Carpathian bell - about growing from seeds at home and soil, planting and care. Carpathian bell: growing from seeds

One of the most attractive representatives of the Bellflower family, which adorns alpine hills and rockeries, is the Carpathian bell flower. Planted in groups, graceful flowers form dense, dense bushes with delicate cup-shaped flowers of white, rich blue, purple. Due to the long and continuous charming flowering, winter hardiness and undemanding to the soil, the plant has fallen in love with many gardeners and is successfully used for decoration. unusual compositions landscape designers. How to grow these charming flowers in the garden, read on.

The genus of bells has many types, but I want to talk about decorative dwarf plant, which is most common - the Carpathian bell, whose homeland is considered to be Central Europe and the Carpathians. Seeing this magnificent plant in a flower bed, an alpine hill, placed in a rockery or along the paths, I want to plant it in my garden.

Beautiful flowers - Carpathian bellflower

The height of this perennial rhizomatous plant is from 25 to 30 cm, and in diameter it can reach 30 cm. The ovate-rounded leaves, the closer to the root, the larger and are collected in a basal rosette. From June to September, the bush is covered with funnel-shaped flowers of blue, white, purple or of blue color up to 5 cm in diameter. Flowering ends with the formation of oval-cylindrical bolls.

The Carpathian bluebell is successfully grown both in sunny places and in partial shade. The soil they need is fertile, slightly alkaline or neutral, with good drainage properties. If the soil is heavy and the plant will receive excessive moisture, then death may await it.

If the Carpathian bell experiences a lack of moisture, then the duration of its flowering will decrease, watering is needed if hot, dry weather persists. If you remove dried inflorescences in time, then the flowering period will be extended, for this you need to cut off the shoots after flowering by 1/3 of the length.

As soon as spring comes, the Carpathian bell needs to be fed with nitrogen fertilizer (urea or saltpeter). When buds are formed and flowering should be fed with a complete mineral fertilizer.

All about Carpathian bells:

Reproduction of the Carpathian bell is possible by cuttings, dividing the bush and seeds. You can divide the bush no earlier than at the age of three in early spring or autumn, when flowering ends. It is necessary to carefully dig a bush and divide it into parts that should have roots and plant these parts from each other by at least 50 centimeters.

In summer, bell propagation can be done using cuttings. In June, you need to choose young shoots that have several internodes. Remove the top of the shoot and the lower leaves from them, and then plant them in a substrate that consists of humus, earth and sand (1:1:1), then pour 4-5 cm of river sand on top.

To get seeds, it is not necessary to cut the faded inflorescences, as soon as the fruits formed on them darken (until the boxes open), then remove them and dry them in the shade. As soon as the boxes open, this means that the seeds are ripe. You can sow seeds directly into the soil in late April or mid-October. The site must be fertile and loose. It is necessary to sow the seeds of the Carpathian bell on the surface of the soil, slightly pressing, and then cover with a film. Seeds sown in spring will germinate in 10-14 days, and autumn sowing will appear in the spring, as soon as the soil warms up. As soon as the third leaf appears, you need to dive seedlings, placing them according to the 10X10 scheme in the garden, where they will remain until next spring. And only after wintering they will be planted in a permanent place.

It is a pity that it will be possible to enjoy the flowering of the Carpathian bell grown from seeds in three years.

Mature plants do not require special care, they need weeding from weeds, timely top dressing, short pruning and watering in drought in early October. Good neighbors for the Carpathian bell are: Dalmatian geranium, sunflower, stonecrop, sapling, bryozoan.

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A beautiful perennial herbaceous plant, the Carpathian bell, attracts the eye in a blooming alpine hill. Dense bushes of this winter-hardy plant have blue, purple and white flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, resembling elegant porcelain cups. The plant blooms continuously from June to September, resistant to pests and diseases.

