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Sowing balsam seedlings is one of the most popular methods of cultivating this type of plant. The method is simple and can be implemented at home even by novice gardeners.
Features of growing balsam from seeds at home
"Balsam" is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the group of both annuals and perennials. Its main feature is the variety of varieties. The last factor affects the timing of planting and care features.
"Balsam" is a plant with jagged or rounded leaf blades of a dark green palette and flowers of various shades (pink, red, white). The petals of the inflorescences can be smooth, double or semi-double. Flowering does not occur simultaneously.
In good conditions, balsam blooms all year round.
What do balsam seeds look like?
Balsam fruits are small seed pods that open when touched lightly. The seeds themselves are very small, varied in size, covered with a dark brown, black or white shell. Annuals tend to have slightly larger seed material than perennial crops.
All seeds require pre-treatment before planting.
How to collect balsam seeds
Collecting balsam seeds has its own characteristics. The fruits of the plant should not be cut ahead of time, otherwise the seeds will rot. It is very simple to determine the onset of the moment of ripening: you need to pick up the seed capsule, if the valves immediately open, it means that the time for collection has come.
The storage period of balsam seeds can reach 6-8 years, however, only freshly harvested materials demonstrate the best germination.
When to sow balsam for seedlings
It is more advisable to plant balsam seedlings in the last ten days of March or the first of April. However, the timing of planting depends more on the region and its climatic conditions.
In the southern regions, planting can begin in the first half of February, while in the middle zone, namely in the Moscow region, the optimal time is in early spring. In Siberia, the Leningrad region, Karelia and the Urals, the planting date may be postponed to the beginning of April.
Most gardeners use the lunar calendar when calculating planting dates.
Favorable days:
- from 12 to 17, 19 and 20 March;
- 6-8, 11-13, 15-17, 29 and 30 April.
The following are considered unfavorable:
- 6 and 7, March 21;
- April 5 and 19.
You can also determine the timing of disembarkation the other way around.Since balsam transplantation most often takes place in late May-early June, and growing seedlings takes 3-4 months, depending on the region, the sowing date is determined by a countdown.
How to plant balsam seedlings correctly
It is possible to competently plant balsam seedlings only after first studying all the subtleties and nuances of the process itself, as well as subsequent agricultural technology. Most varieties of this crop can be planted by seeds.
Selection and preparation of containers
The optimal choice for planting balsam seeds is a small container up to 10-12 cm deep. You can plant it either in small individual containers or in one large box, the main thing is to choose the right width based on the number of seeds. Subsequently, you can always pick and successfully plant young plants.
At home, flower growers actively use plastic cups and cassettes, small pots and peat tablets. Each future seedling should have a volume of at least 200-220 ml.
Seeds must be disinfected before planting
Before use, it is necessary to treat the container with antiseptics or a solution of potassium permanganate for complete disinfection. Thick plastic containers can be scalded with boiling water (except for cups).
Each seedling container must be equipped with a drainage hole. If this is not available, you need to make it yourself.
Soil preparation
Impatiens appreciates light, fertile soil with high air and water permeability, as well as a moderately acidic environment. Dense soil generously fertilized with compost is not the best option.
Suitable soil for balsam can be purchased at a specialized store or you can make it yourself by mixing turf soil, peat, perlite and sand in equal proportions. It is advisable to pass all the ingredients of the mixture through a wide sieve. This will make the soil looser and also additionally saturate it with oxygen.
Preparing balsam seeds for sowing
You can increase the germination rates of seedlings by pre-preparing the seed material. To do this, the seeds are treated, thus removing pathogens and bacteria from the surface of their shell.
Fitosporin-M is most often used as disinfectants. The treatment time with the drug should not exceed 25-30 minutes. After dressing, the seeds are soaked in growth stimulants (Zircon, Epin-Extra).
The treatment procedure allows you to speed up the germination of seedlings.
Algorithm for planting balsam seeds for seedlings
There is nothing complicated about planting balsam. The working algorithm includes the following operations:
- Laying a drainage layer (gravel, perlite) on the bottom of the container.
- Filling the container with prepared soil (not reaching 1.5-2 cm to the edge).
- Leveling and moistening the soil (using a spray bottle).
- Sowing seeds at a distance of 3-3.5 cm from each other.
- Second watering (spraying).
- Cover the container with glass, a plastic lid or cling film.
For convenience, you can label the plant.For example, if several types of crops are sown simultaneously.
You can use store-bought soil or make your own soil mixture.
