Men's faithfulness doesn't forgive mistakes when it comes to care. Although there are only a few points to consider, if the plants are neglected, they are usually more susceptible to diseases and only bloom moderately.
Profile
- Botanical name: Lobelia erinus
- Plant family: Bellflower family (Campanulaceae)
- Height: up to 35 cm
- Growth habit: bushy, ground-covering
- Origin: South Africa
- Flowers: racemose inflorescences, single flower, blue, violet, white, red, pink
- Flowering period: May – September
- Leaves: green, lanceolate, narrow
Location
When buying plants, the signs for the blue lobelia often say that it can also tolerate partial shade. This is true, but the maintenance effort is much higher there. In addition, the flowers are much more sparse if the lobelias only get sun for a limited time.
The blue lobelia prefers full sun locations and also copes well with short dry periods of one to two days. If you plant the lobelia in a balcony box, it is ideal for south-facing balconies.
Substrate
The lobelia prefers nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil. When planting in a pot or balcony box, commercially available potting soil is a suitable substrate.
If you plant the lobelia in the bed, you should prepare it with compost. You should also work some long-term fertilizer such as horn shavings into the soil so that the plants get off to a good start. The lobelias are lime-tolerant, but you do not need to sprinkle additional lime. The existing lime in the soil or through watering is completely sufficient for the plants.
Note:
Although the lobelia can survive short periods of drought, this should remain the exception. Add lava rock to the substrate, which can store water and later release it back into the earth.
Sowing
Lobelias are easy to grow from seeds. From March onwards, the seeds are scattered in lean sowing soil and should be kept at a temperature of around 18°C so that they germinate. The Mannestreu is a light germinator, which is why you must not cover the seeds with soil. To reduce the risk of drying out during germination, you should use an indoor greenhouse for cultivation.
Once the seeds have germinated and developed well, they are pricked out in groups and planted in pots with a slightly more nutrient-rich substrate. You can plant the plants outdoors from mid-May.
Planting
There are no special points to consider when planting. If you buy lobelia commercially, loosen the root ball a little when planting. Do not plant the men's tree too deep. The plants can even stick out about a centimeter. This has the advantage that although the roots are largely in the ground, they are a little more airy when they spread out. This will help you reduce the risk of illness later on.
When planting, the mannequin should have enough space and the distance to other plants should be large enough. There should be at least 12 cm of space to the next plant. When growing in planters such as pots or balcony boxes, the distance should be at least 15 cm. The planting distance is not only important so that the plants can develop well, but also to prevent diseases such as mold growth.
Pouring
Mentreu likes it sunny and warm, but always moderately humid. This also poses the risk of waterlogging. Especially when growing in pots, there is a high risk of watering too much and the roots starting to rot due to the moisture. Plants can usually no longer be saved when waterlogging occurs because the root system is permanently damaged and they cannot absorb water or nutrients.
When planting in heavy soil, waterlogging can also form. To prevent this, you can create drainage in the ground both outdoors and when growing in pots.
The following substrates are suitable for drainage:
- expanded clay
- lava granules
- coarse gravel
Tip:
When growing the lobelia in a pot or bucket, preferably water it from below. This means that the water comes directly to the roots and the substrate can be drier on the surface, which also reduces the risk of mold forming.
Fertilize
The Male Faithful has high nutritional requirements. Therefore, not only is basic fertilization essential when planting, you must regularly supply the plants with fertilizer throughout the entire season. A liquid fertilizer that you can add to irrigation water is ideal for this. Fertilize the plants every two weeks.
However, when fertilizing, use a product that does not have too high a nitrogen content. Although the nitrogen promotes growth, which is an advantage for basic fertilization, it prevents the plants from forming flowers. There are liquid fertilizers commercially available that are suitable for flowering plants. You should also use such a preparation for your lobelias so that they bloom profusely.
pruning
Pruning is not absolutely necessary for the men's tree, but you can use it to encourage longer and more lush flowering. To do this, cut the plants back after the first flowering in July. Shorten the plants by about a third. This promotes the formation of new shoots with flowers.
Pruning also promotes he althy and strong growth. If you do not cut the plants after the main flowering, the fertilized flowers will produce seeds. As a result, the plant puts all of its energy into the ripening process of the seeds, which not only leads to reduced flower production, but the plants can also die prematurely after the seeds have ripened.
Propagation
In addition to propagation via seeds, some varieties such as the “Richardii” variety can also be propagated via cuttings. You can also overwinter the lobelia in the form of cuttings.
If you propagate the plants from cuttings, do not prune them before overwintering. You should cut lobelia cuttings around November, which is why you have to bring the plants into the house in good time.
You can replant the cuttings straight away. However, you should cover the pots tightly with a transparent bag to avoid moisture loss.
Wintering
Overwintering lobelias is theoretically possible, but is rarely done in practice. Only a few varieties overwinter well and it is much less time-consuming to simply grow them from seeds again and again.
However, if you want to overwinter the Mannestreu, you have to bring the plants into the house in good time before the first forest. Cut them back again so that the plants can conserve their resources. A bright and frost-free location is important in winter.
Requirements for the winter quarters:
- south-facing window
- Temperature between 10 – 15°C
- no drafts
- average humidity
In the winter quarters, you should only water the plants moderately. However, make sure that the substrate is constantly slightly moist during this time. From mid-May, when there is no longer any risk of frost, the plants can go outdoors again.
Diseases
The Male Faithful is particularly susceptible to gray mold. You should check the plants regularly. Mold infestation often occurs after long periods of rain. Therefore, when watering plants in pots, you should primarily water from below to avoid mold formation.
If gray mold appears, you should act quickly as other plants can also be affected within a few days. Immediately cut off the affected parts of the plant and dispose of them in the trash. If the substrate is already affected, remove the areas superficially and replace the areas with new substrate.
To prevent gray mold, the plants should have a suitable location that is sunny. Proper fertilization and correct watering behavior also reduce the risk of mold formation.
Pests
The lobelias are largely spared from pests. Occasionally an infestation by thrips can occur. Plants in balcony boxes or pots in particular can be affected. You can recognize an infestation when the leaves get light spots and become more translucent when you hold them up to the sun.
A moist substrate helps against thrips. The insects themselves tend to cause less damage, although the appearance of the plants can also suffer. The main danger lies in the fact that you can transmit viral diseases to the men. As a rule, plants that are infected by a virus can no longer be saved.
If the lobelia simply dies in the balcony box for no apparent reason, you should remove all other plants immediately and remove most of the substrate from the root ball. Replace the soil and also clean the balcony box with hot water. Then replant the other plants.
Usage
Lobelias are particularly popular when planting balcony boxes. The lushly flowering plants are also suitable for cultivation in pots or as hanging basket plants. However, when planting hanging baskets, you should choose a variety that grows hanging and not upright.
As an annual plant, you can also use the Mannestreu as a border plant in flower or perennial beds. The blue lobelia is only suitable for planting graves to a limited extent and only if the soil is regularly watered several times a week.
Plant Neighbors
Lobelias are therefore suitable as solitary plants or for planting in groups. However, they can also be cultivated together with other flowering plants that have similar location and care requirements.
Suitable plants are:
- Tagetes
- Geraniums
- Petunias
- Sun Beauty
- Gold basket
Varieties
In addition to the blue lobelia, there are other types of lobelia, some of which, like the perennial lobelia, are even hardy. There are now many varieties of blue lobelia that also have a wide variation in flower color.
Selection of varieties:
- Blue pearl: blue flowers
- Rosamunde: red flowers
- Regatta White: white flowers
- Richardii: light blue flowers
