefully cut off and placed in a glass with the open side down. There they will finally ripen and dry to a dark brown color. Lushly blooming gloxinia from seeds, grown or received as a gift, is a flower of joy, happiness and just for the soul. In our article we will talk about growing gloxinia from seeds at home.

Types and varieties of gloxinia

Gloxinia belongs to the tropical perennial herbs. The flower grows wild in Mexico and South America, from where European colonialists brought it to the Old World in the second half of the 19th century. The peculiarity of its root system is the presence of a pronounced tuber, which during the wintering period can even be dug up and stored cool until spring, like potatoes. The leaves, growing from the root in the form of a rosette, are soft, fleshy, covered with small hairs. The stem is short but thick. Gloxinia flowers vary depending on the variety.

The most common types of gloxinia:

• Royal (purple flowers);
• Avante (white petals);
• Tigrina Red (bright red);
• Hollywood (dark purple);
• Yesenia (pink velvet flowers);
• Kaiser Wilhelm (black and purple flowers with a white border);
• Blanche De Meru (elongated pink flowers);
• Shagane (domestic variety with bright purple small flowers);
• Anfisa (pink petals with white spots).

How to get gloxinia seeds at home

If the seeds are varietal or hybrid plants purchased in a store, they do not require special preparation, and they are completely ready for embedding in the ground. But when the gardener’s goal is to obtain his own proprietary hybrids, he will have to go the whole way: from pollination to collecting mature gloxinia seeds.

After pollen from one flower is transferred to the pistil of another, after a few days the corolla fades, and the future seed pod remains on the peduncle. The development and ripening of seeds, depending on the variety and growing conditions, takes from 6 to 9 weeks.

The seeds are very small. Therefore, before planting gloxinia seeds, you need to try to collect them. As soon as signs of the box opening appear, it is cut off and carefully transferred to a separate dry container. This will make it easier to collect the brown, pointed-oval seeds needed for planting.

Sowing Gloxinia

Distribute the seeds evenly throughout the container. This is not easy to do because they are very small. You can use a thin stick. There is no need to plant seeds in the ground. Pressed wooden plank. If the soil is dry, water with a spray bottle. Cover the top of the container plastic film. Maintain temperature from 20 to 22 degrees.

Every day, containers need to be ventilated for 10-30 minutes - this will prevent the development of mold. But you cannot leave containers open for a long time. Water only in case of severe drying out. After a week or two, shoots begin to appear. Their roots are almost on the surface, so high humidity needs to be constantly supported. The sprouts do not hold onto the soil well, so you need to water them very carefully. Even a spray bottle can blow away young plant. Place the container so that Sun rays didn't push against them.

The next stage of cultivation is diving. Often seedlings grow unevenly, so they need to be replanted gradually. This is done very carefully so as not to break small plants. Place in another prepared container. They are buried a little into the soil.

Gloxinia care

Gloxinias growing at home must be properly cared for. First of all, you need to organize proper watering plants and their regular feeding. During periods of rapid growth, plants are irrigated often enough to prevent the soil from drying out. At the same time, moisture should not be allowed to stagnate at the roots so that they do not begin to rot. The water used for irrigation must be filtered and have a temperature 2 degrees above room temperature. Gloxinia tubers absorb warm water more easily.

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When watering, it is important to prevent moisture from getting on the flowers and leaves, so you can do this through a tray. After irrigating the soil, the remaining moisture present in the pan must be drained to prevent stagnation of water and rotting of the root system. During the flowering period, irrigation is made more intense.

During active flowering, the number of buds on one gloxinia bush reaches 20 pieces. To achieve this, it is necessary to feed the flower with fertilizers. To do this, during the growing season, fertilizing is done every 10 days, using compositions for indoor plants. From mid-August, gloxinia will gradually begin to enter the dormant stage. During this period, they need fertilizing containing potassium and phosphorus. But nitrogen fertilizers must be excluded. From the moment active growth is completed, fertilizing gloxinia is stopped.

