Nemesia - planting and care. Flower for beginners - unpretentious nemesia Nemesia flower planting

The amazingly beautiful perennial nemesia flower is able to grow in almost any conditions. Its long root extracts food and moisture even from poor stony soils. However, before winter frosts it cannot resist, therefore, in regions with harsh winters, the plant is grown as an annual. With bright flowers of nemesia, you can decorate any garden plot. When grown from seed and proper care marvelously beautiful plant will decorate the garden with its flowering from June until frost.

General description, varieties and photo of a flower

Nemesia are herbaceous plants or shrubs. height from 30 to 60 cm. Their tetrahedral, branched, erect stems may be pubescent or smooth. Serrated or entire sessile leaves are arranged oppositely. Apical racemose inflorescences consist of irregularly shaped purple, white, yellow flowers. The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule. Elongated seeds dressed in a whitish openwork seed box remain viable for two years.

Nemesia grown from seeds blooms already on the twentieth day after germination, and blooms until frost. The flower is bred to decorate garden plots, living quarters and to make bouquets. Nemesia there are about 50 species, among which in our latitudes are used:

Sold in specialized stores nemesia seeds "Carnival". One package contains flowers of pink, white, yellow and red colors. Their leaves are almost invisible, but beautiful, large flowers bloom on one branched bush.

Growing nemesia from seeds

It is best to grow plants from seeds, because when dividing the bush, their long roots are easily damaged, and the flower takes a long time to take root. Seeds can be purchased at the store or collected from faded flowers. You can sow them on a rhinestone in a flower bed, or first grow seedlings. Plants planted in open ground will begin to bloom later, so experienced flower growers grow nemesia seedlings.

Making multi-tiered spectacular compositions in flower beds will not work without the use of small beautifully flowering flowers:

Planting seeds for seedlings

In order to get active flowering by the beginning of summer, seeds for seedlings sown at the end of March. Seedling containers are filled with moisture-absorbing loose soil, which is moistened. Nemesia seeds are very small, so you don’t need to sprinkle them on top, but only moisten them with room temperature water from a spray bottle and cover with glass or polyethylene.

Seedling boxes are cleaned in a warm place with an air temperature of + 20C. So that there is no stagnation of moisture, the soil must be ventilated daily. The first seedlings will sprout in 10-14 days. You will immediately need to remove the glass from them and put them in a well-lit, but cool place. with air temperature in +8-+10C.

Seven days after the emergence of sprouts, the soil is watered with a solution of fertilizers containing nitrogen and potassium. Senets with two or three real leaves are dived into separate cups or pots. This will happen approximately three to four weeks after sowing. Seedling care involves keeping it in a well-lit place with an air temperature within + 13C, and regular soil moisture. Drying of the lump and the formation of a crust on the surface of the soil should not be allowed.

In June, strengthened young plants with flowers on the shoots are planted in open ground. The weather at this time should be warm, without night frosts. Seedlings are planted in the ground at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.

Sowing seeds in open ground

Seeds are sown in well-lit areas with light and moist, well-drained soils. Upon landing, which should take place in April or May it is recommended to follow the following guidelines:

  1. After sowing, the top layer of soil is not rammed, but mulched with a thin layer of peat.
  2. From above, the seeds planted in the ground are sprayed from the sprayer and covered with a film.
  3. Sprouted and grown seedlings are thinned out. There should be a distance of 25 cm between them. The strongest sprouts are left for cultivation. More frequent plantings lead to fungal diseases and faded flowering.
  4. On warm days, the film is removed to ventilate and harden young plants.
  5. Seedling care consists of keeping the soil moist, removing weeds and fertilizing once every two weeks with complex fertilizers for flowering plants.

Growing lobelia from seeds at home:

Nemesia seedlings planted in open ground are very demanding on soil moisture. On hot days, the soil dries out quickly, and if the plant is not watered in time, it will die. Therefore, nemesias land on moderately moist soils, and the ground between them is covered with mulch. This will help keep the soil moist and keep the plant free of weeds. When choosing a place to plant a flower, one should take into account the fact that nemesia turns its buds towards the sun.