In nature, the Carpathian bell is common on the limestone rocks of the mountainous regions of Europe and in the Carpathians. He loves sunny places, as well as light partial shade. The plant is undemanding to the soil, but still prefers loose, fertile and non-acidic soil. For growing the Carpathian bell, it is better to choose places protected from the winds. In one place, the Carpathian bell can grow up to six years. Useful for him is the introduction of ash, lime, dolomite flour. You can not fertilize the plant with fresh manure or humus, this can cause disease and death of the plant. The bell does not tolerate stagnant water, but if there is not enough moisture, then this immediately affects the plant: the flowers become smaller and lose their beautiful color. For the winter, the plant does not require any shelter. Carpathian bell care is minimal: you need to regularly loosen the soil and weed the weeds. And if you constantly remove dried and withered flowers, then you can significantly extend the flowering of the bell.

The most common varieties of the Carpathian bell: "Alba" (white flowers), "Isabelle" (blue flowers), "Blaumeise" (blue flowers), "Karpatenkrone" (purple flowers). A series of Carpathian bell "Klip" is a low plant with many white flowers that bloom continuously almost all summer. Great for growing in pots.

How to plant a Carpathian bluebell?

The Carpathian bell flower is propagated by cuttings or by dividing the bush. The plant has very powerful roots that go very deep into the ground, so transplant mature plant it is impossible - it will not take root in a new place. If you plant a plant with seeds, then it blooms only in the second year. Seeds germinate for a long time, so the sowing of the Carpathian bell should be superficial. To obtain seedlings, seeds are sown in open ground on planting beds or indoors under glass or film to maintain high humidity. Every day, be sure to remove the glass or film for ventilation. When the first true leaves appear, the seedlings should be dived into boxes, and after about five weeks, the seedlings can be planted in open ground. The bushes of the Carpathian bluebell will bloom in about twenty weeks.

Bell Carpathian Dwarf

One of the most undemanding species Carpathian bells are a white or blue Dwarf. The plant has rounded compact bushes with continuously blooming single blue or white funnel-shaped flowers. Growing the Carpathian Dwarf bell is possible only through seedlings. In April-May, seeds are sown by surface sowing under glass or film. And shoots will appear in twenty days. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in August. The Carpathian Dwarf bell loves loose and fertile soils.

The decorative Carpathian bell is used to decorate mixborders and rockeries. No rock garden is complete without this wonderful flower. It is good to plant tall varieties in the center of the flower bed, and undersized varieties along the edge, creating a border out of them. Its long flowering period is used when paired with many plants and flowers. He loves the neighborhood with geraniums, cuffs, cloves, peonies, irises. You can decorate a balcony, loggia or terrace with bushes of the Carpathian bell.

Plant these bluebells in your garden or balcony and let them entertain you and your guests with their heavenly chimes.

Flowers bells (lat. Campanula) belong to the genus herbaceous plants of the Bellflower family, which includes more than three hundred species growing in places with a temperate climate - in the Caucasus, Western and Central Asia, Europe, Siberia, and also in North America. Bluebells prefer steppes, meadows, forests, desert areas and rocks. Many species of these flowers grow in the alpine and subalpine zones of the mountains. The Latin name is translated - bell. In the people, these flowers are called chenille, chebotki and bells.

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Planting and caring for bluebells (at a glance)

• Landing: sowing seeds in open ground - in October or May. Sowing seeds for seedlings - in March, planting seedlings in open ground - in late May or early June.
• Bloom: V different dates- depending on the type and variety.
• Lighting: usually bright sunlight. There are only a few shade-loving species in the genus.
• The soil: any, even stony and calcareous, but best of all drained loam of neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.
• Watering: moderate and only in dry season.
• Garter: tall varieties require support.
• Top dressing: on melted snow - with nitrogen fertilizer, during the budding period - with a complete mineral complex.
• Reproduction: annuals - only by seeds, biennials - by seeds and spring cuttings. Perennials can be propagated by parts of the rhizome, root cuttings, stolons, dividing the bush, but when propagated by seed, they do not retain varietal characteristics.
• Pests: drooling pennitsy, slugs.
• Diseases: fusarium, botrytis, sclerotinia.

Read more about growing bluebells below.

Bluebell flowers - description

Most often there are perennial bells, less often - biennial and annual. The leaves of the bells are alternate, bell-shaped flowers of blue, white and different shades purple flowers are collected in racemose or paniculate inflorescences. Sometimes there are single flowers. The fruit is a box with 4-6 slit-like holes. The bell plant can be short, medium and tall.

