How to collect streptocarpus seeds

Beginners try to grow streptocarpus from seeds at home, since their germination from cuttings and leaves is a process for masters. You can buy flower seeds or collect them yourself. They are planted on top of moist soil, creating greenhouse conditions for the first time. On average, the first results appear after 1-2 weeks. Further proper care will allow you to grow a colorful flower garden of streptocarpus.

Even new varieties of streptocarpus can be grown from seeds

Description of the plant

Streptocarpus is an annual or perennial shrub that grows in the tropical forests of Africa and East Asia. The plant does not tolerate shade at all. Considering the fact that mainly hybrids are grown on window sills, the seed propagation method will not allow the sprouts to inherit the properties of the mother plant. However, among other propagation methods it is considered the most effective.

Streptocarpus is also unique in that it can be made to bloom almost all year round. To do this, artificial conditions for comfortable growth and development are created for him. The ornamental plant has about 130 varieties, which, depending on the type, may differ in appearance and growing conditions. For example, among them there are herbaceous varieties and plants that feel comfortable in a dry climate.

The flowers also differ, which can be simple, semi-double or densely double. Their color can be very diverse; you can grow not only one-color, but also two-color streptocarpus with different types of color. For example, it could be a pale blue flower with dark blue stripes on the lower petals, or a double specimen with a pink top and a milky yellow bottom.

The shape of the petals also differs: depending on the type, it can be pronounced, divided into 5 petals, or terry-corrugated, where the petals seem to be something single, cut along the edges.

Features of preparation

The best seeds are those that are sown immediately after harvest. As a rule, they are the ones that have the greatest germination rate. The seeds themselves are tiny, which is why they are called “seed dust.” If seed is purchased in a store, you can choose between regular and granular seeds.

At the same time, the latter have a nutritious shell, which, although not much, increases the size, making the fit more comfortable. When purchasing, you cannot find out in what conditions the seeds were stored, but you can always see the expiration date. It’s better to rely on it: the fresher the seeds, the more sprouts will sprout. As for the variety, its choice depends on the preferences of the buyer. Beautiful varieties include streptocarpus hybrid “Madagascar” and “Volna”.

Capacity

It is necessary to choose a container for a plant taking into account the root system. In streptocarpus it is superficial, and very quickly fills the pot itself. Therefore, the planting container should be wide and shallow. You can use plastic containers as containers, which can later be cut, minimizing the risk of injury to the roots during transplantation.

Regardless of the type of pot, holes must be made at the bottom for drainage to prevent moisture from stagnating. The holes do not need to be made too large, since drainage will have to be placed on the bottom (for example, broken brick, expanded clay or crushed shards). As for the flower pot, preference is given to light colors.

In summer, the plant will not be hot in such pots, since they will reflect the sun's rays.

Priming

The choice of soil for a plant must be approached carefully. The fact is that it is its composition and fertility that are the reasons why the plant loses its decorative value within two years from the moment of planting. This is explained by the fact that it is quickly depleted due to the extraction of nutrients from it by the flower itself. The soil for streptocarpus should be fertile and loose, its acidity should be about 5.5-6.5 pH.

If you doubt the quality of the soil, you can purchase a ready-made substrate at a specialized store. To grow a flower, a soil mixture for Saintpaulia is perfect, but you must include peat in it. If you want to make the substrate yourself, mix leaf soil, vermiculite (perlite or coarse sand), peat, and crushed sphagnum moss. It would also be useful to add crushed charcoal to the soil.

Features of streptocarpus propagation by seeds

Streptocarpus has its own characteristics if grown from seeds at home. Among them are:

Producing a unique result that is unlikely to be similar to the parent plant. The flower may have a different color, appearance, and perhaps even the development of a new variety of streptocarpus.
Growing a flower from a seed is a long but interesting process. It cannot be called labor-intensive, but you will have to take into account many details that are important for a beautiful and healthy result.
Streptocarpus seeds are so small that they are comparable only to grains of sand. For this reason, they are not planted in the ground, but scattered on the ground. Later, when the sprouts become stronger, they begin picking, i.e., planting.
Streptocarpus is one of the few flowers that is ready to bloom all year round under a regular incandescent lamp, i.e. using artificial lighting. At first, greenhouse conditions are created for the seeds, then they are “accustomed” to the outside world.