Decorative and splendor of the flower will give top dressing with complex mineral fertilizers. However, it is not recommended to feed more than four times during the nemesia season.

The flowering of the plant can be extended by regularly removing wilted flowers. If you want the faded nemesia to bloom again, then the tops of the shoots must be cut off. After a while, the plant will give new shoots and bloom again.

When caring for nemesia, one should not forget to periodically weed weeds and loosen the ground. It is best to do this after the next watering.

Diseases and pests of nemesia

Due to its love of moisture, the plant prone to fungal diseases. For prevention, it is recommended to water the flower regularly, but so that there is no stagnation of water in the soil. If the roots and stems have all begun to rot, they can be treated with fungicidal preparations.

Of the pests, nemesia is most often affected by the spider mite. When it appears on the leaves, you can find a sticky cobweb and the pest itself, which has a red or green color and is only 0.5 mm in size. The tick feeds on the sap of the plant, so over time the leaves begin to dry out and fall off. Since the pest reproduces very quickly, it is urgent to take measures to destroy it. To do this, the bushes are sprayed with one of the following drugs:

  • "Talstar";
  • "Fitoverm";
  • "Karate";
  • "Aktelik";
  • "Akarin".

The whole plant and the soil under it are treated with solutions at intervals of once every seven days.

Spider mite on indoor plants: how to fight at home?

Nemesia in landscape design

A handsome flower will look great in any version of the flower beds. If you need to emphasize the opposite or make a color accent, then nemesia is the best fit. With its help, you can make a spot of light on the lawn or decorate it unusually. beautiful flowers flower beds, rockeries, alpine slides or curbs. Flowers planted in hanging planters will decorate a balcony, veranda, gazebo.

Nemesia, whose homeland is Africa, looks good both as a single plant and in group plantings with marigolds, pansies, petunias, lobelias, marigolds. It will be appropriate at fountains and ponds.

If you are tired of the same colors, then you can simply land the nemesia. With proper planting and care, the flower will bloom, and all summer long it will decorate a garden plot, balcony or window sill with its unusually beautiful, bright flowers.

Nemesia)- perennial flowering plant. Its homeland is the high mountain pastures in South Africa. Nemesia has a very long tap root, which helps it survive in the harsh conditions of Africa.

In our harsh winters growing nemesia as a perennial culture is possible only in room conditions. In the garden, nemesia is grown as an annual plant. Also in recent times bred nemesia goiter(Nemesia strumosa). This is an annual plant.

Nemesia has thin numerous branching stems from 20 to 60 cm high, leaves grow along the entire stem, oval below, oblong above, almost lanceolate, light green in color. At the ends of the stems are flowers collected in loose racemose inflorescences. Stems and buds are slightly pubescent.

nemesia flower has an irregular shape: it has a slightly swollen lower lip, on which there is a light spot. Behind the flower ends with a long spur. Nemesia flowers are a bit like snapdragons. Her flowers are painted in almost all colors of the rainbow, you can be sure of this by looking at photo of nemesia.

By the way, if you want to keep this color, then nemesia will have to be cut. When growing nemesia from seeds, the mother color of the flower is usually not preserved. Therefore, if you want to have some particular color, you will have to buy rooted cuttings of nemesia in nurseries.

Sowing seeds of nemesia

Growing nemesia from seeds is not difficult. To get the flowering of nemesia in June, the seeds are sown in March. Nemesia seeds very small, almost like a petunia. One gram contains 3500 seeds.

However, when growing nemesia, there are some nuances that you need to know before you start sowing. Since nemesia has a long tap root, it does not tolerate transplanting very well, and may disappear due to damage to the roots. It is desirable to injure the root system as little as possible, so only one transplant should be done at a very early age. Before this, the earth is heavily shed with water to a muddy state. It is desirable to transplant nemesia immediately into tall cups, from which it, together with a clod of earth, is transplanted into open ground.