Gloxinia - diseases

There are several reasons why gloxinia leaves curl:

• too dry or, on the contrary, excessively humid air in the room;
• Availability spider mite on leaves;
• potassium overdose;
• a viral disease that cannot be treated (to prevent spread, it is better to throw away the affected plant);
• the presence in the soil of moss larvae or earthworms brought in with garden soil.

Gloxinia dormant period

After the plant has flowered, it requires special care. The entire ground part of the flower is cut off, leaving only a couple of the largest lower leaves. After the plant has completely shed its dried flower buds, watering is reduced and feeding is stopped. When all the leaves turn yellow and completely dry out, the flower is completely cut off, leaving only a small stump two centimeters high from the ground.

The flower, cut for the winter, is stored in a cool, shaded room until March. IN winter period it is watered very rarely - no more than twice a month to prevent the tubers from drying out. The flower can be placed on the loggia or in the bathroom.

With the onset of autumn, the plant along with the tuber is removed from the planting container. The tuber, cleared of soil, is placed in a closed plastic bag with soil substrate and vermiculite in equal proportions. A tightly zipped bag with a tuber is placed in the refrigerator where vegetables are stored. The plant will remain in such conditions until transplantation, which takes place at the end of February.

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Gloxinia - unpretentious indoor flower. It is loved for the unusual colors and sizes of the flower. Growing a new plant from seeds with your own hands is not difficult. The main thing is to be patient and properly care for crops and adult plants. You should know that there are not many flowers in the first year. But don’t let this upset you: the older the gloxinia, which is grown from seeds at home, the large quantity bells form on it.

You like gloxinia, but you think that it is only grown from tubers or leaf cuttings. Do you know that it is quite possible to buy seeds and grow gloxinia from seeds yourself at home? Yes, it's not the best easy option. But on the other hand, you can please yourself with plants of different colors and varieties that are unlike other varieties that other gardeners do not have. It is enough to purchase a few packets of seeds. After reading the article, you will learn all the secrets of this method.

Brief information about gloxinia

Gloxinia received such an interesting double name from the surnames of botanist scientists - Peter Gloksina and Wilhelm Sinninga.

This perennial tuberous plant large oval leaves. The flowers look like bells of various colors and sizes. Especially beautiful are the red, blue, and purple gramophones with a white center. Inflorescences are white and black. There are not only two-color, but also multi-color varieties. At good care Up to 50 inflorescences appear on one bush.

Gloxinia grows comfortably on window sills facing east and west. If you place it on north side, then the sockets will stretch upward. She fits in well in the kitchen or glass loggia. In the southern part of the room, the plant should be shaded so that direct sunlight does not shine on it.

Landing rules

Growing gloxinia from seeds is a long process. It takes persistence and drive. Much depends on the quality of the seed.

The easiest way is to buy seeds in a store. They don't need additional processing, they are ready for sowing. You can collect them yourself. Especially if you want to get a hybrid from existing specimens.

How to collect seeds yourself

In such cases, pollination is carried out - pollen is transferred from pistil to pistil using cotton wool. different colors. After the corolla has withered, a seed capsule is visible on the peduncle. It takes 1.5-2 months for the formation and ripening of seeds. The variety of gloxinia and the conditions of detention affect it. Since the seeds are small, care must be taken when collecting them. The box is carefully cut off and placed in a dry container.

Box with seeds

From the moment of emergence of seedlings to the beginning of flowering, it takes 6-7 months. The time of hibernation is September-October. This means that in order for the seeds to germinate, the plant to grow, bloom, and form a tuber, work must begin no later than mid-February. It is possible earlier, but then additional lighting will be needed.

Let us consider in order the process of sowing gloxinia from seeds:

1. Prepare the soil for sowing. A peat mixture purchased in a store or taken from a forest or park under birch and pine trees will do. The soil from under the trees is sifted, mixed with sand, disinfected in the oven or in another way. Then they are placed in plastic containers or other suitable containers. Better to use ready soil. Vermiculite and charcoal are added to the prepared soil mixture.
2. Prepare a solution with the addition of epin or zircon to the water. Moisten the soil with it using a spray bottle.
3. Spread the seeds, keeping a gap of 1 cm. Manufacturers granulate them and pack them into capsules. It is difficult to sow small seeds, so flower growers use a toothpick - wet the tip and take one seed from a saucer. They should not be buried.
4. Gently moisturize warm water from the sprayer.
5. Close the container tightly with a lid, cellophane, glass and place it in a warm, lit place. There is no need to open it often, just periodically moisten it a little with warm water.

