Godetia - how to grow from seeds, when to plant

Godetia is a bright, beautiful, and yet completely undemanding flower. It's perfect for both indoors and in country gardens or flowerbeds. The only drawback is that godetia must be planted annually, as it's an annual. However, this doesn't stop it from being one of the most popular flowers among Russian gardeners.

Growing Godetia from Seedsis especially popular, the article will tell you when to plant it and how to do it correctly.

Description of the plant

Godetia flowers are linear-lanceolate, and the plant itself belongs to the fireweed family. It is an annual, frost- and cold-hardy plant with a straight, drooping, branched stem. The bushes can be pyramidal or spreading. The flowers are abundant, reminiscent of azaleas, pink-red in color, with a double or smooth surface. They appear as bell-shaped buds with inflorescences 5-10 cm in size.

Godetia is planted in flowerbeds, outdoor vases, garden beds, borders, and on balconies and windowsills in boxes and pots. Godetia is grown from seed, and the planting period varies by region, so when planting seedlings, it's important to consult a planting calendar.

One excellent way to use Godetia is in landscape design. It looks great as a border, framing larger flowerbeds, garden paths, or even outbuildings. In the city, the plant can be used to decorate balcony railings along the entire perimeter or on windowsills.

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Care and cultivation

This is an extremely easy-to-grow flower that thrives in almost any conditions. Ordinary loamy soil is suitable, but the key is to choose a location that is protected from strong winds and receives sufficient sunlight. Godetia tolerates partial shade quite well, so it can be planted near a house or other buildings.

Features of Godetia:

• can bloom until the first frosts;
• There is some vulnerability to rain - in a damp and cloudy summer the plant weakens and does not bloom as brightly as in a sunny and dry one.
• varieties with tall stems require tying, which must be taken into account when choosing a location and planting conditions;
• does not require active feeding.

Fertilizing godetia requires special attention – an excess of fertilizer will result in active growth, but only of the green part, that is, the stems and leaves, while the flowers themselves will be less abundant and expressive.

If you need seeds, you can leave a few bushes with buds. They ripen within a month after the flowering period begins. A sign of ripeness is the dark color of the seed pods.

Growing in open ground

Godetia is always grown from seed in one of two ways: directly in the ground or by preparing seedlings indoors. When planting godetia seedlings for outdoor cultivation, it's important to pay attention to weather conditions.

The seeds are as easy-to-grow as the plant itself, so they can withstand spring frosts. Godetia can be planted in the ground as soon as possible and the soil is ready for sowing. In some regions, this can be done as early as April, but generally, planting continues until late spring. If desired, godetia can be planted early, before winter. October or September is a good time, depending on the region.

Planting technology:

• The beds and flower beds should be prepared in advance: since the seeds are small, it is advisable to let the soil settle a little;
• the furrows are located every 10 cm with a depth of about 5 cm, maybe a little more;
• you need to sow the seeds at intervals, less often, otherwise you will have to thin them out later;
• After the seedlings have sprouted and matured, they are transferred to a permanent growing location.

In place, godetia bushes are planted with a gap of 25-30 cm so that they do not interfere with each other during further growth.

When transplanting seedlings isn't possible, you can sow seeds directly. In warm regions with short winters, this is done in the first ten days of April. Seeds are sown directly into the garden bed or flowerbed. This can also be done before winter—in October. This godetia may be more vibrant and bloom much earlier, as the plant will be hardened and stronger after overwintering in the ground. After the first seedlings emerge and reach a height of 5-7 cm, thin them out, removing any excess shoots.

Growing Godetia at home

Godetia can react negatively to being transplanted from one environment to another, so growing seedlings at home is a more complex process and requires additional attention. When growing godetia from seeds, you need to be more careful when choosing the right seeds, when to plant them, and how to plant them (see photo).

Planting technology:

• You can plant godetia seeds at home in the second half of March - then the bushes will grow and bloom in May;
• The seeds are planted in individual containers – the first shoots will appear in just a week and a half;
• Since godetia reacts painfully to being transferred to other conditions, it is advisable to plant it in peat pots or even tablets, planting two or three seeds in each;
• water moderately, as excess moisture promotes the development of fungi;
• seedlings need a lot of light - godetia should be illuminated for at least 12 hours a day;
• When the sprouts become large enough, around the beginning of May, they need to be accustomed to the external environment by giving them “sun baths” in the open air for a couple of hours a day;
• When the warm weather finally sets in, you can leave the seedlings overnight.

Ready-made seedlings are transplanted outdoors at the end of May, after all night frosts have passed. Although godetia is easy to grow, indoor plants are more vulnerable to cold and may weaken or even die when night frosts set in. For example, when planting Godetia 'Moth' from seed, you can sow directly into the ground.

The seedling, root end and all, is carefully removed from the pot, taking care not to disturb the soil. It is then placed in a prepared hole with a small amount of compost at the bottom. Avoid over-fertilizing the hole, as godetias don't require much additional fertilizer, and this can even harm the flowers. After transplanting the seedling, the hole is filled and watered lightly until the soil is moist but not wet. The area around the trunk can be mulched with grass or other plants.

Godetia planting time in different climate zones

Climate is the determining factor. For warmer regions (the Southern Federal District and adjacent areas), sowing godetia directly into the ground is suitable. Plants can be planted starting in the first ten days of April, or in early spring, in late March. Possible slight cold spells are not critical and will only harden the plant, resulting in brighter, more vibrant blooms. When growing "Terry" godetia from seed, it's important to consider the climate of your region.

Fall sowing in this area occurs in late October or early November. In this case, godetia germinates in May, after the soil has warmed completely. This sowing method requires more seeds, as some will die without stratification. The seeds are mixed with clean sand and placed in furrows spaced 3 cm apart. A more accurate time for fall sowing is the onset of the first frost.

Planting should be done only after these conditions, allowing the seeds to "go dormant" and prevent germination before winter. To protect from frost, use a 4-5 cm layer of peat. After the spring seedlings emerge, they should be transplanted to a permanent bed or flowerbed. To more accurately determine when to plant Godetia "Beauty" when growing from seed, consult the lunar calendar.

Since climates can vary from year to year, and even relatively cold regions can experience warm winters, it's best to determine planting time based on weather conditions rather than the date. For southern regions, the following factors are crucial:

• the soil should warm up to approximately 15°C;
• it should dry out after the spring thaw;
• Godetia cannot be planted in wet soil.

In colder regions (the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, Moscow and the Moscow region), it's best to avoid planting in the ground, as the ideal time arrives quite late and flowering isn't expected until autumn. Therefore, the best option for these regions is to grow seedlings. They can be sown as early as the second ten days of March, and by May, the seedlings will be ready for transplanting into flower beds.

For some varieties of godetia, such as 'Monarch', you need to pay attention to the lunar calendar for growing from seeds to know exactly when to plant them.

Lunar planting calendar

The lunar calendar can help you choose the optimal day for planting. It's recommended to plant godetia, and any plant in general, during the waxing moon. At this time, our planet's satellite has a positive effect on the movement of sap in the root system, helping it rise. This process slows down during the waning moon. It's best not to plant or transplant seedlings during this time.

Suitable days for godetia plantings in the spring of 2019:

• March: from 1 to 3, from 9 to 15, from 17 to 19 and 26;
• April; 1st and 2nd, then from 7th to 13th, from 16th to 18th and 25th;
• May: 1 and 2, from 8 to 18 and 25.

You need to match the right dates with the weather conditions, and then the godetia will definitely grow healthy, lush and beautiful.