And one more thing: since the seeds are very small, and it is easy to lose them on a black background of the earth, you can use improvised means:

- In a container with an earthen mixture, put a layer of snow on top, you can evenly distribute the seeds of nemesia on it, avoiding great crowding.

- you can mix nemesia seeds with sand, and just sprinkle this sand on the snow.

- for planting seeds can be used with a simple pencil. Wet the blunt end of the pencil to pick up one or two seeds, and transfer to the surface of the snow. With a pencil, you can immediately make small indentations. It is recommended to sprinkle nemesia seeds on top with a thin layer of soil or sand. But you can not fall asleep: the snow will melt and draw in the seeds of nemesia.

Top cover with a film or glass for more friendly shoots. Shoots appear in a week. At first, spraying can be used instead of watering. When sowing nemesia seeds directly into the ground in April-May, seedlings appear within two weeks, and then flowering can then move to the end of July.

Further care for nemesia

After the threat of frost has passed, nemesia seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the flower garden. Remember that the nemesia bush falls apart a little, so when planting between plants, it is recommended to leave a distance of 20-30 cm.

Nemesia is not demanding on the type of soil, it grows well on any moderately fertilized, but without fresh manure, areas. Instead of manure, liming is preferable to her. Nemesia prefers moderately moist and well-drained soil. Feels great in sunny and ventilated areas. Also, when planting nemesia, one should take into account the fact that its flowers always turn behind the sun. If you want to always admire nemesia, choose the appropriate place for it.

boxes .

P.S. The cell phone is broken... During use, you get so used to it, dear, able to keep all our secrets, that you don’t even think to buy new phone. What to do? Urgent cell phone repair in half an hour will help solve problems! The Nokia service center does not only urgent repair of Nokia 8800 arte, but also other Vertu, iPhone, Sony Ericsson, Nokia cell phones, flashing the phone software, as well as data recovery from damaged phones that cannot be repaired. More information on the site www.sotserv.ru.

Image copyright flickr.com: Chrissie2003, Antsphoto, withrow, Antsphoto, philipbouchard, clickMYworld, williamsnursery, millard47, Cheryl Moorehead, nobuflickr, atena-w., Captain-tucker, Mahdeenma, chipmunk_1, Green Acres Nursery and Supply - Roseville and Sac, douneika, katsu333, Fidget21, saxonfenken, Fresh Lens Photography, Kelley Macdonald, Raewyn48, Gertrud K., Tiggrx

annual plants - great way diversify perennial flower beds, decorate balconies. The nemesia flower is popular. These are charming annual plants, the very name of which indicates charm and gratitude. appearance flower. Her small flowers, collected in a bunch, delight in variety. Habitat plant habitat - South Africa. This article describes the technology of growing from nemesia seeds, planting and care in open field and on the balcony.

Description of the plant, species and varieties

The genus Nemesia belongs to the family leporidae (Scrophulariaceae) and includes several dozen species differentiated into annuals and perennials. Plants vary in size depending on the species and variety.




The following types of nemesia are known:

  • Altbitflora (Nemesia albiflora),
  • Bearded (N. barbata),
  • Grandiflora (grandiflora),
  • Bicorn (N. Bicornis),
  • Goiter (N. Strumosa),
  • Large-fruited (N. Macrocarpa),
  • Bushy (N. Fruticans),
  • Lilac (N. Lilacina),
  • Fine-toothed (N. Denticulata),
  • Cirrus (N. Pinnata),
  • Multi-colored (N. Versicolor),
  • Fleck (N. Fleckii).

In our gardens, the goiter species (Nemesia strumosa) is mainly found. Its greatest value is the bell-shaped flowers with a wide upper petal and several smaller petals in the lower lip of the flower. Nemesia goiter is found in one- or two-color versions of white, yellow, orange, pink or red. Blooms from June to September.






