lobelia

hi,

I'm currently growing lobelia in propagators in my Conservatory. They've been in for a fortnight.

How is it that after you water them they tend to wilt and die off. I have lost one tray already and have two more currently growing, but am scared to water them again incase they die too.

am i leaving them in the propagator too long?

Thanks in advance.

 

Dave, what I would do is, as soon as they germinate take the lid off. If it is an electric propagator then, also, turn it off. They need to grow fairly cold. If the compost is not dry, then don`t water, and when you do water, use a sprayer rather than a watering can. And welcome to the site, by the way. :D

 

thank you for help i WILL TAKE OTHER SEEDS OUT OF PROPAGATOR BEFORE THEY DO THE SAME THANK YOU YOUR WELCOME TO SITE

 

Dave, what other seeds are in there?

 

i GOT AGERATUM DELPHINIUMS AND LOBELIA SNOWFLAKE ALL ABOUT HALF INCH HIGH

 

Just turn it off and take the lid off Dave, but leave it in the conservatory.

 

WILL TAKE LID OFF THEM IN THANK YOU

 

Hi Mappy welcome to the forum as you can see there's always some nice person to help you out and those that can't just want to say HELLO!

Good luck with your seed sowings may you get many a strong healthy plant.
Hel.xxx.

 

If I might hi-jack.
I have a Lobelia cardinalis ''Queen Victoria'' and I am trying to propagate some more from seed. They have been in the seed tray for a few weeks now but show no sign of germinating. Is it the wrong time of year or are they just slow to take?

 

Hi TLA. It should be the right time of year. I have just had a look in my RHS seed germination guide, and it says 18-24C, up to 90 days, needs light to germinate so leave seeds uncovered and use well drained compost.

You can also propagate it very easily by division. I bought one L "Queen Victoria" plant about five years ago and now have over 60 plants, not counting those that I have given away. Its a bit borderline in hardiness for me, so I dig them up in the autumn and overwinter under glass in small pots. When I pot them up I divide them into two or three, and when I replant them again in the spring you can often split them again.

I find it a delightful plant, and very reliable. As they are tall and thin, I plant them very close together in a big clump, to get a good effect.

 

Peter, what do you do to prevent slugs. I find they, also, love perennial Lobelias.

 

David - its funny its a problem I have never had, or at least never been aware of. I am on wet clay and have plenty of slugs, but they have never been a problem with Lobelia. It could be because I lift them as I said above, and by the time I replant them they have put on quite a bit of growth.

Its the old thing that once a plant reaches a critical size its able to grow faster than the slugs can eat it - the problem is usually in getting to that size. Of course, with small leaves you don't notice slug damage in the same way that you do with say Hostas.

 

I had to spread the old slug pellets round it last year as they even attacked the stems!!

Thanks for the advice Peter I will persevere with the seeds