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| Lobularia | Common name; Lobelia |
Lobelia comes in a variety of colours and is a useful subject for window boxes, hanging baskets, planters and ground cover.
Lobelia will flower all summer & autumn in slight shade but will be quite happy in a sunny site provided it is not too hot.
Keep them well watered and fed using high potash feed during the growing season
Depending upon variety they will grow to 150-200mm(6"-8") in height with a spread of around 200-300mm(8"-12").
This spread can be helpful in baskets as it tends to hang down and give a trailing affect.
Week 3; Sow seeds of the bedding varieties on the surface of trays filled with seed compost, and germinate at a temperature of 21°C (70°F)
Prior to sowing add a teaspoonful of dry silver sand to the packet and shake them thoroughly together, then spread on the surface of the compost.
Alternatively; place the seed and sand in a salt or pepper shaker and shake the compost onto the surface of the compost.
Germination should take a week to ten days.
Week 11; Prick out the seedlings in groups of three or four, (they are too small to prick out individually), and grow on at a temperature of 10°C (50°F)
A useful technique to assist pricking out is to take a leaf out of the commercial grower’s book and grow them in plug trays.
This is done by sowing the seed as described above, but as opposed to using conventional trays, use 12x12mm cell trays.
What this does is; it allows you to grow the seedlings on to a larger size prior to potting up.
When the seedlings are approximately 12mm (½”) high, prick the clumps/cells out into 50x50mm (2"x2") cell trays.
If purchasing plugs direct from a garden centre or mail order supplier remove the tray/container on arrival from its packaging and water if dry.
Let plants stand for a day to recover from their journey, then pot on into individual 75mm (3") pots or cell trays of multipurpose compost.
Week 14; Gradually harden off the plants in a frost free cold frame until planting out time.
Week 21; Plant out 150-200mm (6"-8") apart in moist fertile soil in full sun or partial shade.
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