You can choose a more spreading plant (Nemesia fruticans - bushy) or compact with raised stems (hybrid of the Karoo series). Nemesia fruticans is characterized by a unique asymmetric structure, its profusely flowering bushes will be a wonderful decoration for a flower bed, balcony.



Varieties of the Sunsatia series have slightly spreading stems and flowers in fiery whites and pinks. They can be used in standing pots and hanging baskets. Varieties of the Karoo group are more compact, have low shoots and inflorescences, flowering is very plentiful, mainly in cold colors.

New cultivars from the Maritana series boast large beautiful flowers in a variety of colours. This plant usually grows up to 30-40 cm in height. Maritana Scented Lady is characterized by white and inky flower petals. Their branched, angular stems and small serrated leaves are collected in loose clusters. Varieties from the Maritana series usually bloom from June to August.


Abundant flowering of nemesia falls on the period from June to September. Nemesia flowers, collected in loose inflorescences, have a bell-shaped shape with a characteristic structure - 2 labial limbs. Upper lip smaller in size - quadruple, lower - larger, single or dicot sometimes with a spur. The color of the flowers is very diverse: white, blue, orange, red, purple, pink, yellow, two-tone and in many shades of the above-mentioned colors.

The height of plants, depending on the variety, the series reaches 30-40 cm.

On sale, you can most often find Goiter-like nemesia and hybrids, which are presented in numerous, bright options, grouped into certain series.

Known goiter series:

  • Nemesia Carnival (Carnival),
  • Triumph.



Popular garden hybrids:

  • Sansatia (Sunsatia),
  • Karoo.



The most beautiful varieties:

  • "Orange Prince" Orange Prince - a variety characterized by orange flowers. Height 15-20 cm.
  • "Fire King" Fire King - a variety with beautiful, expressive red flowers.
  • 'Blue Gem' Blue Gem is a very interesting variety that enchants with blue flowers.
  • Sunsatia Lemon - yellow flowers.
  • Sunsatia Cranberry - red flowers.
  • Sunsatia Peach - flowers of different shades with peach dominance.
  • Sunsatia Cassis - flowers of pink tones.
  • Sunsatia Kumqwat is a very interesting cultivar with glowing flowers.
  • Sunsatia Cherry on Ice - the variety surprises with two-tone flowers of white and cherry.
  • Sunsatia Pomelo - yellow flowers.
  • Innocence Pink - a variety from the Innocence series, pink flowers.
  • Innocence White - a variety of the Innocence series, white flowers.
  • Karoo Blue is a variant from the Karoo series, very compact, blue flowers.
  • Karoo Soft Blue - charming flowers in a delicate blue color.
  • Sunsatia Raspberry is a cultivar from the very popular Sunsatia series with leafy shoots and crimson pink flowers.
  • Karu White - white flowers.
  • "Safari Pink" Safari Pink - Safari series, pink flowers.
  • Karoo Violet Ice - purple-white flowers.
  • "Blue Bird" Blue Bird is a variety of bushy nemesia.
  • Karoo Dark Blue - dark blue and purple flowers.

Choosing a position in the garden, soil requirements

Nemesia - a flower native to Africa, prefers sunny, secluded, warm places where the plant blooms profusely. Can be grown in slightly semi-shady areas.

The plant requires a permeable, fairly moist soil, with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH.

Sowing seeds

Nemesia, available for sale, refers to annual plants that can be grown from seedlings or sown seeds directly into the ground.

Planting seedlings

Plants grown from seedlings will bloom faster. Seedlings are grown in early spring. Sowing seeds at home is carried out in April, in boxes. Seeds should germinate within 10 days. Optimum temperature for growing seedlings - 18 degrees Celsius.


When the seedlings release 2 leaves, pick and transplant them in bunches of several pieces in one place, with an interval of several centimeters. In the second half of May, seedlings are planted in flower beds or in balcony boxes.

