This beautifully and abundantly flowering annual has long been a favorite of gardeners. Bright godetia flowers will decorate both a summer cottage and the balcony of a city apartment. In order for the plant to please you with its appearance for as long as possible, you need to have the most minimal understanding of godetia and its cultivation from seeds. It is also very important to know when to plant a flower.

Brief description and types

The godetia flower, a member of the fireweed family, is native to California. It is found wild in South and North America. The plant is named after the Swiss botanist Godet, who devoted a lot of time to studying it.

Godetia - herbaceous annual, forming compact or spreading bushes, the height of which is from 20 to 60 cm. The leaves of the plant are lanceolate, and the flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. The peduncles of godetia are short, which is why the plant looks very impressive. Flowers can be either simple or double, their diameter is 4-10 cm. The color of the petals is very diverse, including all possible shades of white, pink and red; after flowering, boxes with tiny seeds appear on the bush, which remain viable for 4 years.

People have been cultivating this plant since the 18th century. There are about 20 species of godetia in the world, but 2 of them are the most common. These include:

Basil flower varieties: yellow, simple, columbine

Landing Features

Growing godetia from seeds is not particularly difficult. There are several planting options: directly into the ground or through seedlings. Each of them has its own characteristics.

Sowing in the ground

This method is less labor-intensive, but in this case the flowering period of godetia will not begin until July. You can sow seeds both in spring and autumn.

Spring sowing is usually carried out in April or May. It is better to plant the flower immediately in a permanent place, so as not to have to worry about replanting in the future. The soil at the site of the future flower bed is dug up, fertilized with humus and complex mineral fertilizer and moistened. Seeds are sown in rows or by broadcasting. The depth of their embedding in the ground is no more than 0.5 cm. Then the crops are lightly sprinkled with earth and, if necessary, covered with film or covering material.

In autumn, sowing is done 2 weeks before the onset of stable frosts. The layer of soil with which the seeds are covered should be thicker than during spring planting.

Growing seedlings

If you plant godetia seedlings, you will have to tinker, but it will delight you with the appearance of flowers much earlier. Since this annual plant does not like transplanting, it is better to sow it immediately in separate cups or special peat tablets. You can grow seedlings as follows:

Clitoria trifoliata flower or butterfly pea

Plant care

Even inexperienced gardeners can plant godetia on their plot; growing and caring for this beauty will not take much effort. This flower is quite unpretentious and does not require special attention. Here are some useful tips:

Pests and diseases

Godetia can be harmed by a number of diseases. You should be especially wary of their development in wet weather. The main diseases of this annual include:

Among insects, godetia can be damaged by fleas and aphids. At the initial stage, they can be dealt with by spraying the plantings with a solution of ash and laundry soap. If there are a lot of pests, you cannot do without fungicides.

Godetia in the landscape

This beauty is very decorative and will enliven any corner of the garden. It is better to plant it in whole groups, creating the effect of bright color spots. Such flowers look great in flower beds, they are suitable for borders and ridges, and a variety of flowerpots and pots with godetia also look great.

Description of marigold species and varietal characteristics of the flower

It is better to plant low-growing plant varieties along the edges, while tall bushes will need support, which can be walls or hedges. In hanging flowerpots, godetia will hang like hanging plants, blending perfectly into the surrounding landscape.

Every flower lover should diversify his garden interior with the help of godetia. Planting and caring for it in the open ground is quite simple, and the joy that this flower will give is impossible to describe.

I can’t imagine a garden plot without a flower bed and a flower bed; flowers enliven and bring special colors to the harsh everyday life of a gardener. This article will be devoted to one of the most beautiful annuals - godetia. This beauty burns with a bright fire in my garden bed until the frosts.

This plant has earned special attention not only for its beauty, but also for its unpretentiousness to growing conditions.

It’s not for nothing that godetia is called the flower of passion; every year it is reborn from a tiny seed with inextinguishable energy and thirst for life, turning into a lovely plant.

