Statice: we'll explore growing this plant from seed at home in detail in this article. This flower, in appearance, more closely resembles a flowering bush. Incidentally, this plant is also commonly called "immortelle" due to its ease of cultivation compared to other flowers.
It looks simply amazing on the site, therefore, it is used very often. when creating alpine slidesStatice can be grown at home from seeds for seedlings.
Basics of Growing from Seed
The seeds of this flower are contained in a shell, which gardeners recommend leaving in place before sowing. Generally, the entire seed is used for planting. The best time to sow this plant's seeds for seedlings is early spring. The process is extremely simple and in many ways similar to planting other seeds:
- Place the seeds in the soil, which should first be sprayed to moisten it;
- Sprinkle with earth;
- Stretch a film or put glass over the container with seeds and soil;
- Ensure the temperature is within 16-21 degrees Celsius;
- Periodically spray the soil additionally;
- The seedlings will appear in two weeks and can be pricked out after the first two leaves appear.
For the prepared seedlings, choose a site with sufficient daytime sun exposure. Planting in open ground can be done in late April or early May. Statice grows well in loamy or sandy soil. Proper drainage is essential.
Replanting holes are dug to the height of the cup, and the distance between plants should not exceed 30 cm. Statice does not transplant easily, so carefully cut the cup, transfer the plant along with the soil, and water immediately.
About proper care
Statice: Growing from seed at home with photos shows that with proper care, the plant will bloom from July to mid-October. But what does this proper care entail? What other plants are suitable? for an alpine slide.
Features of caring for immortelle:
- If the soil is poor, then you need to fertilize twice a month using regular complex fertilizers;
- Water the immortelle regularly, adding salt to the water. This plant dislikes dry soil, as well as overly wet soil;
- Low varieties of statice are ideal for creating border beds, while tall varieties look spectacular in raised flowerbeds or when creating alpine slides.
- To ensure the plant retains its original color and shape, select whole, healthy flowers for drying and replanting next year. Drying should be done in a ventilated area, with the plant turned upside down so the stem is facing up.
About choosing a landing site
If you've grown statice from seeds indoors correctly, you'll soon need to plant the seedlings in your garden. As we've already briefly mentioned in this article, this should be done correctly. The plant prefers dry soil and plenty of sun. Direct sunlight doesn't affect the plant's growth or development, so you can choose the sunniest spots in your garden.
Advice! Partial shade or shade is not suitable for growing immortelle. When grown in the shade, its development soon begins to slow down, and the flowers and leaves become wilted.
How to plant from seeds
In this article, we'll discuss planting seeds for seedlings, and then transplanting the seedlings into open ground. However, many gardeners emphasize that growing statice seeds in open ground is impractical, as many seedlings will simply die.
But growing seedlings at home from seeds is possible, and it's the right approach. Besides planting seeds in pots indoors, another option for growing seedlings is to sow them in a greenhouse. The advantage of this second option is that planting can begin even as early as early April. It's important to ensure the greenhouse is well-heated, as this plant thrives on warmth. How to create your own a beautiful alpine slide.
Keep in mind that statice naturally grows in the steppe. Therefore, avoid overwatering the soil. It's best to water the plant once a week, using a moderate amount of water. You can add a teaspoon of salt to the water (per cup of water), and in damp weather, after rain, you don't need to water at all; just loosen the soil.
Statice: Growing from seeds indoors can be done either directly at home or in a greenhouse. We'll look at different options for sowing seeds to grow seedlings, as well as the key aspects of successfully transplanting seedlings into open ground.