How to grow physalis seedlings at home?
Physalis is a member of the nightshade family and comes in both decorative and edible varieties. Due to its good frost resistance and unpretentious care, the plant has gained popularity among gardeners. So, decorative varieties serve as an excellent decoration for flower beds, and delicious jam is prepared from edible species, as well as pickled and dried fruits for medicinal purposes.
Both types of physalis at home are most often grown in seedlings. To get high-quality seedlings, you should competently approach the following questions:
- Choosing a suitable soil for sowing seeds.
- Seed preparation with their subsequent sowing.
- Shoot picking.
- Seedling care.
Soil selection and preparation
For growing physalis seedlings use soil that is suitable for tomatoes and peppers. Ready-made substrate can be bought in flower shops, or you can make it yourself by mixing:
- peat - 2 parts;
- garden soil and compost - 1 part each;
- sand - 0.5 parts;
- 2 tbsp. l. ash for every 5 kg of substrate.
If peat is acidic, add wood ash.
Seed preparation and sowing
Seeds for seedlings are sown in late March - mid-April. Before sowing, they should be pretreated in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. To improve germination, the seeds are placed overnight in a solution based on a growth stimulator (for example, 2 drops of Epin per 100 ml of water).
Fill the container with the prepared substrate, lightly tamp it and lay out the seeds, keeping the same distance between them. Sprinkle with soil on top (no thicker than 1 cm), lightly press down on the soil and water. To create greenhouse conditions, cover the container with plastic foil and place it on a well-lit windowsill.
After the shoots appear, remove the shelter. The most suitable temperature for growing seedlings is not less than 15, but not more than 20 degrees Celsius. The soil should be watered regularly, avoiding complete drying out.
Transplanting seedlings
After 3 true leaves are formed on the seedlings, they must be dived from the general container into separate cups. The soil is prepared the same as for the seeds, but half the amount of sand is added. To make the seedlings easier to transfer the transplant and take root well, mineral fertilizers are applied at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 5 kg of substrate.
Physalis seedling care
Cups with seedlings are placed on the sunny side in a room with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. Water regularly to maintain soil moisture. A couple of weeks after transplanting, the seedlings can be fed With a solution... Re-feeding is done after 2 weeks.
Before planting seedlings in a permanent place, they should be hardened. To do this, they are taken outside for a couple of hours every day. They are planted only after the night frosts have ended. By this time, the seedlings are approximately 30 days old.