Special indoor greenhouses with lids are available for sale. It's good when they are transparent.

Sometimes flower growers use plastic boxes for cake or other confectionery

Good to know. The peculiarity of gloxinia is that in the dark the seeds may not germinate.

Instead of soil, peat tablets are used. Seeds germinate better in them.

Shoots appear after about 10 or more days. Sometimes this process takes longer. The main thing is not to rush to open the shelter when you see the first shoots.

Dive

Two true leaves grow after 3-4 weeks. It's dive time.

A dive is necessary if:

• the growth and development of seedlings slowed down;
• there is not enough room for them.

It should be borne in mind that gloxinia sprouts are tiny and delicate. To avoid damaging them, use a fork, a teaspoon or a cuticle spatula from a manicure set. The plant is carefully removed with a lump of earth.

The picking is carried out in the same container, similar to a greenhouse. Covering up again. Melt water is used for irrigation. You can take ice from the freezer and heat it up. If there is insufficient lighting in the room, then you should take care of additional light sources.

The interval between dives is 14-21 days. For the third and fourth times, planting in small cups (50-100 ml) is allowed.

Advice. There is no need to deepen the process too much.

Seedlings in cups are gradually hardened - more often the greenhouse is opened.

Feeding is not required, since the soil changes during a dive.

Further care

After about 2.5 months, gloxinia is transplanted into small pots with a diameter of 9-10 cm and approximately the same height.

• Be careful when watering. Water should not get on the leaves, inflorescences and the central part of the tuber. Avoid overwatering. You can put pebbles and expanded clay in the tray.
• The optimal temperature for growing is 18-22°C.
• It is not recommended to use for fertilizing organic fertilizers and several types of fertilizers in a row. An acceptable option is fertilizers for flowering plants, such as: Kemira Lux, Belvito. The content of potassium and phosphorus in them exceeds the amount of nitrogen. The indicated dosage should be reduced by 3 times. Otherwise the weak one will be damaged root system.

Six months later or a little later, the first flowers will appear. After flowering ends, cut off the stem, leaving 2-4 lower leaves on the bush. New stepsons will soon appear on them. During this period, the plant needs feeding, first for growth, and later for flowering. There will be significantly fewer new flower stalks.

In the first year abundant flowering not visible. In some cases, gloxinia does not bloom and does not go to rest. Then the next year flowering begins very early, and in the fall the usual cycle begins. This plant requires lighting and feeding in winter.

The end of flowering and the beginning of yellowing of the leaves is a signal to reduce watering. The stem is cut off completely, only a stump 1-2 cm high is left at the bottom.

There is another opinion on this matter - do not cut the stem, but let it dry. Then the leaf tuber accumulates useful material necessary for wintering.

Storing tubers in winter

After trimming the bush, the pots with tubers are placed in a cool dark place with air temperature - 10-12°C. The main thing is to prevent completely dry tubers, but protect them from rotting. Water once every 2-4 weeks.

Another method of storing root vegetables is also common. For this:

• in the fall they are removed from the ground;
• shake off the substrate;
• put in a plastic bag filled with soil mixture combined with vermiculite in a 1:1 ratio or wet peat, sawdust;
• close the bag tightly and put it in the refrigerator on a shelf for storing vegetables or in a dark, cool place;
• inspect the contents of the package once a month so as not to miss the appearance of rot or mold.

Transplanting gloxinia in spring

The dormant period for Gloxinia begins in September-October and ends in February-March. At this time, she reserves strength for the new season. Before germination begins, they need to be transplanted into fresh soil, even if they have been overwintered in pots.

Having seen the first sprout, you should take out the tuber, shake off the soil from it, and wash it running water, cut off the thin roots.