Where to get streptocarpus seeds

Streptocarpus seeds are bought at a flower shop. It is important to pay attention to the date of their collection. The fresher they are, the faster the germination process will be. The older you get, the more patient the grower needs to be, because the first results will not be noticeable soon.

The seeds look more like grains of dust and sand. Despite the "parent", they can turn into a different flower with different characteristics. Therefore, to this day, flower growers are discovering new species of streptocarpus.

How to collect streptocarpus seeds yourself

To obtain seeds from streptocarpus, the mother plant must be pollinated. Many gardeners do this with a needle. The stamens of the flower are carefully opened with a needle, which is enveloped in pollen. It is applied to the pestles. After about a month (times vary), seed boxes appear, which are not touched until they ripen. They should dry out a little, or the stem itself dries out. In this case, the box is left for some time (the count goes for a week or more) until it dries completely.

Considering that streptocarpus seeds are microscopic, the boxes are opened over a piece of paper, excluding a draft in the room. Some gardeners then mix the seeds with sand to distribute them more evenly throughout the soil.

Landing

The ideal time for sowing streptocarpus for seedlings is considered to be the end of January - beginning of February. This process is painstaking and cannot be rushed. Small bowls are prepared for future seedlings, with drainage at the bottom. Soil or a prepared substrate is poured onto the drainage layer, then the soil is moistened.

Seeds are planted in the soil superficially; they are not covered with soil on top and not deepened into it , although sometimes they are sprayed from above with a fine spray. After planting, the container is covered with plastic film or glass on top to ensure a greenhouse effect. The bowl is removed to a warm place where the temperature is approximately +21-24 degrees.

The first shoots usually appear after a week and a half.

During the entire period of their germination, it is necessary to regularly remove glass or film from the container to ventilate the seedlings . Do not place the container in a dark place, as this can increase germination time and cause the sprouts to reach up in search of the sun. As a result, they will be elongated but weak. Watering at this time is carried out through a tray so as not to wash away the seeds and prevent them from rotting.

As for the stratification of perennials, its relevance should be looked at on the seed packages in the store. If it does not indicate that it is necessary to stratify streptocarpus, there is no point in this procedure. This will not affect germination, because even for perennials, the best and highest quality seeds are those that are planted immediately after ripening.

If the grower believes that stratification is necessary, he keeps the moistened seeds on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at a low positive temperature.

Streptocarpus does not like either heat or cold, and therefore the optimal temperature for its active growth and development is +20-25 degrees. During flowering, it is desirable that the temperature be a couple of degrees lower. If the house is hot, the flowers will begin to fade. To fix the problem, you can take the flower out into the fresh air.

At the same time, it is worth noting a nuance: large-flowered varieties love more heat (at least +20). Those with small flowers need coolness, and therefore the optimal condition is a temperature of +15. You need a lot of light, but diffused, and the duration of daylight hours should be at least 14 hours.

The best place in the room would be to place the flower on the windowsill of a south-facing window.

Streptocarpus grown from seeds at home must be watered correctly. The flower does not like too much water in the soil. Proper watering consists of moistening the soil so that water does not fall on the leaves and root collar of the plant. In this case, it is necessary to use settled or filtered water at room temperature for irrigation.

Watering, air humidity, lighting

Question: Please help! I love streps, but they are dying one by one! First the leaves begin to wither, then they simply rot from the root, and so slowly but surely everything dies.

Answer: Maybe you can fill it? I also like to water my plants a lot, which is why my violets did not grow. Now I water the streps only when the leaves droop from drying out. If you think it is a fungus, you should replant it and apply foundation. One of my streps almost died too. The answer is banal - it flooded. Now I also water them only when the leaves droop from dryness. In general, they pretend for a long time that everything is fine for them - and then bam, and the flower is flooded.

Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes when watering streptocarpus (and many other plants). It is better to let the soil dry out slightly between waterings. By the way, strepfish love soft water, and you have to spend a little time preparing it. First, you need to take tap water into a container with a wide neck so that the chlorine molecules that got into the water during SES treatment can evaporate (when boiling, chlorine reacts, forming non-volatile compounds). Boil the settled water and let it settle again so that the salts precipitate. This water is good for watering and spraying plants (not only streptocarpus).
Many people advise watering streps from above only in the first three weeks after planting or replanting, and then completely switch to watering from the tray.
Streptocarpus, like other plants, can be grown using the wick irrigation method. To do this, it is recommended to plant them in a mixture consisting of 25% peat and 75% perlite (such a high perlite content helps prevent root rot in streps).

Question: Tell us about the lighting.

Answer: Streptocarpus needs bright, diffused light. Therefore, when using natural light, it is better to place them on eastern and western windows. Keep away from direct sun (a few hours in the morning and/or evening is acceptable). When placing streptocarpus on shelves with combined artificial lighting from lamps of cold and warm spectra, a luminous flux of around 1.5-2 thousand lux is enough, for 10-14 hours, the temperature is about 25. If the lighting time is shorter, then look at the upper lighting ceiling depends on a situation. The distance between the shelves of the rack should be 50-60 cm, for compact varieties 45-50 cm.

to contents

Possible problems

Like most plants, streptocarpus can become diseased during active growth and dormancy. The main reason for this is non-compliance with the rules of caring for it.

If a plant is sick with gray rot , then it has suffered from cold or received mechanical damage. Spots and then mold appear on leaves, shoots and flowers. Streptocarpus is saved with a fungicide.
Fusarium indicates excessive watering and low temperatures that are not suitable for the flower. The cuttings and peduncles begin to rot, and then the roots. If the roots are sick, it is almost impossible to save the plant.
Drying and deformation of leaves, the appearance of a white coating, and loss of decorativeness of the plant indicate that it is suffering from powdery mildew. This occurs with high humidity, drafts and sudden changes in temperature. It is urgent to treat the flower with a copper-soap solution.
If growths appear on the leaves, and the foliage itself begins to curl, this indicates an aphid attack. Spider mites appear when the room is hot and dry. Each insect gets rid of it with its own preparation.
If a plant is attacked by thrips , they will feed on its juices, which will lead to loss of decorativeness and stunting of growth. You need to get rid of pests with Actellik or Akarin.

For information on how to grow streptocarpus from seeds, see below.

Hello, dear readers! Streptocarpus is an annual or perennial herbaceous shrub. Its name is translated from Greek as “twisted fruit.” Indeed, streptocarpus boxes have this shape. Streptocarpus is rightfully considered an ornamental plant.

In addition, it grows great at home, its flowers look beautiful and do not fall off for a long time. Tiny seeds ripen inside the twisted boxes. Well, why not try to plant them?!

Seed selection

To date, a huge number of different varieties of streptocarpus have been bred. When you go to the websites of online flower shops, your eyes widen! There were not so many types of flowers even on the plant’s homeland, the island of Madagascar. There is such a variety of colors that it’s time to buy the ones you like the most and dedicate an entire window sill to this collection.

But we must remember that streptocarpus has one feature. When propagated by seeds, new shoots do not always inherit the properties of the mother plant. This is because, as a rule, all parent plants are hybrids.

However, if you want to get a large number of sprouts, then you will not find a better way than seed propagation. This is how this plant is bred in flower shops.

Those seeds that are sown immediately after harvest have the maximum germination rate. It is best to extract seeds from fruits in the spring and plant them immediately. But any gardener is familiar with the situation: you want to get one or another variety, for example, “Wave” or “Dancing Flame,” but other than ordering seeds, there is nowhere to get it.

Well, we purchase and sow at home! But first, let's figure out how to grow streptocarpus from seeds.