Growing bluebells from seeds

sowing bluebells

Bluebell seeds do not require pre-training before sowing. They can be sown directly into the ground in May or before winter in October. But if you want them to bloom this year, sow them in March for seedlings. Since the seeds are very small, they are laid out on the surface of a light, loose, permeable substrate, previously well moistened and consisting of humus, soddy soil and coarse sand in a ratio of 3:6:1. It is not necessary to add fertilizer to the substrate. The seeds are lightly pressed to the ground, sprayed with water from a spray bottle, and then covered with a film. Contain crops at a temperature of 18-20 ºC. Seedlings may appear in two to three weeks.

bluebell seedling

As soon as the seeds begin to germinate, move the container to a bright place, protected from direct sunlight, remove the film and care for bluebell seedlings as you would any other flower seedlings: water when the top layer of the substrate dries, loosen the soil around the seedlings, and when they are three weeks old and their first leaves develop, the seedlings dive into a large container at a distance of 10 cm from each other. Two weeks after picking, feed the seedlings with liquid complex fertilizer in low concentration

Planting bells in open ground

When to plant bluebells in the ground

Seedlings of bluebells are planted in open ground in late May or early June. Most of the bluebells are photophilous, there are literally a few shade-loving species grown in culture, and they can be recognized by the dark green color of the leaves. The bell does not like drafts.

As for the soil, some species grow well on rocky soil, some on calcareous, but most species prefer neutral or slightly alkaline, well-drained loamy soils. Landing bells in the soil is carried out after its preliminary preparation: for deep digging, sand and humus are introduced into heavy soils, and soddy soil and fertilizers into poor soils. Do not apply only fresh manure and peat, as this increases the risk of plant damage from fungal diseases.

How to plant bluebells in the ground

Planting bells on open places, away from bushes and trees so that their roots can receive the necessary amount of moisture and nutrition. Undersized bells are planted at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, bells of medium height at a distance of 20-30 cm, and tall ones at an interval of 40-50 cm. After planting, the soil around the flowers is trampled and watered well.

Caring for bluebells in the garden

How to care for bluebells

Growing bluebells is no different from growing any other garden flowers - bluebells are unpretentious. They are watered only when prolonged heat and dryness are established. After watering, it is convenient to loosen the soil around the flowers and remove weeds. Tall bells are tied to a support as needed. The bells are fed for the first time in the spring, on melted snow, with nitrogen fertilizer. The second top dressing with complex fertilizer is carried out in the first half of summer, at the beginning of budding. To prolong the flowering of bluebells, remove wilted flowers in a timely manner.

Reproduction of bluebells

Annual bells are propagated by seeds, biennials by seeds and spring cuttings. Perennial bluebells can be propagated by root cuttings, parts of the rhizome, dividing the bush and stolons, since they do not always retain varietal characteristics during seed propagation. Terry varieties of bluebells do not set seeds, so they are propagated exclusively by vegetative methods.

Perennial types of bluebells with a carpal or tap root system are considered as vegetatively immobile and propagate by seeds. Those species that have a short rhizome are considered vegetatively inactive - they are propagated by division and cuttings. Species with long creeping rhizomes are considered vegetatively mobile, which are propagated by seeds, division and cuttings, as well as rhizome segments and root offspring.

We described the seed seedling propagation method to you, but you can sow the seeds in mid-October directly into the ground, where they will undergo natural stratification during the winter months and sprout together in the spring, and you will only have to plant the seedlings. You can sow seeds in the ground in May, but then they need to be stratified for two months in vegetable box refrigerator, and since annual bluebells reproduce well by self-seeding, is it worth it to complicate your life by stratifying seeds?

Bell cuttings are harvested in spring, in March-April - they are cut from young stem or basal shoots, planted in a light loose substrate and placed under a film dome to create high air humidity. It is best to use a greenhouse for this purpose and special installation to spray mist. Root regrowth in cuttings occurs within three to four weeks.