Even a small spot of rot can be removed using disinfected sharp knife. Then place them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour or for 15 minutes in a solution of foundationazole. Make sure that the solution does not touch the sprout. Dry it. The cut areas are sprinkled with charcoal. Now the tuber is ready for planting.

Important advice. If two or more shoots appear, then only one, the strongest one, is left, the rest are removed so that the plant does not become depleted.

The pots chosen are not very deep. There is a dependence on the size of the nodule - a small one (1-2 cm) needs 100 grams plastic cup Having reached 3-4 cm, a pot with a diameter of up to 9 cm is needed. The distance from it to the walls of the pot should be 2-3 cm.

Helpful advice. In a cramped container, gloxinia blooms earlier.

Gloxinias are not suitable acidic soils- growth worsens, buds form worse. The acidity level pH 5.5-6.5 is the highest limit.

The prepared soil needs to be disinfected. Eat special drugs(for example, “Maxim”). You can water it with a solution of manganese.

The tuber is planted with the depression upward so that it is only half buried in the ground.

It is completely sprinkled only after the active growth of the shoot begins. When watering, the stream of water should not hit the plant.

Required thermal conditions: 18-25°C. When the temperature decreases, growth is inhibited, and when the temperature rises, the flowers open poorly. If the room is dry, then spray water from a spray bottle next to the pot, but not on the leaves.

The start of feeding is a month after transplantation. Use fertilizers for flowering plants, such as Fertika Lux. Regularity - 2-3 times a month. During budding, potassium monophosphate is used (1-2 times a month). They stop fertilizing in August-September.

Beginners are often concerned about the question of why seemingly healthy tubers do not germinate. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is dryness or dampness in the room where they were stored. A delay in germination is observed when they are not sufficiently ripened before being sent for storage.

Healthy tubers can be made to awaken. To do this you need:

• before planting, spray them with Zircon, Kornevin or Epin;
• increase watering (pour water only around the edges of the pot);
• improve lighting;
• increase the air temperature to 26°C.

If, on the contrary, gloxinia woke up early, and you noticed the appearance of a long pale process late, then it is better to remove it and wait for a new one.

The babies formed on the nodules can be used for further reproduction. It is enough to carefully separate them from the main root crop and plant them in a large containers.

Reproduction of Gloxinia

It is possible to breed gloxinia bushes while preserving the characteristics of this variety in the following ways: vegetative propagation. Let's look at 4 ways.

Reproduction by stepsons and top cuttings

This method is considered the fastest. It consists in using extra shoots that appear on the tubers (it is recommended to remove them), new extra stepsons and apical cuttings.

They are carefully cut so that the cut is oblique. Leave for 1-2 minutes to dry and plant in 100 ml transparent cups with soil based on high-moor peat to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. Greenhouse conditions are created for them (covered or placed in plastic boxes with lids). Another example affordable option- a plastic bottle cut into 2 parts.

After 10-15 days, roots will form. After another week, they abandon the shelter. Thanks to the transparent walls of the cups, the developed roots can be seen. Then, by transshipment, they are transferred to pots for further growth.

Propagation by peduncles

Before using this method, you need to remember that gloxinia flower stalks with simple flowers take root. If you take them from double flowers, then there is no guarantee of a positive result. Peduncles with a seed capsule take root better.

The planting method is similar to the previous one. A peduncle 5-8 cm long is buried 1-1.5 cm into the ground and placed in a greenhouse.

Obtaining shoots from leaf cuttings

This is the most familiar and widespread method. The leaf is cut with a sharp knife or blade, the incision is made obliquely. Then they plant it in the ground or lower it into a vessel with water. Large leaf divided into several parts. In both the first and second cases, a greenhouse is used. In the second option, you should pay attention that only the cutting is in the water, and not the leaf blade. To accelerate root growth and disinfect them, activated carbon is added to the water.

After 2-3 months, the mother leaf is removed if it has not dried out.

Good to know. No need to use old ones, especially lower leaves. The appropriate period for cutting leaves is the moment from the formation of buds to the end of flowering.

The method is used for dividing large tubers with several growth points. The incision is made in such a way that each fragment has at least one growth point. The method is suitable for saving a diseased or rotten tuber. Cut off damaged parts. The cut areas are sprinkled with activated carbon.