Streptocarpus: care and cultivation from seeds, propagation rules

Even new varieties of streptocarpus can be grown from seeds

Planting seeds

If you have never grown streptocarpus from seeds before, keep in mind that each seed is so small that it is impossible to see it without a magnifying glass. The pods can be said to contain "seed dust" rather than seeds.

However, every speck of dust like this eventually turns into a full-fledged plant. But bags from the store may also contain seeds in granules, which are more convenient to work with.

To grow a flower from seeds, it is best to use a plastic container with a lid. Be sure to make several holes in the lid to allow air access to the seeds.

Before planting the seeds, add a layer of perlite or vermiculite to the bottom of the container and moisten it.

Then add a layer of substrate on top of this layer. To obtain the substrate, it is best to use tablets, for example, Jiffy. They contain all the necessary nutrients for rapid seed germination and seedling growth. It is more convenient to use large tablets with a diameter of 5 centimeters.

In such tablets, a fine-grained substrate is compressed with a small addition of coconut fiber. Fill the tablet with warm boiled water, without removing it from the mesh, and wait until it swells.

After this, squeeze out the excess water, cut the mesh and evenly distribute the substrate over the perlite layer.

We are waiting for sprouts

Sometimes it happens that drops of condensation appear on the bottom surface of the container lid. This happens if the soil for sowing is too wet. In this case, remove the lid and ventilate the container. After a couple of minutes, return it to its place.

How long does it take for Streptocarpus seeds to germinate? They usually germinate on the ninth day after planting. In this case, the sprouts appear tiny, and without a magnifying glass they may not be noticed. You should have one, since the first transplant of sprouts will not be possible without a magnifying glass.

And you will have to replant streptocarpus sprouts often, since without this it will grow extremely slowly. It is best to separate the sprouts from the total mass of sprouts with a regular toothpick. Transfer them to a new place with tweezers or the same toothpick. Make the first transplant a month after sowing.

In the future, it can be done as needed. As you can see, sprouts require painstaking care.

But when to plant streptocarpus with seeds, there is no difference, because it is able to bloom in winter and summer.

Conditions for seedling germination

In order for the seeds to germinate quickly and correctly, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

monitor the condition of the soil mixture - it is important to maintain light moisture;
watering can be carried out exclusively through a tray or using a sprayer;
monitor the air humidity - the optimal indicator is 80%;
ventilate the container with seeds every day;
observe the temperature regime - seeds germinate at +20–25 °C;
provide seedlings with diffused sunlight;
Be patient - germination occurs in 10–20 days.

Do not forget to pick on time - this stage is very important for the further growth of the flower.

How to water

Water the crops only using a spray bottle. The fact is that the seeds and first shoots are so small that even the thinnest stream of water will simply wash them away.

That is, you will have to carry out spraying rather than watering. The water mist does not need to be directed directly onto the substrate. Spray water over the container.

If you master this delicate work, the flower will grow, become stronger and become your pride. Not only will you get a rare specimen that no one you know has, but you will also gain experience in growing it.

Streptocarpus obtained from seed blooms only 8-9 months after planting. You won't have to wait that long for your miracle!

Streptocarpus or streptocarpella is a beautiful indoor flower from the Gesneriaceae family. The island of Madagascar is considered the birthplace of the plant; it can be found in the wild in South Africa and Asia. In total, about 130 species of flower have been recorded; it gets along well at home and can serve as a decoration for any greenhouse or garden. Streptocarpus got its name due to the unusual shape of the seed pods.

After the streptocarpus flower withers and the seeds ripen, the capsule curls into a bizarre shape. Translated from Greek, “streptus” means a twisted spiral, and “karpos” means a fruit, a seed. The flower first became known in Europe in 1818 thanks to the botanist James Bowie. Then it was called “Didimocarpus rexii”, but very soon it was renamed “Streptocarpus rexii”. The plant is still known by this name today. If more than a hundred of its varieties can be found in the wild, then more than a thousand cultivated hybrids are known.