When to plant nemesia in open ground?

May is the month when seeds can be sown directly into open ground. They can be sown in different places in the garden or in rows. After germination, they should be thinned out, removing excess, weaker shoots, leaving individual plants about every 15-20 cm. It should be noted that in large groups, nemesia looks most impressive.


plant care

Nemesia is not demanding in care, grows on any soil, not very dry or poor. For long flowering, it needs watering, weed removal, top dressing, removal of faded inflorescences. This is a plant that even a novice gardener can take care of, since it does not require special care procedures.

Watering

In order for the nemesia to be beautiful and bloom richly, in addition to the rays of the sun, it needs moist soil, but not wet. The plant can suffer from excess water, so the substrate on which it is planned to be sown must be enriched with gravel and a drainage layer. When growing in containers, be aware of permeable soil and drainage. Watering is carried out in accordance with the needs of the variety and the prevailing conditions. On hot, dry days when growing in containers, it may be necessary to water the plants twice a day. Make sure the soil doesn't dry out too much between waterings.


top dressing

So that nemesia gives a lot beautiful flowers, it is necessary to carry out top dressing. In flowerbeds, it is advisable to plant plants in soil enriched with well-rotted compost. In containers, it is easier to use complex fertilizer with a prolonged effect.

Special liquid multi-component fertilizers for flowering plants can be purchased at garden centers, they are applied in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Fertilizers for flowering plants with a high content of potassium and phosphorus are suitable, which allows you to get lush, wonderfully colored, impressive flowers.

pruning

Wintering

Nemesia grown in pots should be transferred in winter to a cold place, with temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. They do not tolerate frost, but too high temperatures in heated rooms are also harmful to plants.

Diseases

The main problem in growing nemesia is fungal diseases. To prevent them, you must follow the rules of cultivation. To overcome diseases that have already arisen, one should resort to specialized fungicidal preparations.

Application in garden design

Depending on the varieties and series of nemesia, the plants are suitable for growing in the garden, on the balcony, terrace. They are an excellent choice for planting in boxes, containers, hanging baskets.




In the garden, the plant can be used as a border, fill empty spaces on the discount, for example, in company with bulbous plants.

The nemesia flower is planted at a distance of 15-20 × 20 cm along the borders of the flower beds, the edges of the paths, in rock gardens. Also, a flower can be planted one at a time in the cracks, between the tiles.

Different varieties can create erect or hanging shoots. Ampelous nemesia looks beautiful in hanging planters on the balcony, terrace. New varieties, due to their strength and extraordinary beauty, can successfully compete with popular balcony petunias and surfinias.


They can also decorate city flower beds and all other places that need to be quickly covered with a lush carpet of colorful flowers.






Final remarks

Nemesia is a great way to quickly decorate a balcony, terrace, fill empty spaces in flower beds with bulbous plants in the garden. The most important advantages of the plant are exceptionally abundant (and long) flowering, a wide range of flower colors. Colorful flowers appear in June and continue to bloom until autumn. In addition, they are easy to grow and do not require special care, allowing you to form part of the composition or decorate containers and beds alone.

An extraordinary African beauty over the years of living in the middle lane, which has acquired a purely Russian character: hardy, picky, grateful for little (watering and weeding). Nemesia, growing from seeds of which is possible only for some varieties (hybrids do not belong to them), strikes the eye with an abundance of flowering. Looking at a solid hat of inflorescences, one would like to quote the classic: "In any, beauty, outfits are good."

And the "outfits" of Nemesia - do not count. Each variety differs in color and shape of the flower dress. Due to the density of the arrangement of inflorescences, some varieties are figuratively called mantles.

Bright and picturesque flower robes will become an unconditional decoration of any site. Among the most beloved and sought-after gardeners are:

  • "Robe of the King", a combination of sky blue and snow-white colors favorably affects the eyesight and looks elegant and noble;

What do agricultural technicians focus on?