The division of the bush is carried out in the third or fifth year of the plant's life, but some species can be divided already in the second year. At the beginning of May or at the end of summer, large bushes are dug up and, having cut the stems, they are divided into parts with a sharp sterile knife, each of which should have developed roots and renewal buds, after which the cuts are treated with crushed coal and the delenki are immediately planted in a permanent place.

When propagating by parts of the rhizome, the creeping root of the plant is dug up, divided into parts so that each segment contains renewal buds, and planted in the ground so that the buds are at the level of the soil surface.

Root offspring must be separated from the mother plant and immediately planted in a permanent place.

Bell pests and diseases

Blooming bluebells look very cute, but this is not the only advantage of flowers. They are so unpretentious that planting and caring for the bell is a pleasure and does not require time and effort. Bluebells are immune to diseases and pests and are very rarely affected by them, however, when perennial cultivation flowers in one place in the soil, pathogenic microorganisms accumulate - Fusarium, Sclerotinia or Botrytis - which can lead to the death of the plant. To prevent this from happening, twice a season, in spring and autumn, treat the bells with a 0.2% solution of Fundazol.

In wet weather, slobbering pennitsa may appear on the bells, which is expelled with an infusion of garlic. Undersized bells can be damaged by slugs, from which the plants are sprayed with a decoction of hot pepper and superphosphate granules are scattered under the flowers.

Perennial bluebells after flowering

How and when to collect bluebell seeds

If you want to get seeds of your favorite species, then do not wait for the boxes to open, cut off the inflorescences left on the seeds in advance, as soon as the boxes turn brown, and ripen them in a ventilated dry room.

Preparing bells for winter

Planting and caring for perennial bluebells is no different than growing annuals or biennials, except that they need to be winterized. In late September or early October, the stems of all bluebells are cut to the root. This completes the care of annual flowers. As for biennial and perennial species, many of them hibernate without shelter, but southern species need to be covered with dry leaves or covered with spruce branches. Tall bells are covered with a layer of humus or dry peat 15-20 cm high. In order for perennial bells to survive the winter, this will be enough.

Types and varieties of bells

Annual species of bluebells originate from the southern regions, therefore, in areas with a temperate or cool climate, they are grown infrequently. The most famous of them:

bluebell annual

- a short (up to 10 cm) plant native to the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor with a bright blue tubular corolla. Blooms from May to early autumn. Used for borders and rock gardens;

Bell dichotomous, or forked from the Western Caucasus. It reaches a height of 15-20 cm, has numerous light purple flowers and broadly ovate leaves;

bluebell kashmiri grows in the Himalayas and the Pamirs, reaching a height of only 6-8 cm. Its flowers are purple, small, up to 1.5 cm in length, but there are many of them and they bloom for a long time;

- Caucasian endemic growing on gravelly soil and in rock crevices. In height, this strongly branching plant reaches half a meter, it blooms in May-July with paniculate inflorescences, consisting of 50-60 pitcher-bell-shaped purple flowers up to 4 cm in diameter with a swollen base and a calyx with deflected sharp teeth;

Bell Mirror of Venus originally from the Mediterranean mountains, from the UK and Holland. In culture, this species has been known since the end of the 16th century. In height, the bell, or legusia, reaches from 15 to 30 cm. Saucer-shaped, blue with a lilac tint and a white center, flowers up to 2 cm in diameter are collected in paniculate inflorescences that bloom from early summer to September. This species has varieties with white flowers.

biennial bluebells

represented by the following types:

bluebell bearded- grows in nature in the subalpine zone of the Mediterranean. It reaches a height of 4 to 30 cm. Its flowers are drooping, goblet-bell-shaped, pale blue, up to 3 cm long. This species blooms in June-July. In culture since 1752;

Hoffman's bell from the Balkans and the Adriatic. It is a strongly branching plant 30 to 50 cm high with a large number of large drooping white or cream flowers that open in June-July;

thyrsoid bellflower And bellflower- plants with spike-shaped inflorescences of funnel-shaped flowers of light yellow color in the thyrsoid bell and bright purple in the bell spiky;

Bellflower large-eared grows naturally in the Balkans, Europe and Asia Minor. The plant reaches a height of 70 to 120 cm. Its flowers with tubular pale purple corollas, collected in whorls of 6-7 pieces, open in June-July;