How to grow balsam from seeds
It is possible to grow high-quality seedlings only by creating a healthy microclimate for the plant. Agricultural technology also plays an important role in the growth of balsam.
How many days does it take for balsam seedlings to sprout?
According to reviews, balsam from seeds germinates approximately 1-3 weeks after planting. As a rule, fresh materials demonstrate a higher “pipping” rate. You need to understand that you should not expect friendly and simultaneous germination of seedlings from this plant.
There are a number of reasons influencing this process:
- soil temperature is too low;
- high soil temperature (above +25 °C), at which the seeds die;
- heavy composition;
- expired seed material;
- high soil acidity.
The microclimate organized by the grower is also important.
Microclimate
Optimal conditions include not only air temperature and humidity, but also lighting. It is necessary to grow seedlings in a bright place with sufficient sunlight. The length of daylight for balsam should vary from 12 to 14 hours. In winter and early spring, it can be regulated using phytolamps.
The optimal air temperature is 23-25 °C. Balsam requires ventilation 2 times a day (morning and evening) for 12-15 minutes. The soil should not dry out, so air humidity and timely watering must also be carefully monitored.
When the first sprouts of seedlings appear, the ambient temperature should be lowered by 5-7 °C. For the 3rd week after planting, you can increase the ventilation time.First bring it to 1 hour, then gradually to 3-4. By the end of the week – up to 5-6 hours.
Watering and fertilizing
It is impossible to grow balsam seedlings from seeds without properly organized watering.
The soil is moistened using a syringe, a small watering can or a large-volume syringe. Watering is root-based. The frequency depends on air humidity and the rate of drying of the top layer of soil (it should always be slightly damp).
When watering from a watering can, it is important to direct the water to the root
The water used for watering balsam seedlings must be settled, without impurities, at room temperature. Fertilizing is carried out together with watering, using instant mineral complexes with nitrogen.
The first fertilizer is applied only after the first leaf appears. Subsequent feedings can be applied once every 10-12 days.
What to do if balsam seedlings have stretched out
In some cases, you can observe how balsam seedlings stretch out excessively, making the plants more fragile. The causes of the phenomenon may be:
- planting too early;
- temperature violation;
- lack of lighting.
Solve the problem in the following ways:
- The daylight hours of plants are increased with the help of phytolamps.
- Organize pinching.
- They carry out a pick.
In the latter case, the plant is slightly buried to remove excess stress from the shoot.
Picking
Picking is carried out only if there are at least 2 well-developed leaf plates. Transplant the seedlings into individual peat cups or cassettes with drainage holes. In this case, you can use the same soil that was used when planting seeds.
You can reduce the level of stress during picking by using special solutions, for example, Epin-Extra. To do this, the plant is sprayed with a spray bottle on the eve of transplantation and 2 days after it.
The drug "Epin-Extra" is also used as a growth stimulant
The picking algorithm looks like this:
- An hour before the procedure, the soil should be well moistened.
- New cups must be filled with enriched soil, making a small hole in the middle.
- Monitor all seedlings and get rid of weak and sickly specimens.
- Pick up the plant along with a lump of earth protecting the root shoot and carefully transplant it to a new place, deepening the seedling to the cotyledon leaf.
- Sprinkle soil on top and tamp lightly.
The main characteristics of the microclimate do not change after picking.
For the first 3 days after picking, the plant experiences stress. Experts advise slightly shading the seedlings for this period. After 2 weeks, you can feed the balsam with any mineral complex.
Topping
1-2 weeks after transplantation, pinch out the balsam with fingers or scissors. Any instrument is pre-disinfected. The pinching procedure stimulates the growth of side shoots, which significantly increases the decorative qualities of the future bush, making it more lush and attractive. After pinching, the seedlings are watered with settled water.
Hardening
The hardening procedure is necessary to increase the adaptive qualities of the plant after it is planted in open ground.In 10-15 days, the seedlings begin to be taken out to the loggia or fresh air, gradually increasing the time spent in a less comfortable temperature regime.
Transplantation into the ground
Planting balsam from seeds is only the first stage of cultivating this plant. The final operation is planting the seedlings in open ground. The main condition is the correct selection of location. It should not be too open (balsam withers in direct sunlight), but not in the shade.
The transplant procedure is indistinguishable from picking. At the end, the plant should be watered (at the root) and observed for at least two weeks as it takes root.
Conclusion
Sowing balsam seedlings is not a very difficult undertaking, but it has its own nuances. Properly grown and planted balsam will become the main decoration of a garden or home, depending on the place of its cultivation.