Godetia's closest relative is Clarkia; both plants belong to the Fireweed family, although they are completely different. Godetia has been attracting flower growers for many years with its bright large buds and long flowering.

The graceful plant is often used in mixborders, flower beds, balcony boxes and outdoor flowerpots. Godetia grows well at home. It is a cold-resistant annual with an erect, abundantly pubescent stem, well branched, linear-lanceolate foliage.

The plants are spreading or narrow pyramidal with many azalea-like flowers, which are simple or double in white-pink-red shades, measuring 4-10 cm.

The most common among gardeners are two types of godetia, which in turn have a huge number of varieties. Each of them is distinguished by its own external characteristics: the shape of the foliage, the color of the petals, the height of the bush.

Godetia is lovely, which is a slender annual up to 60 cm high. Bell-shaped, sometimes cup-shaped flowers can be simple or double in shape with petals as if made of satin. Flowering lasts from July to the end of September.

Godetia grandiflora or azalea-shaped - this bush is highly branched, making it well suited for decorating not only a garden plot, but also rooms, loggias and terraces. The flowers are large, double, reminiscent of an azalea. Blooms until frost.

Requirements of graceful godetia for growing conditions

Godetia cannot be called a capricious plant. For full development, a well-lit area of ​​loamy soil, protected from strong winds, is enough for it. Tall varieties also need reliable support. The only thing godetia does not like is an abundance of rainfall; in wet summers the plants become weak.

The flower likes moderate watering; waterlogging does not do it any good, so when growing it is advisable to arrange good drainage. Excessive amounts of nutrition cause excessive growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering, so there is no need to be overzealous with fertilizers - once a month with a complete mineral complex is enough.

For more abundant flowering, it is necessary to tear off the faded inflorescences in a timely manner, otherwise the resulting ovaries will weaken the godetia, not allowing the buds to open fully.

It is recommended to leave a limited amount for collecting seeds. The seeds ripen a month after the start of flowering; the darkening of the capsules is a signal of their readiness. They are picked, dried and stored. The germination period of planting material is maintained for three years.

Methods for growing godetia from seeds

Godetia is grown by seed; you can plant it immediately in the chosen place, or you can speed up the flowering period and grow seedlings first.

Landing in the ground

• The seeds of this flower are not afraid of spring frosts, so for earlier flowering they can be planted immediately after the snow melts. From the beginning of April to the end of May is the time for sowing; winter sowing also gives positive results.
• First, prepare the bed so that the soil settles well and the smallest seeds do not die;
• The grooves should be at a distance of 10-12 cm from each other, and their depth should not be more than 5 cm;
• Thinning out crops is a rather tedious task, especially small ones. Therefore, it is better to plant them less frequently, and when they become stronger and reach a height of 7 cm, you can remove the excess bushes, leaving the optimal distance for their development of 20 cm.
• Sowing before winter is best practiced in regions where winter is not so severe. Sowing is carried out in November, in furrows not exceeding 1 cm in depth. Before sowing, seeds must be disinfected and thoroughly dried. Then the plantings are covered with a thin layer of mulch and additionally covered with black plastic film.

Godetia seedlings

Naturally, the seedless growing method is much simpler. There is no need to fuss with seedlings or drag them from place to place. But despite this, the seedling method has one important advantage.

This is due to the fact that this crop has a long growing season: the period from sowing the seeds to the beginning of flowering is almost 90 days. This is quite a lot for an annual. That is why seedling cultivation is preferable.

This flower is not particularly demanding, but is often attacked by pests. To increase its viability, the seeds must be disinfected before sowing. To do this, they are kept in a dark solution of potassium permanganate for at least an hour.