Bell medium naturally grows in Southwestern Europe and Asia. In cultivation, this biennial is sometimes grown as an annual plant. It has an upright stem 50 to 100 cm high and goblet-bell-shaped white, blue or pinkish flowers, simple or double, up to 7 cm long, collected in pyramidal inflorescences. In culture, the view is from 1578;

Native to Europe and Siberia. This is a densely pubescent plant with a height of 70 to 100 cm with small blue sessile flowers collected in inflorescences that are almost capitate at the top and whorled downwards.

In addition to those described, such biennial bells are known as Moesian, Siberian, divergent, sprawling, pyramidal, laurel, Formanek, spatulate, Sartori and orphanidea.

All other species belong to perennial bells, which in turn are divided into undersized, medium and tall.

Undersized species of perennial bluebells

- the most common species in culture comes from the Carpathians and the mountains of Central Europe. This is a perennial up to 30 cm high with leafy stems, a basal rosette of ovate leaves on long petioles and ovate short-petiolate stem leaves. Flowers in plants of this species are solitary, funnel-bell-shaped, blue, purple or white, up to 5 cm in diameter. They bloom from June for more than two months. Cultivated since 1770. The most famous garden molds Carpathian bell:

• Alba And White Star- varieties with white flowers;
• Celestine And Isabelle- sky blue bells;
• Chanton Joy, Riversleigh, Blaumeise- varieties with blue flowers;
• Karpatenkrone- a form with purple flowers;
• Clip- a miniature plant up to 20 cm high with flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. It can be grown both in open ground and in indoor culture;

Gargan bellflower- perennial up to 15 cm high with fragile creeping rising stems, rounded three-toothed leaves and blue star-shaped flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. In culture since 1832. The best varieties types are considered:

• Major– variety with pale blue flowers;
• W.H. pain- flowers of a light lavender shade with a white eye;

spiral bellflower, or spoon-leaved in nature grows in the Carpathians and the Alps. The plant is miniature, up to 15 cm high. The stems are creeping. Drooping flowers of blue, blue or white color up to 1 cm in diameter are collected in small inflorescences. In culture since 1783. The most famous varieties:

• Alba- white bell
• Loder- a variety with blue double flowers;
• Miss Wilmott- a variety with blue flowers;

- a miniature plant from the Far East with single violet-blue flowers up to 3 in diameter and up to 4 cm long with a corolla shaggy around the edge. There is a white-flowered form.

In addition to those described, such undersized species are known perennial bluebells, like birch-leaved, hairy-fruited, soddy, saxifrage, Kemularia, daisy-leaved, single-flowered, Oshe, Ortana, warble, borderline, Radde, Rainer, ciliated, dark, darkish, three-toothed and Uemura.

Perennial bluebells of medium height

represented by the following types:

Bell Takeshima naturally grows in Korea and the Iranian highlands. This is a perennial, reaching a height of 60 cm and forming groups of basal rosettes. Numerous stems of this species are creeping, creeping, rising. Simple or double flowers of blue, white or pink color bloom in early summer. The best varieties:

• Beautyful Trust- a variety with large white flowers of arachnid shape;
• Wedding Balz- a variety with double white bell-shaped flowers;

Komarov's bell

- Caucasian endemic amazing beauty up to 45 cm high with a branching stem and numerous large flowers bright light purple hue up to 3 cm long with sharp turned-away lobes;

grows on Far East and in Siberia. Its thin fibrous stem reaches a height of 50 cm. Numerous hairy leaves in the basal region on reddish petioles, ovate, lanceolate or sharp. Large drooping pubescent goblet-campanulate flowers on long off-white pedicels are covered both outside and inside with purple dots. The best varieties:

• Rubra- a variety with bright flowers;
• Alba nana- a variety with white flowers up to 20 cm high;

Bell Sarastro

- a hybrid type of dotted bell with very bright purple flowers up to 7 cm long. The height of the bush reaches 60 cm, diameter - 45 cm.

