Non-stop flower production – the hardworking Lieschen lives up to its name. The plant, which is widespread in domestic gardens and belongs to the genus of spring herbs and the family of balsamic plants, continuously develops new flowers all year round. These can have different colors depending on the variety, for example pink, pink, orange or purple. Multi-colored specimens are also available in stores. Originally native to the mountain forests of tropical areas of East Africa, the plant reaches a total height of 30 to 70 cm.
Table of Contents
Location and soil
The optimal care of the hardworking Lieschen begins with the choice of a suitable location. Depending on the variety, different areas in the garden are suitable, which can be either in the sun or in partial shade. However, care must be taken that the plant is not constantly exposed to direct sunlight. If cultivation is to take place in this area, it is necessary to get used to it beforehand. In this case, the watering must also be adjusted. Sun-tolerant varieties thrive particularly well in areas in the garden that offer morning and evening sun. Cultivated as a houseplant, a window should be chosen that faces north; a location in the south window is less well tolerated. Overall, a slightly airy location is suitable for all varieties,
Basically, bright locations are particularly suitable for cultivation. The hard-working Lieschen thrives at temperatures between 16 and 25 ° C. The plant can therefore be kept outdoors during the summer. There the cultivation is best done in groups on beds and borders; The plant also looks very decorative under or in front of trees and can also be used as a ground cover. The hard-working Lieschen is used in boxes or bowls on the balcony. In addition, cultivation in hanging baskets is possible. As a houseplant, the plant beautifies every window sill. Lobelia, petunias and pelargoniums are ideal combination partners.
The plant makes few demands on the soil. Nevertheless, certain substrate properties should be met. The hard-working Lieschen thrives particularly well in locations where the soil has the following properties:
- good permeability
- sandy-loamy properties
- rich in nutrients
- rich in humus
- locker
- fresh to moist
Substrate that is less suitable can be enriched with appropriate admixtures. For this purpose, for example, the addition of rotted manure or garden compost has proven itself. In order to ensure improved water drainage, it has also proven to be useful to mix in fine gravel.
Watering, fertilization and care
The hard-working Lieschen should always be kept sufficiently moist and well watered during the summer months. However, the substrate must never be wet, as in this case the stems of the plant quickly begin to rot. In addition, waterlogging should be avoided at all costs, which can lead to root rot. As a preventive measure, it has proven useful to empty the coaster after watering. In addition, a suitable drainage layer can be built into the pot. In addition, it can make sense to put a larger pebble or a pot of pottery in the drain hole in the ground to prevent clogging. The soil should always dry out slightly between the individual waterings, but not completely dry out.
In addition to optimal irrigation, the hardworking lizy should be fertilized regularly. Through the targeted administration of additional nutrients, the abundance of flowers is optimally promoted. The fertilization takes place at the beginning of flowering in March and extends over the entire summer up to September. On nutrient-poor soil, fertilization is carried out every four weeks; If, on the other hand, the Busy Lieschen is cultivated in plant vessels, the administration of nutrients should take place every two weeks. Basically, a weak concentration of the fertilizer must be ensured. Liquid fertilizers with guano are best; Long-term fertilizers that are mixed underground can also be used for vascular cultures. Organic fertilization, for example with horn soil, is also possible.Regular repotting is also part of the care of the hard-working Lieschen. In the case of perennial plants, this measure takes place in spring. During repotting, long and bare shoots are cut back; the tips of the shoots can then be used as cuttings for propagation. A targeted pruning of the shoots is possible at any time as soon as they become too long and too thin. In order to stimulate the formation of flowers, it has been proven to remove withered leaves at regular intervals. After flowering, the plant is then completely composted if wintering is not desired.