• You need to plant godetia seeds for seedlings from the second ten days of March; it is advisable to plant each seed in an individual container. And due to the fact that this crop does not tolerate transplantation well, it is better to use peat pots or plastic glasses 15 cm deep as dishes, which you will not mind cutting later.
• Thoroughly disinfect planting containers, fill them with a good layer of drainage and add soil. Water well, wait until it is completely absorbed and distribute the seeds over the surface of the soil.
• Sprinkle them on top with a thin (no more than 50 mm) layer of sifted peat and, without pressing, cover the top with polyethylene.
• Place the crops in a warm place. When the first shoots appear, remove the film.
• And they will appear after 10 days. The plant needs to be watered very sparingly so as not to provoke fungal diseases. Lighting must be at least 12 hours a day.
• From the beginning of May, seedlings can begin to be accustomed to daylight and air. Gradually, starting from 1-2 hours, take them outside, bringing the “walks” to full daylight hours. When the weather outside becomes warm, you can leave them overnight.

The grown seedlings are transplanted into open ground in May, when the threat of night frosts will not be terrible. The plant is carefully placed in the prepared hole without disturbing the earth. A little humus is poured into the bottom of the depression.
Next, the hole is lightly covered with soil and moistened well. During the first week, the planting hole should not dry out.

It is advisable to mulch the seedlings with any organic material, for example, grass without seeds works well.

Before the seedlings are planted in the ground, they are watered regularly, without allowing the soil to dry out. During this period, it is fertilized with the full complex twice: after sprouting and 7 days before transplanting to the flowerbed.

Due to the fact that godetia does not like its roots being disturbed, carry out all replanting activities before the roots of the plant fill the entire space of the pot.

Godetia seedlings are stretching: what to do?

Most likely, the plant does not have enough lighting and free space. This problem can be solved by moving the containers with seedlings to a brighter place; if this is not possible, install lamps for additional illumination.

If the planting is thickened, then plant the plants into separate pots, while reducing watering. A week after planting, feed the godetia with half the dose of fertilizer for flowering plants.

Try to give preference to low-growing, compact bushes, the height of which does not exceed 30 cm. Such individuals will also feel good on the windowsill. Compact plants with large, delicate inflorescences look especially luxurious.

Dangers on the way

• The most common danger to godetia is root rot. Its appearance is caused by excessive watering and stagnation of water. Diseased bushes will have to be pulled out and destroyed.
• Small spots on the leaves indicate the presence of peronosporosis, which can be controlled with special fungicides.
• In unweeded areas, the plant is often damaged by leaf-eating pests, so to prevent their appearance, promptly remove weeds and loosen the soil.
• Godetia is often attacked by fleas and aphids. The most effective way to combat them is with intexicides; you can also use folk remedies. For example, preventive treatment with a solution of ash and laundry soap, or a solution of birch tar gives good results.

It is difficult to be indifferent to godetia. Its incredible flowering, bright, as if silk inflorescences will harmoniously fit into any group planting of flowering and decorative foliage plants. Godetia blooms for three days; a pleasant addition is its wonderful aroma, reminiscent of vanilla.

Among other things, this crop is perfect for cutting, especially if you add a little to a vase with water. citric acid. And the variety of shapes and colors will appeal to any gardener, because this graceful lady will be able to enliven any flower bed.

Godetia belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants and the fireweed family. The flower is very close to the Clarkia genus. It is grown in open ground and at home.

Godetia: botanical features of the plant

The stem part is erect, branched, with a height ranging from 20-60 cm. The aerial part forms neat attractive bushes of a spreading or pyramidal shape. The foliage is alternate, lanceolate and entire. The flowers are bell-shaped or cup-shaped, quite large in size, with a diameter ranging from 3-10 cm. Flowers are single or double, four-petaled, collected in racemes.

Flower coloring is white, red, carmine, peach, pink, purple or a combination. Peduncles are short. The fruits are represented by a tetrahedral cylindrical capsule in which small seeds ripen and remain viable for three to four years. Hybrid forms are also popular in culture: azalea-flowered, dwarf and double, bushy and large-flowered.