In addition to those described, medium-sized species include bells Tatra, polymorphic, rhomboid, Moravian, flax-leaved, Spanish, wonderful, karnika, Marchesetti, round-leaved, perforated, hilly, Turchaninov, Sarmatian, garlic-leaved, Grosseka, pale ocher and hybrids Kent Bel and Pink Octupus .

Tall types of bells include

broadleaf bell, which naturally grows in the Caucasus, in Southern and Central Europe, in Siberia, Asia Minor, in the European part of Russia and in Ukraine in broad-leaved, dark coniferous and mixed forests and along river banks. It has a straight bare stem more than 1 m high, bare doubly-serrate leaves up to 12 cm long and up to 6 cm wide and large axillary flowers forming a rare-flowered narrow spike-shaped brush. Funnel-shaped flowers up to 6 cm long blue, white or blue with slightly recurved lobes bloom in June-August. This species has been cultivated since 1576. The most famous varieties:

• Alba- with white flowers;
• Brantwood- variety with purple flowers;
• Makranta- a variety with dark purple large flowers;

Grows in the Caucasus, Western Siberia, the European part of Russia, Ukraine and Western Europe. This plant is 50 to 100 cm high with erect leafy stems, smooth and jagged leaves at the edges, similar to peach leaves, and wide-bell-shaped large flowers up to 5 cm long, white, blue or lilac-blue, collected several pieces in a panicle. This species has crown and terry forms. Flowering begins in the second half of June and lasts more than a month. In culture, the peach-leaved bell has been cultivated since 1554. The most famous varieties of the species:

• Bernice- a variety with blue double flowers;
• Thetam Beauty- a variety with light blue flowers of large size;
• Exmouth- a variety with dusty blue double flowers;
• snowdrift- a plant with white bells;
• variety mixture New Giant Highbreeds- plants up to 75 cm high with large flowers of white and all shades of blue;

Campanula lactiflora

in nature grows in Asia Minor and the Caucasus. It is a 50 to 150 cm tall plant with a taproot that allows it to grow well in heavy loamy soil. Campanulate milky-white flowers up to 4 cm in diameter are collected in a racemose inflorescence. They open in June and bloom until the end of summer. Cultivated since 1814. The main varieties of this species:

• cerulea- a variety with blue flowers:
• Alba- a plant with white flowers;
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Every flower lover tries to beautifully decorate his garden or country cottage area. The most common version of this decoration are alpine slides. And here you can not do without a wonderful plant called the Carpathian bell. Dense bushes strewn with large bowl-shaped bells will decorate any composition. And the variety of colors inherent in this plant will satisfy any flight of fancy. And if the fate is that the bell is a perennial shrub, then it will not be left without attention. This article "Growing a Carpathian bellflower from seeds" will help you effortlessly grow wonderful flowering shrubs to tame your garden or summer cottage.

The Carpathian bellflower or Campanula carpatica is a dwarf species representing the Bellflower family. The plant got its name due to the fact that the main place of its growth are the mountains of the Carpathians. In addition, Campanula carpatica can be found in the wild in the mountainous areas of central Europe.

The Carpathian bell is perennial plant grassy type, forming bushes in the form of a hemisphere. Their height can vary from ten to thirty centimeters. Most of the shrubs have approximately the same "growth" of about thirty centimeters. The height of the bushes is often the same as their diameter.

Know! The flowers are quite large (up to five centimeters) and rounded bell-shaped, they do not gather in inflorescences. Campanula carpatica can have a wide range of shades from white to purple.

Seeds are in the fruit in the form of an oval box. Seed ripening begins in July and can last until the end of summer.
The stems are branched and thin, they give the shrub a rather dense structure. The leaves have different shapes. Near the root they are heart-shaped, and closer to paradise they are jagged. In the lower part of the stem, the leaves are collected in rosettes and have a larger size, and closer to the edge their size decreases.

Campanula carpatica has a long flowering period - throughout the summer. It is resistant to various weather conditions and resistant to pests and diseases.

Attention! Currently, species varieties are bred extremely rarely. The most common varieties and hybrids.