Each part is planted in a glass or cactus pot. Grown in a greenhouse.

Excessive watering leads to rotting of the tubers. At first, there is a decrease in the elasticity of the leaves, and then the plant wilts completely. In such cases, the stem is cut and rooted leaf cuttings. Inspect the tuber. If decay did not occur from the growth point, then:

• damaged areas are removed;
• the remaining part is soaked in fungicide, sprinkled with crushed activated carbon;
• dry for 2-3 days;
• planted in the ground.

Diseased gloxinia bush

The most common disease of gloxinia is late blight. It manifests itself as slight wilting, then cessation of stem growth and a change in its color. Subsequently, the cuttings and leaves rot. The plant dies. IN initial stage You can try to spray it with phytosporin, but it is better to destroy it along with the soil.

Fusarium infection occurs from the soil. Leaves acquire brown tint, curl up and fade. Cracks and dark stripes are visible on the stems. The cause of the disease is excessive watering and moisture retention in the soil. The soil should be replaced, the tuber and roots should be washed, disinfected and replanted.

Exceeding the norm of nitrogen fertilizers, improper watering, low temperature lead to damage to gloxinia powdery mildew. As a result, white appears on the stems, leaves, and buds. powdery plaque. Treatment is treatment with fungicides (for example, foundationazole).

Major pests

The appearance of dashes, dots, and small light spots on the leaves indicates the presence of thrips. These harmful insects attack stems, buds, and flowers. The upper part of the leaf has a silvery sheen with a grayish-brown tint. It's difficult to fight them. It is advisable to transplant the plant to another soil, disinfect the tuber and root. Spray with insecticides: Aktara, Aktelik, Fitoverm and others.

Spider mite - smallest insect. It settles on the bottom of the leaf. The first signs are the formation of white dots, gradually turning into yellow-brown spots. The appearance of a cobweb means large quantities insects They quickly attack nearby plants.

Spider mites on plants

On the lower part of the leaves there is another pest - the cyclamen mite. The plant's growth slows down. The leaves are deformed and curled. The buds fade and fall off. The tips of the shoots turn brown. It looks like dust has accumulated.

Methods of combating spider mites and cyclamen mites:

• remove damaged leaves;
• carry out 3 treatments with insecticides at intervals of one week.

From all that has been said, the conclusion suggests itself: growing gloxinia from seeds at home is quite possible. The main thing is to adhere to several rules: choose the right soil for planting, create conditions with good lighting, moderate watering, timely replanting, and lowering the temperature during dormancy.

Growing gloxinia from seeds at home is a labor-intensive process, but if you follow all the rules of agricultural technology, you can get a beautiful healthy flower. The main requirement for planting material is that the seeds should not be old, dry, damaged by pests or rot. You can prepare them yourself by collecting them from the mother plant, or buy them in a specialized store.

How to get seeds

Successful propagation by seeds is possible only with initially high-quality seed material. You can get it in two ways:

1. Buy in store. Today you can find both classic varieties and hybrids with a wide variety of bud colors, bush shape and other parameters. The advantages of such seeds are that they are ready for germination, have more high degree germination compared to independently collected material. In addition, the packaging usually indicates what parameters need to be created for rapid growth.
2. Assemble with your own hands. The difficulty in this case is that first you need to carry out artificial pollination. When gloxinia blooms, you need to transfer pollen from the second flower to the pistil with a brush or cotton swab. Moreover, it is better if the flowers are of different colors. If pollination is successful, after 3–5 weeks the pistil will dry out, fall off, and a seed box will be visible in its place. It ripens for 5–6 days, then cracks. You need to have time to collect the seeds before they dry out and lose viability.

After removal, the box is placed in a dry container, and when it opens on its own, the seeds are taken out. They are transferred to storage in tightly closed containers.

Because the best time For sowing, the end of winter - the beginning of March is considered, pollination is carried out at the very end of autumn or beginning of December.

Gloxinia seeds are small and look like poppy seeds. Not all of them germinate, so the more planting material is stored, the more likely it is to grow a healthy flower.