How to plant streptocarpus with seeds

Freshly harvested seeds will give the best germination. They should be handled with the utmost care, including during the process of germination. When it's time to water, don't use a regular bottle or watering can. The use of a sprayer should also be controlled, i.e. spraying is done not with a stream, but with a spray. Otherwise, seeds and sprouts may be damaged.

Deadlines

It is better to plant in the spring, from about the end of February to April. The fact is that the plant needs warmth to germinate. The gradually warming spring sun will promote their best growth. However, streptocarpus will take root well under an artificial sun, which can be an ordinary incandescent lamp, since it not only illuminates, but also provides warmth.

If planted correctly, the first shoots can sprout within a week. It is noteworthy that the gardener may not notice them, since they are very small. Therefore, it is recommended to get a magnifying glass at least for the first time. After a month, tiny petals are visible to the naked eye. Ultimately, the first seedlings bloom after 9 months, sometimes later.

Preparing containers and soil

If the grower intends to prepare the soil himself, then there are several options for compositions, taking into account the proportions:

deciduous soil, peat, sand in a ratio of 2:1:1;
peat, perlite, sphagnum moss in proportions 1:1:1;
high-moor peat, leaf humus, perlite or vermiculite, sphagnum moss in a ratio of 2:1:0.5:0.5.

Description

Streptocarpus "Jana" during flowering.

Streptocarpus has the shape of a rosette of large, fleshy, oblong leaves of a dark green color. The length of one leaf can reach 25 cm, and the width - 7-8 cm; the stems of the plant are very short and covered with fluffy pile. In the center of the rosette are beautiful, bright bell-shaped flowers with curved petals.

The plant is distinguished by abundant flowering - one specimen can produce up to hundreds of buds. The color of the flower is very diverse - from white and blue to purple and dark lilac.

Streptocarpella is loved by gardeners, both professionals and beginners. If you are lucky enough to get to the exhibition of these indoor plants, the impressions will be the most vivid. The most popular varieties are those that combine two or three colors.

You can see specimens with two or three petals with stripes or dots, with a fringed or corrugated edge. One of the most common species is Streptocarpus "Jana". The size of flowers and their number on one bush may vary.

The concepts of “baby” and “delenka”

Question: What is the difference between streptocarpus babies and divisions?

Answers: I won’t say for sure, but, in my opinion, a baby is a new plant on the mother leaf (in the beginning there is only one small leaf) during leaf propagation. And delenka is when a large bush is divided into separate rosettes. That is, the plant is practically an adult. A baby, of course, will die more easily if not cared for properly.

It seems to me that the division may bloom faster. If you want to suffer less and enjoy flowers faster, you need to share. And with the baby before flowering you will have to tinker a little longer! Although children are also pleased with the flowering (and what else!) in the first six months of life.

As a rule, the term “division” is used by sellers. In this sense, a delenka is a fragment of a streptocarpus leaf with germinated children, but their size does not yet allow them to be planted and allowed to “swim” independently. Those. at least a month before leaving the leaf.

Babies also come in different sizes. If the baby is large (leaves about 8 cm), then it can please you with flowering in a month or two.

Straps have growth points as such from one to several. Over time, the bush seems to spread, i.e. is growing. There comes a time when the plant grows to such a size that the pot becomes small. Instead of taking a larger pot, you can divide the “bush” (like, for example, a peony bush), leaving a growing point in each division. By the way, this is another method of reproduction. But it is better to carry it out in the spring, so that stress is more easily experienced.
Here are first-hand impressions on this topic: “In the fall, I tried to divide; out of five dividing pots, only 2 survived, despite all my efforts. I also noticed that after abundant flowering they stop actively growing foliage. I cut off all the old leaves and planted them in small pots in fresh soil. I read that streps love to be nursed, pruned, replanted... As a result, in the fall - again a bunch of pots with babies. And if there is nothing to divide, you can simply replant and be patient until next spring. The main thing is to survive the winter with them!!!”

to contents

Growing at home

Although this indoor culture belongs to the Gesneriaceae family, the breeding and reproduction of streptocarpus is not the same as that of violets. They need completely different care at home.