Nemesia is not a spoiled plant. In the conditions of sultry Africa, growing on poor stony soils, the flower contrived to extract moisture for itself from the deepest depths, developing a very long root.

But the Spartan nemesia, with all her talent for adapting to an unfavorable environment, never learned to withstand the harsh Russian winters.

For this reason, agricultural technicians warn: the best option for growing this exotic is flowerpots on window sills. Or, if this does not suit you, purchase seeds or seedlings of an annual species specially bred by breeders. Nemesia goiter, unusual and unique, and is a variety that is grown outdoors, decorating gardens, flower beds and rock gardens.

Where can I get quality seeds (seedlings)?

When buying planting material in a store, pay attention to the date of collection and packaging of seeds: they lose their ability to grow two years after ripening.

On packages of "home-made" seeds, the expiration date should also be indicated - so you will be sure of their germination.

Nemesia Triumph becomes an excellent option in this regard - it rises 100%.

When planting finished seedlings, try to handle the delicate root system of nemesia as carefully as possible, do not get carried away with diving too much, for this plant, the process of planting in a separate container is not necessary. If you are planting home seedlings, carry out the process directly in open ground after the night temperature has stabilized.

Buy seedlings from trusted, conscientious sellers if you don’t have the time or desire to mess around with seedlings yourself.

Methods for propagating nemesia

The method of reproduction and cultivation of an African plant in our conditions is traditional: either by seeds in open ground, or by seedlings.

Method number 1. Growing from seeds

The option is optimal for residents of the southern strip. You can sow seeds in open ground in early to mid-May. Choose a fertile soil, a place with diffused light. Under favorable conditions, the first shoots will appear in 10-14 days.

When the seedlings grow up a little, they need to be thinned out by transplanting some of the plants in the neighborhood or in a completely different place.

Nemesia, growing from seeds (photos clearly demonstrate the process) plants are not difficult, but require compliance with agrotechnical requirements: sowing period, watering frequency (small plants need moisture), soil selection.

Method number 2. Growing from seedlings

To obtain seedlings, use only high-quality seeds, given that they are quite small and inconspicuous. To clearly see the seed material, use the old method of planting miniature seeds:

  1. In mid-March - early April, prepare fertile soil for sowing nemesia. Ideally, during this period, snow cover (or at least its remnants) is still preserved in your climate zone. In each cup of soil, add a thin layer of snow on top. On a white background, small grains of nemesia will be clearly visible, this is, firstly. Secondly, cold snow will serve as a kind of hardening of seeds. Thirdly, melting snow water penetrating into the soil will carry the seeds to the required depth.
  1. Cover the container with seedlings with glass or film and leave it alone for a week. Receiving the necessary amount of heat and light, sprouts will appear in seven days.
  1. Seedlings should be planted together with a clod of earth and make sure that the long, fragile root is not injured, otherwise the death of the plant is inevitable.
  1. To give nemesia comfort in the garden, keep a distance of at least 20 centimeters when planting seedlings.

The flowering period for any method begins no earlier than two months after planting nemesia (seeds).

picky plant preferences

A plant that is not accustomed to the most favorable conditions and has developed the ability to extract moisture and nutrition for itself where there are practically none, still has several requirements for care:

  1. Light.
  2. Moisture.

Nemesia, of course, can also grow on depleted dry soils, but then all its forces will be thrown into the development of the root system and the search for the required amount of moisture that is available somewhere deep. In this case, you won’t have to wait for a lot of bright and fresh inflorescences from a plant left almost to its own devices.

Abundant flowering throughout the season provides the plant with a florist, not forgetting about watering. Yes, and the landing of nemesia should be carried out not only where, but in a certain area open to sunlight.

How to care

The main difficulty in caring for nemesia lies, paradoxically, in its simplicity. Constant watering and several top dressings for the whole season - nothing difficult, even a child can do it. But the catch is that you can simply forget to fertilize, or miss the moment when the soil dries out.