Step by Step Actions

To obtain gloxinia from seeds at home, follow the step-by-step instructions. It will help determine the correct timing of the procedure, the parameters that are necessary for germination, as well as the method for further planting young shoots.

When to sow

Sowing of seeds is carried out within 30–40 days during the period late February - early March. It is important that the plant, before entering the dormant phase, which in gloxinia and other flowering specimens occurs at the end of autumn, has time to build up the root system, green mass, become stronger and adapt.

The ideal time to sow gloxinia is considered to be the last ten days of February. With proper care, six months after planting shoots obtained from seeds in the ground, they begin to bloom. At the end of October - beginning of November, the plant fades and goes into retirement.

Planting containers and soil

In order for growing gloxinia seeds at home to be successful, all aspects of planting are important, including the correct soil and pot. Select a container with a tight-fitting lid from transparent material, for example, plastic. Shoots will not appear without sufficient lighting, but the lid of the container is needed so that greenhouse conditions are formed under it - a kind of greenhouse. If the seeds do not receive enough light, they are unlikely to germinate.

If there is no container with a lid, you can choose a regular container with low sides and cover it with glass or plastic wrap. Such a lid should fit tightly to the sides and not allow air to pass through. This will ensure a constantly high, stable level of humidity.

Balanced soil is easier to purchase in the store. But you can do it yourself. To create a soil mixture you need coniferous land and clean sand in equal parts. All soil components are well disinfected. You can bake them in a frying pan in the oven or freeze and defrost them twice.

There are special solutions for disinfection. They spray the soil laid out on newspaper, then dry it and use it to plant gloxinia seeds.

Seed preparation

When gloxinia is propagated by seeds planting material you need to prepare well:

1. Work with seeds carefully. They are small and can fly apart from any breath of air. Some manufacturers place each in a special soluble capsule - this makes planting easier, but sometimes prevents shoot growth.
2. The seeds themselves do not need to be disinfected or soaked. They are planted dry in prepared soil mixture placed in small pots, peat cups or other containers.

The more seeds are planted, the greater the chances of getting strong sprouts, which will later grow into beautiful ones. healthy flowers.

Sowing seeds

You can plant gloxinia seeds as follows:

1. Take a wide, shallow container and pour ready-made or home-made soil mixture into the bottom. Level it with a spatula and compact it slightly with your hands.
2. The soil needs to be warmed up a little before pouring into the container.
3. Fill a spray bottle with settled water at room temperature and spray the surface of the soil. It should remain moist, but not too wet.
4. Then the seeds are carefully laid out on the surface of the soil. They can be filled in rows without being buried in the ground. If there are only a few seeds, you can use tweezers or another sharp object to carefully distribute them on the ground.
5. Once again moisten the surface with water from a spray bottle.
6. Cover the container with film or glass so that there is no access to air. Leave in the room at normal temperature, preferably on the windowsill of a south or south-east window.

You can plant seed material not only in a common container, but also in separate peat tablets

Before use, they are moistened with warm water, placed in a flat, low container with a tray, then covered with film. Each capsule can contain 3 seeds.

Care at first

On average, it can take from 2 weeks to 3 months before seedlings appear, depending on the care and climate parameters in the room. Seeds need to create greenhouse conditions so that they germinate faster:

1. 7 days after laying the material, open the lid of the container or remove the polyethylene to ventilate the seedlings. Repeat the manipulations every day, leaving the sprouts open for at least 15 minutes. Such ventilation will prevent the development of mold and rot.
2. During the period of rapid growth of seedlings, it must be watered regularly, focusing on the degree of soil moisture. At normal room temperature, watering should be carried out once every 2-3 days.
3. The cover or film is removed when most of the shoots appear. After this, the plant is picked. Picks (transplantation into a new substrate and container bigger size) is carried out three times. This allows you to strengthen the plant and prepare it for independent growth in a separate pot. The first picking - 30 days after planting the seeds, the second - when the height of the sprouts has reached 2 cm or more, the third - after 3 weeks. The last trick is to transplant flowers into separate pots on permanent place growth.