Lighting

A visitor from Madagascar needs a lot of light. He needs to be provided with 14 hours of daylight, even in winter.

In summer, streptocarpus will feel great on a windowsill or near a window on a stand. But in winter they will have to be illuminated. Experts recommend alternating a fluorescent lamp and a phytolamp.

Bright multi-colored buds of streptocarpus of different varieties.

Temperature

Streptocarpella loves not only warmth, but also light. In order for the plant to feel cozy and enjoy lush flowering, the temperature should be maintained at least 23 degrees Celsius in the summer, and at least 15 degrees in the winter months.

In summer, you need to protect the flowers from direct sunlight and overheating, as they will begin to fade. And in winter, daylight hours can be reduced to 8 hours and fertilizing stopped - the plant enters a dormant period.

Humidity level

Excess moisture will only be harmful to this flower; it tolerates drought normally. Watering should be regular, but only when the top layer of soil in the pot is completely dry. If you water the plant too often, its roots will begin to rot.

In the summer, streptocarpella may wilt a little. In this case, it should be watered moderately every 2 hours three times a day. Such an event will be enough for the plant to fully recover. Streptocarpus will like spraying much more than frequent and abundant watering, even in the heat.

Diseases and pests

Diseases can occur due to unsuitable conditions, as well as due to the presence of pests.

Some causes of diseases:

First of all, it is worth noting that the plant is not placed in direct sunlight, otherwise the foliage will get burned.
If the air humidity is too low, the Streptocarpus foliage dries from the tips.
If the foliage has dried out of season, it means that the plant is not provided with optimal humidity, plus the room is not ventilated.
A rusty coating indicates that the flowers are crowded in the pot or among themselves, it is overwatered, or an excessive dose of nitrogen fertilizer is used.

From an excess of moisture in the soil, midges appear, pests appear - thrips, spider mites, aphids.
In some cases, you have to trim the flower, in others - treat it with folk or biological means (besides, they will benefit streptocarpus).

Care instructions

Streptocarpus flowers are very delicate and sensitive, but, nevertheless, if streptocarpus appears in the house, caring for it will not require much effort and time. The first rule to remember: you will have to regularly spend time transplanting streptocarpus, he really likes it. To prevent the plant from being damaged, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

select a new pot of larger diameter as soon as there is too little space in the old one for the overgrown outlet;
a large plant needs to be divided into several parts with roots, each planted separately;
after this, for seven days, the streptocarpella flower is watered daily in a superficial way. Then they switch to watering through the pan.
the size of the pot should be at least one and a half times larger than the size of the plant, otherwise very soon you will have to replant it again;
First, a drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pot, and then a light substrate.

If brown spots appear on the leaves of the plant, this means that watering is too frequent and its roots are beginning to rot. In this case, the plant needs to be replanted by removing the rotten parts of the root system. It’s better to plant cuttings.

Flowering and care after it

Question: How long does streps bloom?

Answer: Streps, with good care, can bloom almost all year round, well, at least for nine months.

Question: The streps bloomed for the first time, and now the stem of the flower is sticking out, what should I do with it, tear it off or wait for it to dry up?

Answer: Peduncles need to be trimmed, not broken off or torn off. Firstly, unlike violets, they are quite hard, and secondly, dormant flower buds can be damaged, and, perhaps, the leaf itself.

Question: Streps was covered with a cap of flowers all summer. They watered it with “Pocon for flowering” plants. But the leaves stopped growing. The picture is this: old large leaves with dry stumps of cut peduncles and small twisted young leaves that do not want to develop. What to do? Feed him something for the leaves? Or trim off all the big old leaves to encourage new growth? But scary! What if it doesn’t stimulate? Or divide and replant? But autumn is just around the corner. It seems like this is not the time... What to do?