Types and varieties of godetia

About twenty species are known, growing mainly in the Northern and South America, in California. Forms and varieties may vary in height of the above-ground part, as well as the type and color of the flower. To grow the species in the garden, flower beds and flower beds, ridges and containers are used. Godetia flowers can be open in any weather, and also do not lose their decorative value at all until they wither.

Godetia grandiflora

G.grandiflora lives up to its name. The culture has large bell-shaped or cup-shaped flowers. Petals can be single or double, white, pink, crimson, red or lilac. The aerial part is erect or creeping, 20-40 cm high. The most popular varieties include:

• « White Swan» with a height of the above-ground part up to 30-35 cm, with non-double and white petals;
• “Orange Glory” with a height of the aboveground part up to 40-50 cm, with non-double and bright orange petals;
• Sybil Sherwood with a height of the above-ground part up to 40-50 cm, with pink petals with a white edge;
• "York" with a height of the aerial part up to 35-40 cm with simple dark red petals with a white base;
• "Blitzstral" with a decorative aerial part and deep red flowers;
• "Rembrandt" up to 30-35 cm high, with double pink petals with bright red spots;
• "Meteor" up to 25-30 cm high, with double petals of dark scarlet color.

Photo gallery

This variety is the most resistant and can easily tolerate even relatively severe frosts. The most popular low-growing variety is the variety "Monarch". The flowers are bell-shaped, with a stem part no more than a quarter of a meter high. Delicate petals in an attractive pink color scheme.

G. lovely

Lovely (G.amoena) represented by several garden forms and varieties of an annual ornamental plant with an upright branched stem part no more than 30-60 cm high. Petiolate foliage is arranged alternately. A significant part of the varieties produces double flowers with a diameter of up to 50-80 mm. Flowers of regular shape, collected in racemes. The most popular varieties:

• "Kirshkenigin" with reddish-pink flowers;
• "Rosea" with delicate pink flowers and a purple base;
• “Crystal snowflake” with a high stem part and snow-white simple flowers.

G. terry

This species does not exist in natural conditions. Presented by hybrid varieties with semi-double, terry and thick double flowers in different shades:

• "Orange Glory" with silky flowers;
• "Maiden Blush" with a compact above-ground part;
• "Summer's Kiss" with red and pink flowers;
• “Beauty” is up to 30-45 cm high, with delicate, silky, double flowers of a red hue.

Growing godetia from seeds: when and how to plant a flower correctly

Proper cultivation from seeds is the only way to propagate a decorative, flowering crop. In most regions, it is customary to plant the plant using seedling material.

To grow seedlings, you can purchase a ready-made soil substrate, but you can also use a self-prepared mixture based on loam with a small amount of wood ash. The soil substrate, prepared independently, must be thoroughly disinfected by heating for half an hour in the oven at high temperature conditions. Good result provides disinfection using a solution of potassium permanganate.

To get the earliest possible flowering, seeds are sown at the very beginning of spring. Typically, the average germination time for seeds is a couple of weeks. Domestic amateur flower growers practice both surface sowing of seed material and some deepening of seeds. In order to create the most comfortable conditions for the emergence of seedlings, film covering of crops is used. Irrigation activities are carried out as needed. After the appearance of mass shoots, the film is removed. If the crops are too dense, thinning is performed.

How to plant godetia with seeds (video)

Transplantation into separate seedling containers is carried out after a pair of true leaves have formed on the seedlings. Root system The seedlings are quite fragile and tender, so care must be taken when replanting. It is best to use ordinary small peat pots for growing seedlings. Seedling material must be fed once every ten days with mineral fertilizers.

A couple of weeks before planting flower seedlings in a permanent place, you need to begin hardening measures. Planting in flower beds or flowerpots occurs after the threat of late spring frosts has passed, approximately from the second half of May. The optimal distance between planted plants is a quarter of a meter or a little less.

Sowing to a permanent place in flower beds is carried out around the end of April or in the first ten days of May. Areas with loamy soils are best suited. Should be considered that seedlings tolerate low temperature conditions well, and that is why direct sowing in open ground is allowed. However, to enjoy the abundant and bright bloom for a long time, it is recommended to give preference to the seedling method of cultivation.