You need to carefully care for planted seeds, especially in the first 30–40 days. Gloxinia sprouts are thin, fragile, and easily break if handled carelessly.

Transplanting mature flowers

For each grown flower you need to select small pot. Young shoots have a small root system; in large pots they will not receive many nutrients. In addition, if you plant the plants being grown immediately in a large container, the soil will turn sour and mold will appear in it.

After transplanting to a permanent place, you can begin to fertilize the flower. Except mineral supplements, introduce growth stimulants and activators, which accelerate the adaptation process and reduce the risk of flower death in new conditions.

Possible difficulties

Growing gloxinia from seeds at home is difficult for several reasons - it is not always possible to select high-quality seed material, its germination rate is low, it is not easy to maintain for a month and more stable climatic conditions for young shoots. But this method of growing also has advantages - if everything is done correctly, you will get a lot of strong healthy seedlings, which retains all the features of the varietal mother plant (color of buds, shape of leaves).

You may encounter some difficulties during the process:

1. The seedlings are withering. This happens when airing too often. The mini-greenhouse is opened less often, no more than once every three days.
2. Many experienced flower growers It is not recommended to plant seeds in peat tablets. A weak root system does not overcome the peat barrier, water stagnates, and the plant may die.
3. When planting a flower, use drainage. Take coarse sand, pebbles, perlite. This will ensure timely release of water to the outside and help control the level of soil moisture.
4. If after watering a dense, airtight crust forms on the surface, it must be carefully loosened. The seedlings are young, weak, and their roots are very thin. Loosen carefully, only on the very top layer of soil.
5. After planting the seeds, do not use fertilizers. The first feeding can be done a week after the last fourth pick at a permanent place.
6. If the flower does not grow, this may indicate low-quality or spoiled seeds. They may have been stored incorrectly, frozen, or exposed to too much heat.

Caring for a plant obtained from seeds is the same as caring for a seedling after root division or cuttings. They provide stable light, temperature, and absence of drafts so that the plant actively develops and blooms.

Gloxinia belongs to the perennials from the Gesneriaceae family. Natural thickets of this plant can be seen in tropical forests Brazil. When the rainy season begins, multi-colored gramophones appear on gloxinias. The flowering period passes quickly, but the flower has time to stock up nutrients For . By this time there are no leaves on it.

The beauty of velvet leaves and flowers of various colors has long attracted lovers indoor flowers. But there comes a time when the flower collection requires updating. You don’t have to go to a flower shop, because gloxinia can be made quite well from seeds at home. Need to pick up good seeds, sow them and within six months your tropical beauty You will be given wonderful flowers.

You can propagate a flower with velvet flowers different ways, including seeds. This method is not only economical, but will also bring a lot of pleasure from watching the development of gloxinia. When choosing seeds, you should pay attention to the expiration date. You cannot get good seedlings from old seeds.

Flower growers owe the modern variety of varieties of amazing gloxinia to breeders. Today you can choose all sorts of options, differing in color, leaf shape, and bell size. There are flowers with great doubleness and single-row ones.

You can purchase ready-made seeds at flower shops. Most often, flower lovers purchase such

• Cleopatra;
• Eliza;
• Brocade;
• Kaiser Wilhelm;
• Winter cherries and others.

When growing gloxinia from seeds, you should know that those purchased in the store are completely ready for sowing, most often they are panned, with a nutrient coating. You can collect the seeds yourself. Those who like to experiment will love this activity. Grown with your own hands, gloxinia from seeds can become your pride.

Preparatory work

1. Selection of capacity

The best option would be a cake food container with a lid. You can also use clear, disposable containers. Such packaging will cost almost free. In addition, light easily penetrates into transparent containers.
You need to make holes in the container so that the water does not stagnate. Drainage is poured at the bottom, and only then soil.

1. Soil preparation

Gloxinia seeds

Before planting, the soil must have room temperature. The prepared soil is poured into containers and leveled, lightly compacted with your fingers. This procedure is important: any unevenness or crack on the surface will cause the seed to roll deep and not have enough strength to germinate. Moisten the soil with a spray bottle.