Overwinter
The wintering of the busy Lieschen is primarily possible with perennial specimens, but can also be successful with annual varieties. Plants that are in the open air or on the balcony should be brought into the house as early as September, as temperatures below 10 ° C have a detrimental effect on flower formation. The winter can be done in a room with temperatures between 15 and 20 ° C; a bright location should also be preferred. There are no special humidity conditions. The plant remains in the winter quarters until March or April. Once the plant has been moved to the new location, watering should also be severely restricted; fertilization must be completely prevented. When the hibernation is over, repotting or repotting takes place; in this way the flower formation is optimally stimulated. The following aspects must be taken into account:
- Always repot in well drained substrate
- Pruning long shoots
- Plant out in the garden only at temperatures of 10 ° C
Propagation and sowing
The plant is propagated via seeds and head cuttings. The cutting is best taken in spring during repotting or when pruning in spring; these are the tips of the shoots of the plant. The cutting should be five to ten centimeters in size. The type of cultivation can be chosen between the conventional method of cultivation in soil and hydroponics. If the cutting is to be used in soil, a mixture of peat and sand should be preferred. Alternatively, you can hang the shoot tips in the water. In both cases, the cuttings take root quickly. After sufficient roots have developed, the plant can be repotted. Caution is advised when repotting: the fine root runners can break quickly. Now the substrate suitable for adult plants can be used. Then it usually takes another four months for the first flowers to develop.
Alternatively, the hard-working lissy can be propagated by sowing. A bright day in February or March is best for this. Growing is usually done in a flower pot that is filled with special potting soil. The seeds of the industrious Lieschen belong to the light germs; When sowing, care should be taken to ensure that the seeds are only lightly covered with soil. It is best to place the seeds on the potting soil and only press the seeds lightly. Cultivation takes place at temperatures between 18 and 22 ° C. It is particularly important to ensure that the floor is warm in this temperature range. For this reason, it has proven to be useful to use heatable seed trays. The seeds germinate particularly well if a hood is also put on. After about three weeks the plants have grown to a size of about three centimeters; then the plants have to be separated. During cultivation, the shoot tips should be shortened a total of two times; the plant then grows more bushy overall. At the end of May, the grown plants can then also be put outdoors. Make sure there is sufficient distance between the individual specimens, which should be between 20cm and 30cm.
Diseases and pests
The hard-working Lieschen is sensitive to certain diseases and pests. Young plants in particular are affected by the falling sickness; This is a disease caused by soil fungus. Typical symptoms at the beginning of the infestation are dark, often constricted areas at the base of the stem; later the young plants bend over and die. Both a change of location and an exchange of the substrate used have proven effective as countermeasures. Various fungicides can also help.
In addition, the hard-working Lieschen is also attacked by various pests, for example
- Spider mites
- Aphids
- Whiteflies
If the busy Lieschen is infested with spider mites, tiny, light-colored dots appear on the leaves from spring, which can easily be identified as suction marks. Later the dots merge into silvery and brown spots before the leaves fall off. The targeted introduction of predatory mites, predatory bugs and ground beetles helps as a preventive measure. In the event of an acute infestation, gentle insecticides based on rapeseed oil and the targeted removal of diseased leaves help.
If, on the other hand, the hard-working Lizzie is attacked by the whitefly, the leaves appear yellowed, dry out and fall off. Spiders and parasitic wasps, which should be specifically promoted as opponents, help preventively. If necessary, insecticides that are gentle on beneficial organisms must be used. Even if the aphid has attacked the plant, the leaves are damaged, which are very curled, curled and sometimes blistered. In addition, sticky parts of plants can be found, which are often accompanied by a black fungus coating. The aphids themselves are usually found densely packed on the underside of the leaf. This can be remedied by repeated spraying with soap solution, nettle extract or tansy tea. In addition, targeted spraying of the plant can also be helpful,
Last but not least, mistakes in care can lead to various diseases of the hardworking Lieschen. If the plant is particularly lazy to flower and if the plant generally tends to shed leaves, the location should be checked. Often an area in the garden that is too wet and cool was chosen. If, on the other hand, the location is too sunny and dry, nutrient deficits can result.
Conclusion
The industrious Lieschen belongs in every classic flower bed. If the plant is optimally cultivated and well cared for, hobby gardeners can enjoy the hard-working flowering plants for a long time. With a little experience, even annual varieties can be overwintered so that the plant can bloom again next year. – Then the plant can once again develop its full bloom in the following year.