When growing outdoors, special attention should be paid to moderate irrigation measures, providing the crop with slight shading, as well as timely inspections and preventive spraying. To prolong flowering and make it more lush, it is necessary to regularly fertilize with complex removals, as well as systematically remove all already faded and wilted flower stalks.

Godetia: planting and care at home

Godetia can be grown quite easily in indoor floriculture, but due to the relatively long stem part, the plants do not always feel comfortable on windowsills. For growing at home, it is best to give preference to low-growing varieties and a compact form of the above-ground part. Such varieties form enough large flowers

up to 60 mm in diameter, growing in an upright position, and the inflorescences consist of petals that are wavy or slightly cut at the edges. You can sow seeds without sprinkling with soil., but in order to minimize the risk of drying out, it is best to sprinkle them with a thin layer of soil. In the first days, it is necessary to provide the crops with a greenhouse effect, and water only with warm and well-settled water, spraying it from a fine spray bottle.

Caring for indoor godetia is not difficult, and consists of performing the following mandatory activities:

• any types and varieties of ornamental crops are very responsive to regular irrigation measures. For irrigation, settled soft water at room temperature is used. It must be remembered that excessive application of water and accumulation of moisture, as well as strong drying of the earthen clod in flower pot the culture is very difficult to tolerate and can cause death;
• when growing tall, upright varieties, tying or support must be used;
• to stimulate long-term and abundant flowering It is very important to feed a couple of times a month indoor flower complex fertilizers with a low content of nitrogen components;
• After watering, it is allowed to shallowly loosen the soil in the flower pot, which improves the air permeability of the soil.

To prevent and treat fungal infections, special chemicals are used in dilutions recommended by the manufacturer.

Features of growing godetia (video)

How to beautifully plant and grow godetia in open ground

Godetia is actively used for growing in all types of flower beds and flower beds. A beautifully flowering crop is planted not in an ordinary way, individually, but in groups, which allows you to get bright and spectacular spots in the decorated flower garden. When planting in a mixed flower bed, tall godetia is placed in the central part of the flower garden, and dwarf varieties and forms look best closer to the edges.

The crop is optimally suited for growing in garden flowerpots, and is used as an unpretentious, but very effective decoration of balconies with hanging baskets. Large-flowered godetia has good bushiness, therefore, when planted in a container, the stem part lies down and hangs beautifully under its own weight. It goes well with small-flowered ageratum, lobelia, gatsaniya and eschscholzia. Low decorative foliage cineraria and Stachys Byzantine can serve as a good frame. They last a very long time in bouquet cuttings.

Rules for collecting and storing seeds

Godetia of any type and variety is propagated exclusively by seed. The seed material ripens a month after flowering. As soon as a pronounced darkening of the seed pod is noted, they must be carefully cut off, dried, and then carefully opened and the seeds shaken out onto a prepared sheet of white paper.

Self-collected seed material can be sown in the southern regions of our country before winter. In areas with insufficiently favorable soil and climatic conditions, it is necessary to store seeds until next spring. The germination rates of godetia seeds are maintained for three to four years.

Godetia: varieties (video)

Thanks to its high decorative properties and unpretentiousness, godetia has become very popular among domestic gardeners. An elegant plant is planted in flower beds, mixborders, borders and used in groups. Low-growing varieties look great on balconies, in outdoor flowerpots and potted plants, while tall, upright forms are ideal for bouquet cutting.

Bright, lush and easy-to-care flowers are the dream of every lover of beautiful flower beds. Such flowers are rare, but they exist. One of them - godetia. This is an annual herbaceous plant fireweed family ( Onagraceae). Homeland - Southern California, which gave us another unpretentious annual -. About 20 species of godetia are known, including middle lane most often grown godetia grandiflora ( Godetia grandiflora) .

