Fuchsia is a fairly popular plant that is used to decorate garden plots and apartments. There are 2 main ways of propagation: by grafting and growing seedlings. Fuchsia from seeds at home has been growing for quite some time.
Fuchsia: seed cultivation
When an adult blooming fuchsia lives in the house, seeds for subsequent planting can be obtained by performing simple manipulations. When the bud opens, the pollen is transferred from the stamens of the male flower using a cotton swab or squirrel brush to the pestle of the female flower. Even if there is only one plant in the house, there are no obstacles for artificial pollination. Pollen is removed from one bud and transferred to another. After the procedure is completed, the flower is irrigated from the spray gun, this increases the chances of successful pollination.
Beautiful and magnificent fuchsia as a result of efforts
After the bud is moistened, it is covered with gauze. After some time, you can see the developing fetus. When it is fully ripe, it is carefully cut with a knife and put in a paper envelope. The fruit will gradually dry out. In order to prevent mold and rot, the envelope with the fruit is best placed in the refrigerator. Immediately before planting, the fruit is cut and seeds are taken from it.
The fruit from which the seeds are extracted
What do fuchsia seeds look like?
In order not to make a mistake in the flower shop and buy fresh, plantable material, you need to know what fuchsia seeds look like. Some sellers profit from inexperience and deceive buyers by selling expired goods.
Fuchsia seeds are very small in size, moreover, they are almost flat, and their shape resembles garlic cloves. The ideal planting material will be necessarily dry, light brown in color.
Seed Size and Appearance
How to grow fuchsia from seeds at home
Growing a fuchsia flower from seeds is a complex but fascinating process. Basically, the plant is propagated by cuttings. However, the use of seeds allows us to develop new varieties and species.
There are several basic recommendations on how to grow beautiful fuchsia from seeds at home.
Growing seedlings
Soil preparation
The first thing you should pay attention to when growing this flower is the soil. It can be purchased at the flower shop. For fuchsias, ready-made specialized mixtures for flowering plants are suitable. They have a normal non-acidic environment, which is ideal for growing a strong and viable sprout. Experienced flower growers prefer to prepare the soil mixture on their own. To date, 3 methods are known:
- a mixture of peat, perlite and sand. They are needed in equal parts;
- crushed moss-sphagnum, humus (preferably rotted) and vermiculite to give the soil friability. The components are mixed in equal parts;
- mix of turf, peat, pine bark, sand. Components are prepared in a ratio of 3: 1: 1: 1, respectively.
Before planting, the ground must be decontaminated. For this, a weak solution (light pink) of potassium permanganate is suitable. When processing, thrips and nematodes are killed, and the likelihood of mold and pathogenic microflora is also reduced. If you have a special drug "Fitosporin", then it will successfully replace the potassium permanganate solution.
Capacity does not play a special role for growing seedlings. Most commonly used are plastic cups or wide containers. The main condition for the container is the presence of a large number of holes for draining water. At the bottom of the tank you can lay a drainage layer (2-3 cm). For this, expanded clay or small pebbles are suitable.
Important! Do not allow fluid stagnation.
Sowing seeds
The most favorable season for sowing fuchsia seeds is considered to be spring, namely March-April. However, these terms cannot be called strict. There are cases when the sowing of seeds in January was successful. Moreover, by March, the height of the plant could reach 15-20 cm.
In order for the seeds to sprout, you must follow the step by step instructions:
- compact the soil a little. The first shoots can be seen in 10-14 days. If the earth is loose, then the seeds will fall inside and sprout with some delay. For timely seed germination, bright sunlight is needed;
- seeds should be sown one at a time. Given that they are quite small, they pre-make a depression of 0.5 cm. Seeds are placed in the created holes;
Important! Seeds cannot be sprinkled with earth. Otherwise, they will not hatch.
- it is recommended to make holes at intervals of 7 cm. If the recommendation is ignored and the seeds are planted densely, then when the first two true leaves appear, they pick. Seedlings are divided into different cups.
Important! Before picking, you should abundantly moisten the soil, so that the flower transplant is less traumatic. Some flower growers adhere to the lunar calendar when transplanting. It is believed that transplanting to the growing moon gives the best fruit.
Germination conditions
An important condition for good germination of seeds is to ensure optimal environmental conditions:
- in the room the temperature should reach 23-26 degrees. Providing such conditions is much easier than it seems. It is enough to put a transparent lid or film on top of the pots, thereby creating greenhouse conditions;
- seedlings are recommended to be grown closer to the window so that the sprouting flowers can be saturated with sunlight;
- the room is recommended to be aired daily;
- the soil should be regularly moistened.
Further seedling care
When the first two leaves appear, the plant moves into an individual cup or pot, where it will develop until transplanted into open soil. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pots.
Important! Make sure that the pot has enough openings to drain excess fluid.
The drainage layer is about 2 cm, and the earth is poured on top. It is best to use the one that was used to germinate the seeds. The fact is that the root system has not yet fully grown, so it is better to place flowers in a familiar environment.
A depression is prepared in the pot where the sprouts are placed. Depth must be selected individually for each sprout - the earth should be poured to the level of cotyledonous petals. The roots are sprinkled with earth and slightly tamped. Sealing is necessary for better contact of the roots with the ground. In addition, it is recommended to water the land plentifully.
Fuchsia: seedling
Fuchsia can become a rich and exquisite decoration of the garden. In 1 pot, you can plant several sprouts at once. This will enable them to weave and form a bright bouquet. For 1 plant, it is recommended to allocate a volume of about 2-3 liters.
Planting fuchsia in a cache-pot
How to plant seedlings in flower pots
It is recommended to plant seedlings in a hanging planter as the root system becomes strong and resistant to external influences. Before planting, it is recommended to moisten the soil with plenty and transplant the flower by transshipment. This will protect sensitive roots from injury.
When a young sprout of an ampel variety is planted in a pot, it is tilted slightly, positioning closer to the edge of the pot. In the near future, this will make it possible to form a falling waterfall with bright inflorescences from a lush bush. It is better to pick up a clay pot. It will protect the root system of the flower from summer heat and burnout.
Following the rules of growing and caring for young shoots, the owner will receive a bush of amazing beauty. He will delight for a long time with bright buds and lush greenery.