The Carpathian bell loves the sun and tolerates partial shade well. For good growth he needs a non-acidic earth of a loose structure. Flowers grow best in rocky areas, reminiscent of their natural environment. These bright shrubs do not tolerate stagnant water very well. But it is important to provide the plant with the necessary watering. Indeed, in the case of a lack of moisture, the flowers become smaller, their color fades, and the flowering period is significantly reduced.

Representatives of the genus Kolokolchikov have a powerful root system. Taproots extend very deep into the ground. This feature makes it difficult to transplant an adult specimen. In most cases, such an undertaking ends with the death of the plant.

Main varieties

Natural varieties of shrubs have a "growth" of about thirty centimeters and are great for alpine slides, flower beds and decorating the garden. For lovers of miniature jewelry, special varieties with a height of not more than fifteen centimeters with a different color are suitable, namely:

• bluish flowers of large size - "Blue Clips";
• flowers of dark blue shades - "Deep Blue Clips";
• white flowers - "White Pearl" or "White Clips".

Important! It is worth paying special attention to the improved varieties of the Clips series, namely, White Pearl or Dark Blue Pearl.

These shrubs grow from fifteen to thirty centimeters tall. Adult specimens acquire a very compact and neat appearance.

The following unusual varieties have gained great popularity among flower growers:

1. "Karl Forster" - shrubs up to twenty-five centimeters with flowers of dark bluish hues.
2. "Blaumeise" - flowers of purple hues, having snow-white hearts.
3. 'Spechtmeise' are small shrubs about ten centimeters tall with flowers in a mid-bluish to purple hue.
4. "Karpatenkrone" - shrubs up to twenty centimeters high with bright blue flowers.

Know! Campanula carpatica has a very a large number of variety of varieties, differing in size and color of flowers. However, all varieties are united by bright beauty and ease of cultivation.

Growing from seed at home

The most common way of breeding a native of the Carpathians is sowing and growing seedlings. Copies of the Carpathian bell grown from seeds demonstrate the high efficiency of this method.

Preparatory stage

Carpatica seeds are very small, so a thousand seeds weigh no more than one gram. Thus, if you provide good conditions for growth, then up to four thousand seedlings can be grown from a gram of seeds.
Due to the small size, it is difficult to sow a flower not too densely. That's why experienced growers recommend mixing seeds with dry, cleaned sand.

seed hardening

It is advised to start preparing for sowing work from February. In order for seedlings to germinate well, they must be hardened off. Since the seeds of Campanula carpatica are rather capricious during germination, in order to achieve good results, they need to provide the following conditions in the first month of "life":

• temperature around twenty degrees Celsius;
• uniform hydration;
• scattered light (through glass);
• Fresh air.

Attention! All of these parameters are equally important for the germination process. When premature shoots appear, they must be "relocated" to separate containers.

In the future, the heating of seedlings must be replaced by a kind of hardening. In this case, the temperature range should range from four degrees Celsius to four minus degrees. The “hardening” period should last at least a month, the maximum duration is six weeks.

In vivo

It is most effective to harden seedlings under the influence of natural conditions. But in such a situation, you must have the means to regulate the temperature in case of unforeseen drops in temperature.

Seedlings of a native of the Carpathians germinate remarkably under a small cover of snow. When the sun appears, the melted water gives the "kids" the necessary moisture. And the snow cover itself protects them from frost. The need to extend the period of "hardening" may arise in a situation where the temperature (average daily) rises above four degrees Celsius.

When the first sprouts appear, containers with them must be brought into the room, temperature regime in which it is kept at a mark not lower than ten degrees. At the same time, the temperature should not rise by more than five degrees Celsius.

Know! This method makes it possible to effectively provoke good germination seeds. However, its implementation is a rather difficult and time-consuming process.

In an apartment or house

If it is not possible to provide the seedlings with the conditions described above, then you can use another method for their germination. It is necessary to mix the seeds with wet sand and place them in cellophane. At the initial stage, the seed material must be warmed up. This process is no different from the first hardening option. We carry out the “hardening” of the seeds in the refrigerator for a month or a little longer.

After that, a mixture of seeds and moistened sand is mixed with soil in a previously prepared container. It is not necessary to bury the seeds. The air temperature, as in the first option, should be from ten to fifteen degrees Celsius.