Answer: your action plan:

Check for pests.
Replant into fresh soil (if the bush can be divided, divide).
Trim off old leaves.
Two weeks after transplantation, feed with fertilizer to increase the vegetative mass.
It is advisable to put it under lighting.

to contents

Reproduction methods

Streptocarpus propagates from seeds, cuttings or by planting. If you want to get a young, beautiful and healthy flower, propagation by cuttings is best suited. But you will have to try hard for this.

The process of rooting a streptocarpus leaf.

Cuttings

You can break off a large leaf of a violet, place it in a glass of water and just wait for the roots to appear. With this same culture, everything is much more complicated.

Cut a sheet 5-7 cm long. If all the sheets are very large, you can cut off only half or a third of it.
Then the leaf is cut crosswise into pieces no more than 2 cm long. On each piece, on one side, a base is made that resembles a stem - this will make it more convenient to immerse the leaf in a glass of water and root it.
After this, the leaves are placed in small containers with water - it is convenient to use disposable cups.
Some users advise that instead of water, immediately pour a substrate of peat, perlite, sphagnum and vermiculite into the cups. The leaf is immersed into the substrate with its stem no deeper than 1 cm and pressed.
After this, the cups are placed in a warm place, they are regularly watered until the “babies” - young small leaves - are thrown out. When there are 2-3 of them, you need to plant the leaves in other cups.

Young streptocarpus obtained by dividing a leaf.

Experienced gardeners can try to make cuttings not from a whole leaf, but only from its central part, the stem, cutting off everything else. This way, many more shoots appear, but it is also harder for the cuttings to take root, so only real professionals can do this task.

Streptocarpus from seeds

It is even more difficult to obtain viable streptocarpus from seeds. But if you have time and desire, it’s worth experimenting. You can breed a completely new streptocarpus from seeds, call it by your own name - as, for example, they called the plant variety “Yana” - and present it at the next international exhibition as a new hybrid variety - isn’t it tempting?

To get seeds, you need two copies of the plant. They must pollinate each other. After the seed box has matured, it needs to be opened and the raw materials for sowing collected. The seeds should be planted not in the substrate, but in peat humus tablets. To do this, they are pre-soaked and then mixed. Then proceed as follows:

a thin layer of drainage is poured into the container;
the substrate from the tablets is distributed on top;
sow seeds;
cover with a second thin layer of substrate.

Propagation of streptocarpus by seeds - seedlings take a little more than a month.

The container should be covered with film or a cap, placed in a warm and bright place and wait two weeks. By this time, sprouts should appear. Seedlings are picked twice until they are large enough to be planted in separate pots. The first flowers can be expected in about 6-8 months.

Key points for seed propagation

To get a healthy plant that will please the eye, you must adhere to certain rules and recommendations. Only in this case can you be sure that all efforts will not be in vain.

Landing dates

The ideal period for planting seeds is February - April. It is at this time that the sun begins to warm up, which will contribute to the rapid growth of the flower.

How to choose seeds

Today you can buy streptocarpus seeds at any flower shop. A huge variety of varieties allows you to choose a plant to suit your taste. As a rule, the seeds are packaged in a paper bag. Be sure to pay attention to the date, buy only fresh material.

Landing technology

Planting streptocarpus seeds is a painstaking process that should be approached with great attention and accuracy.

Initially, it is necessary to prepare shallow bowls, at the bottom of which it is necessary to provide drainage. Peat mixed with sand is poured over the drainage.

Streptocarpus seeds are very small, so they are usually sown on the surface. There is no need to fill them with soil on top. Before planting, it is necessary to moisten the substrate, that is, sow the seeds on moist soil.

After the seeds are in the bowl, the container must be covered with glass or film. The bowl should be located in a warm room with an air temperature of at least 21 °C. The container should be ventilated from time to time, as seeds need fresh air for rapid growth. You need to water the seeds from a tray - when the soil is moistened from above, the seeds will simply be washed away.

When real leaves begin to grow, you can carry out the first picking. To do this, you need to select a larger container and plant the plants so that they do not interfere with each other’s growth. After the seedlings are distributed, they are watered, covered again with film and left in a warm place.