There should be at least 4-5 cm from the edge of the container to the ground.

The process of growing gloxinia from seeds

Regular containers
When planting, the seeds cannot be buried; they are simply distributed over the entire surface. If regular seeds are used, spraying from a spray bottle will be required.

Gloxinia (seeds) in the shell are watered carefully, it is best to do this with a pipette, trying to get on every granule. The shell, dissolving, will provide the future plant with nutrients.

When planting in a food container, close the lid tightly. A plastic bag is pulled over other containers and tied at the bottom. It is necessary to cover the crops to create a microclimate.

Peat tablets

IN last years peat tablets are popular. They are convenient for sowing seeds of any plants. The tablet is placed in a container, filled with a small amount warm water. It is topped up as needed. The hole intended for sowing should be on top.

The “container” will be ready in a third of an hour: it will grow. Excess water pour it out, and place 2-3 seeds in the hole. Use a toothpick to deepen it slightly. The surface is mulched with peat. A bag is put on top.

Features of crop care

After sowing, the containers are transferred to a bright windowsill, but direct rays of the sun should not fall on it. Since propagation by seeds can be done at any time of the year, it should be taken into account that in autumn and winter there is not enough light, additional lighting will be required. Lighting can be enhanced using a lamp daylight. The fact is that for seeds to germinate, light is required for half a day.

During the period of germination of gloxinia seeds, much attention is paid to the temperature regime: +22-26 degrees. When the first shoots appear +18-22 degrees.

Throughout the entire period, soil moisture is checked: drying out will lead to the death of crops. The soil should not be allowed to dry out. Irrigation, if necessary, is carried out with a spray bottle. There is no need to water the soil often, since the containers are covered with film; it does not allow moisture to quickly evaporate.

It is equally important, when caring for crops, to monitor the access to oxygen. The film should be removed twice a day and the soil should be allowed to breathe for 15 minutes. In addition, thanks to ventilation, the soil does not oxidize.

If you follow all the rules for caring for gloxinia crops, seedlings usually appear:

• Not hybrid varieties by the end of the second week. In low light only after 30 days.
• Hybrid terry, tiger, calico varieties in 2-3 weeks.

The seedlings do not need to be touched until two or three true leaves appear. At this time, nodules form in gloxinia. The rules of care are practically no different: you need to follow temperature conditions, lighting, soil moisture. When watering, water should not get on the leaves, this can lead to the death of the plant. If there is not enough light, the seedlings will stretch out.

Features of picking

Preparing Gloxinia

As a rule, gloxinia experiences several picks as it grows. Before planting a small gloxinia in a permanent place, it needs to be specially prepared. When it is cloudy outside, the plant, which has already formed 5-6 leaves, is opened. If it is a container, lift the lid. From planting in containers or peat tablets remove the film.

For the first time to get used to natural conditions One hour is enough. If the soil is dry, you need to irrigate it with a spray bottle. For healthy seedlings, acclimatization is not a problem. On the second day you need to ventilate for an hour and a half. If after this there is lethargy of the leaves, it means that the plant is not yet ready for picking. It needs to be done later.

Picking process

When the plants get used to the climate of the apartment, you can transplant it to a permanent place. For small seedlings, large containers are not needed; sour cream and yogurt containers are quite suitable:

1. Pour soil and water it with warm water.
2. Using a fork, transfer the plant to the pot. Add soil if necessary. Irrigate, avoiding contact with leaves and soil.
3. Place in a bright but not sunny window.

Gloxinia, as a rule, rarely gets sick after picking because it has nodules. Further care in maintaining temperature conditions, air and soil humidity. About three months will pass, the bulb will give new shoots. And in another month he will delight you with multi-colored velvety gramophones.

Gloxinia is an unpretentious indoor flower. It is loved for the unusual colors and sizes of the flower. Growing a new plant from seeds with your own hands is not difficult. The main thing is to be patient and properly care for crops and adult plants. You should know that there are not many flowers in the first year. But don’t let this upset you: the older the gloxinia, which is grown from seeds at home, the greater the number of bells that will form on it.