Osteospermum - bush culture, belongs to the family of aster. Under natural conditions, an evergreen shrub grows in the Cape Province of South Africa and reaches a meter height. In temperate latitudes it is cultivated as an annual.
African or blue-eyed chamomile, Cape daisy or osteospermum is a spectacular culture that appeared in Russia relatively recently, but has already gained popularity among flower growers. Breeders bred mid-sized and low-growing species, striking an unusual coloring.
They created an amazing variety of cold-loving flower "Sky and Ice." The plant is suitable for growing in open ground, on balconies, in apartments, it pleases with a long, plentiful formation of inflorescences, unusual coloring of buds.
Description of osteosperm Sky and Ice
Variety Sky and Ice - perennial, grown in the middle lane, as a one- or two-year-old, feels great in flowerpots, on flower beds. The central part of the flower, growing to 5-6 cm in diameter, is a bright dark blue color, is framed along the edge with a yellow-brown corolla, does not fade in the bright sun. The linear petals are snow-white, with a slightly noticeable relief, narrow, with a rounded tip, at the edge slightly curled to the center.
The bush grows up to 30 cm tall, branches well, forms many buds. It blooms from late June to October.
Bred for landscape design, able to live in room conditions for several years. The first shooting gallery of the year blooms abundantly, subject to proper agricultural practices with rest periods.
Flower for home breeding
Lovers of flowers who do not have land allotments grow African chamomile Sky and Ice in apartments. Osteospermum grows from seeds, propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush during transplantation.
Many gardeners, in order to extend the flowering period, put flowerpots in the winter garden or apartments. An adult plant tolerates a transplant well if it is dug up with a large lump of earth. At home cultivation, a flower with an increase in night temperatures to +12 ° C is taken out to balconies, loggias, they arrange a short rest period for it. When warming the atmospheric air to + 17 ... +20 ° С, the osteospermum will again please with blue-eyed daisies.
Growing conditions
Growing osteosperm in pots has been practiced not so long ago.
Location
In the apartment for osteosperm choose a well-lit, not too warm place. Direct sunlight is undesirable, the soil will warm up too much. The best option is a window sill by a window facing east or west. When growing crops on the south side do shading. In a poorly lit place, the bush begins to stretch strongly, the number of buds decreases.
Priming
According to the reviews of gardeners, the abundance of flowering directly depends on the composition of the soil mixture. Like all asters, the osteospermum does not like an excess of nitrogen, the roots will rot in the humus, it should be no more than a quarter. Be sure to add soddy and leafy soil, river sand so that water does not stagnate.
For planting, you can use universal soil soil for flowers with vermiculite - a water-retaining component. Ideal is the soil for cacti, succulents. At the bottom of the pot must be laid up to 5 cm of drainage.
Seeds are planted in the spring, usually in early April. Depth 5 mm. Planting material is pre-germinated, placed in a damp tissue for 2-3 days. If dry seeds are planted in the soil, seedlings appear 5-7 days after planting.
If the shoots are extended, they are sprinkled with earth to the sepals. With the addition of rooting, the root system develops faster. When the five main sheets appear, pinch the top so that the trunk actively branches.
Watering
Shoots are watered every 2-3 days, do not allow the top layer of the earth to dry out. Then watering is reduced to 1-2 times a week, depending on the humidity in the apartment. It is necessary to let the earth dry. Home osteospermum cannot be poured, like all asters, it is drought tolerant, prone to fungal diseases, root rot. When the root system is damaged, the bush begins to wither, the stems bend, the plant dies. Phytosporin will help save the flower, they are treated with soil when transplanting the plant.
Darkened soft roots must be removed. The flower is watered with a weak solution of manganese or fungicides. On cloudy days, watering can be replaced by plentiful spraying.
Top dressing
Together with watering once a quarter, top dressing is done. A plant needs it no more than three times a year. With excessive nutrition, many leaves are formed, the activation of the bud bookmark decreases. They make phosphate, potassium and calcium fertilizers.
Complex compositions for home flowers can be used, when diluted, the volume of water is doubled. When the flower rests in winter, watering is reduced, they make sure that the soil does not dry out too much.
With proper care, the osteospermum Sky and Ice will be strewn with blue-eyed daisies almost all year round. If desired, a room flower can be planted on a flowerbed at the end of spring, left there until frost. Then dig again, bring into an apartment or house. If you break out faded inflorescences in time, the bush will look aesthetically pleasing.