Constant monitoring of the state of the plant and the environment in which it is located is the main requirement.

Caring for nemesia comes down to banal procedures, for which the plant will fully thank with lush flowering.

Regular weeding and loosening, watering and feeding will give the plant the opportunity to "focus" on its highest purpose - the formation of many inflorescences. You will get the most magnificent and brightest bouquets for just a minimum of attention. Evaluate how profitable this plant is!

To prolong the flowering holiday of nemesia, do not be too lazy to regularly remove wilted inflorescences - this simple process can increase the “flower season” by several weeks.

Annual - is it a plus or a minus?

Many gardeners do not like annual plants for the annual same-type and troublesome round of work: sowing seeds, planting seedlings, caring for "toddler" sprouts.

Nemesia (lat. Nemesia)- genus herbaceous plants and shrubs of the Norichnikovaceae family, which includes about 50 species of annuals and perennials, most of which grow in the scrub and coastal regions of South Africa. The scientific name of the plant was in honor of the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis.

  • Bloom: from June to frost.
  • Landing: sowing seeds for seedlings - at the end of March, planting seedlings in open ground - at the end of May or at the beginning of June.
  • Lighting: bright sunlight.
  • The soil: well-drained, moderately moist, neutral to slightly acid soil of medium fertility.
  • Watering: regular, moderate, in heat and drought - more frequent and plentiful.
  • Top dressing: 2-3 times per season with complex mineral or liquid organic fertilizers.
  • Pinching: regular.
  • Reproduction: seed.
  • Pests: spider mites.
  • Diseases: with excessive watering - fungal infections.

Read more about growing nemesia below.

Nemesia flower - description

The nemesia plant reaches a height of 30 to 60 cm. Nemesia stems are tetrahedral, branched, sometimes pubescent, eventually bending under the weight of inflorescences and linear or lanceolate, opposite, serrated leaves along the edge. Numerous axillary flowers, solitary or collected in apical inflorescences, consist of a tubular corolla with labial limbs: the upper four-lobed and the lower two-lobed. The color of the flowers is varied. The fruit is a box with a large number of black elongated seeds in whitish seedlings. Nemesia seeds remain viable for up to 2 years.

Despite the fact that garden nemesia is represented by both annual and perennial species, in temperate climates it is grown in an annual crop.

Sowing nemesia for seedlings

Nemesia is planted with seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush, but since the long roots of the plant are easily damaged when dividing, it is best to grow nemesia by seed seedlings.

Seeds purchased at a store or collected by oneself are sown at the end of March in seedling containers filled with a loose, moisture-absorbing substrate for flower crops, or in a mixture of peat and sand, on which a layer of snow is laid: black small seeds are clearly visible on white snow, and it is easier to distribute them over surfaces evenly. Crops are covered with glass or transparent film and kept in a bright place at a temperature of 20 ºC, airing daily. The first shoots of nemesia should appear in 10-14 days.

Nemesia seedling care

With the onset of mass germination of seeds, the container with crops is exposed to bright diffused light, and the temperature is lowered to 8-10 ºC. This is done so that the nemesia seedlings do not stretch. A week after germination, the soil is shed with a solution of complex fertilizer in a low concentration. Seedling care consists of watering and careful loosening of the soil. 3-4 weeks after sowing, at the stage of development of seedlings of two or three true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate cups or pots, and the room temperature is maintained at 13 ºC. Make sure that the substrate in the cups does not dry out. Two weeks before planting in the garden, seedlings begin to harden.

Growing nemesia at home

Actually, nemesia at home is grown only during the seedling period, and then it is planted in open ground or transferred to a balcony or veranda. How to grow nemesia for landscaping a balcony, veranda or terrace? If you are not going to keep nemesia in the garden, you can sow the seeds in February. The order of planting and conditions of maintenance are absolutely the same as for seedlings, but instead of picking into cups, nemesia is planted in containers or pots, which, with the onset of heat, are taken out to a balcony, veranda or terrace.