Important! Careless watering can cause seed erosion.

To prevent this, experienced growers are advised to use a spray gun. It is possible to irrigate directly into the pan if there are special holes in the planting tank.

Before the start of sowing, the substrate in which the seedlings will germinate must be thoroughly moistened. For successful growth, "kids" need to provide optimal humidity And good lighting. If you did everything right, then the first shoots can please you in ten days. However, the process of final germination can take up to twenty-five days.

Seedling care

With any planting option, seedlings are quite thick. Therefore, picking can begin as early as the appearance of the first leaves. Experienced flower growers recommend replanting seedlings not one at a time, but taking several young bushes at once (three or four). This will protect them from possible damage.

After picking, young plants should be provided with frequent airing and moderate moisture. A couple of weeks after the picking work, when the young bushes have already taken root in new places and restored their roots, it is advisable to feed them with special fertilizers.

When to plant outdoors

Attention! Seedlings of a month old can be planted in open ground.

To grow a beautiful Campanula carpatica that will please the eye for many years, you need to choose a place for it that meets the following requirements:

• good lighting;
• moderate soil moisture;
• regular ventilation.

Care of young plants

A flower with bright bells pleases its owners abundant flowering throughout the summer. In order to prevent unwanted self-sowing of the plant during the flowering period, it is necessary to regularly cut off the shoots that have faded and the seed boxes. In addition, this manipulation will give the shrub a well-groomed shape and stimulate additional flowering.

Water Campanula carpatica moderately, but in case of very hot weather, increase the amount of moisture. If this is not done, then the flowering period will be significantly reduced. But even in such a situation, you should not be upset. It is necessary to cut off dried shoots, water the plant thoroughly and the flowering process can resume. A native of the Carpathians needs regular weeding. In hot weather, mulching with peat will be useful for plants.

Possible difficulties in growing

Growing a Carpathian bellflower from seeds is a fairly simple process, but certain difficulties may arise. First of all, you need to take care of the soil favorable for the growth of the plant. If it is very heavy, then the flower will grow poorly and possibly die. In loamy soil, you need to add a little acidified peat or sand. And if you intend to grow the Carpathian bell in sandy soil, then feed it with humus.

The most common disease that can affect Campanula carpatica is rust. At the first sign of the appearance of this unpleasant ailment, it is necessary to treat the soil with copper-containing products. In order to prevent the appearance of rust, experienced flower growers advise treating shrubs with special preparations during the off-season, for example, Fitosporin or Gumin.

If the summer turned out to be wet, then the plantings of Campanula carpatica are often attacked by slugs. You can get rid of this trouble without the use of additional funds, simply by removing the pests with your hands.

Know! An effective option for dealing with slugs is to spray parsley or allspice powder on the attacked area. Another option is to set up a trap filled with beer.

If the above methods did not lead to the desired result, then you should use special preparations, such as Slug Eater or Thunder.

Forum, reviews

Growing a Carpathian bell from seeds is quite simple. This is evidenced by the reviews of flower growers provided on the Internet. The most laborious and deserving special attention the moment in breeding this bright flower is hardening. Don't Neglect Advice experienced gardeners on this issue, if you want to grow a beautiful and healthy Carpathian bellflower. Planting in open ground will not cause difficulties even for beginner flower lovers.

landscape decoration use

Know! Due to the long flowering period and harmonious combination with other horticultural crops, Campanula carpatica is a frequent participant in design compositions.

Most often, a native of the Carpathians is used in rockeries and rock gardens. This bright plant has become often used as an element of trendy decorative walls. The bell growing on paths dotted with greenery looks great. With the help of bright flowers, you can decorate a terrace or balcony by planting them in special containers of small height and considerable width.

Conclusion

Wherever you plant this bright shrub, it will certainly please the eye and warm the soul with its delicate flowering. It is enough to grow a Carpathian bell once, and you will no longer be able to do without it. And our article on the topic "Carpathian bell growing from seeds" will help you avoid unnecessary trouble and time. Growing bells from seeds will be a pleasant and rewarding experience for you.