Planting nemesia in open ground

When to plant nemesia in the ground

Nemesia seedlings are planted in open ground after warm weather is established, when the threat of frost has passed: in late May or early June. Suitable nemesis open, ventilated sunny plot with well-drained moist soil of medium fertility, neutral or slightly acidic. Nemesia also grows well in light lacy penumbra.

How to plant nemesia in the garden

For planting seedlings, holes are prepared so deep that they fit root system seedlings along with an earthen clod. The distance between plants should be 20-30 cm, since the nemesia bushes are slightly falling apart. After planting and embedding, seedlings are watered, and after the water is absorbed, the site is mulched to protect the soil from rapid evaporation of moisture. Nemesia will bloom from seeds in late June or early July.

Nemesia Care

Planting and caring for nemesia is not laborious. In order for the plant to bush, the tops of the shoots are regularly pinched from it. During the season, you have to water the nemesia, especially in dry weather, weed weeds and loosen the soil around the bushes.

Nemesia flowers are fed 2-3 times during the season with complex mineral fertilizer, for example, Kemira Lux. Favorably accepts nemesia in open ground and organic fertilizers.

Pests and diseases of nemesia

Due to the fact that nemesia loves moisture very much, it is prone to fungal diseases. To avoid damage to nemesia by fungi, water the plant moderately, allowing the top layer of soil to dry out, but if the plant does get sick, treat it with a fungicide solution.

Of the insects, nemesia in the open field can suffer from a spider mite that feeds on plant cell sap, and if you find the thinnest sticky web or drying and falling leaves on the bushes, take urgent action: treat the plants and the soil around them with a solution of Akarin, Aktellik, Karate, Fitoverma or some other acaricide.

Nemesia after flowering

When the first wave of flowering subsides, the ends of the shoots of nemesia with wilted inflorescences should be cut off, and soon, with proper care, new shoots will appear from the axils of the leaves, which will bloom over time.

Types and varieties of nemesia

Among the types of nemesia, there are those that are best grown in the garden, and there are species that can be used to decorate balconies and terraces. We present you the most popular types and varieties of nemesia in horticulture.

Blooming Nemesia (Nemesia floribunda)

- a plant reaching a height of 40 cm, the shoots of which are crowned with delicate small pale blue flowers. This species, unfortunately, is rarely found in culture, although interest in it has increased over the years.

- a South African species of annual plants with highly branched thin stems up to 25 cm high and medium-sized flowers. Nemesia multi-colored served as the basis for the breeding of many hybrids. The most famous varieties:

  • Blue Bird- a plant with bright blue flowers with a yellow or white spot on the lip;
  • Edelblau- the flowers of this variety are the same color as the forget-me-not.

- This is a strongly branched annual plant 35-40 cm high with oval sessile lower and linear upper leaves. The flowers of plants of this species are irregular in shape, swollen, without spurs, up to 25 mm in diameter, with a lowered throat, red, pink, orange or yellow in color, there are varieties with variegated flowers. Cultivated since 1892. by the most the best varieties types are:

  • Aurora- a plant up to 30 cm high with large scarlet-white flowers;
  • fanfare- variety with cream and yellow flowers;
  • Sparklers- nemesia with two-three-color flowers;
  • Fire King- a variety up to 30 cm high with fiery red flowers;
  • National Ensign- a well-known variety with red-white flowers.

Nemesia hybrid (Nemesia hybrida)

combines all varieties of hybrid origin from the crossing of zomboid nemesia and multi-colored nemesia. As a rule, these are annuals from 30 to 60 cm high with elongated, almost lanceolate leaves, crenate along the edge. irregular shape large flowers up to 2 cm in diameter with a two-lipped corolla are collected in apical racemose inflorescences. Hybrid nemesia usually goes on sale in variety mixtures that differ in plant height. For example.