Description of godetia grandiflora

Large (5-15 cm) godetia flowers with delicate petals twisted into a funnel are collected in soft brushes at the ends of leafy shoots. Godetia blooms approximately 2 months after emergence (when grown by seedlings - in June, when sown in open ground - in July). Flowering lasts about two months, until frost.

The leaves are narrow and elongated - godetia looks impressive even when it is not blooming.

Godetia in garden design

It fits well into landscape flower beds, meadow parterres, can be grown in containers and is suitable for creating flower bed compositions, giving them a soft, romantic look. Godetia flowers do not fade, fade neatly, but turn sour during long rains.

Godetia varieties

The coloring of new godetia varieties has become very diverse, which makes it possible to avoid sharp color contrasts and create compositions to suit every taste. From mixtures of seeds (companies “Aelita”, “Sortsemovosch”, “Gavrish”, Suttons) you can grow godetia of orange, white, red, crimson, lilac and pink colors.

The most beautiful varieties of godetia are double and semi-double, with wavy petals: Azalea-flowered Mixed, Rembrandt, Sybil Sherwood, Lyudmila, Katerina, Malika, Terry Cattleya.

Varieties can be selected according to height: there are dwarf, medium-sized and tall, which need to be tied to a support and grown in the middle of the flower bed or in the background: Tall Double Mixed, Grace Mixed.

Low varieties (up to 35 cm) will look great in the foreground; with their help you can create dense compositions: Kelvedon Glory, Leuchtfunk, White Giant, Salmon Princess, Dwarf Satin .

Planting and caring for godetia

To plant godetia, choose sunny places, preferably with neutral or slightly acidic loamy soils. Godetia does not tolerate heavy clay soils, shade and dampness.

It requires virtually no maintenance - only watering in dry weather is important, so if you are rarely in the garden, mulch the plantings.

Godetia should not be overfed - lush foliage will be formed to the detriment of flowering. But the plant is responsive to complex fertilizing once a month; in good weather it can bloom until September. It is better to remove faded flowers - then flowering will last longer.

Sowing godetia in open ground

At the end of April - beginning of May, even children can be trusted to sow godetia in open ground: it is almost impossible to do anything wrong with this plant. The seeds are mixed with sand and sown in rows or nests (several seeds are placed in each nest), sprinkled with a 0.5 cm layer of soil. The crops are moistened with a spray bottle and covered with non-woven material (a density of 20 g/sq.m is sufficient) to protect against drying out and pecking by birds and cruciferous flea beetle attacks. Shoots will appear in two weeks. They can tolerate a short-term drop in temperature down to -2 °C, but if severe cooling is predicted, it is better to replace the shelter with a material of higher density (60 g/sq. m).

As soon as the seedlings grow to 7-10 cm, the shelter is removed. Young godetia plants are thinned out, leaving about 20 cm between the remaining ones. Dug out from good lump specimens can be planted.

Pre-winter sowing of godetia

Godetia can be sown at the end of October - beginning of November, when it freezes upper layer soil. Take your time: if you sow earlier, the seeds may hatch during a thaw and then die. Crops need to be mulched with dry peat for the winter. In the spring, the mulch is raked, the bed is watered and covered with non-woven material. In May, the seedlings are thinned out or transplanted to permanent locations.

Growing godetia seedlings

In order for godetia to bloom in the garden as early as June, you can grow godetia seedlings in advance and transplant them into the garden when the threat of frost has passed. In any case, it is better to grow expensive seeds of interesting varieties in order to save money using seedlings. Sowing begins at the end of March - beginning of April (45 days before the expected planting of seedlings in the garden).

Godetia seeds are very small (about 3000 in 1 g), so you won’t be able to sow them in individual pots right away - you’ll have to sow them in a bowl and then plant them. Prepare in advance a mixture of turf soil, high peat and sand or perlite (1:1:1), you can use ready-made flower soil. The main thing is that the mixture for sowing must be moisture-absorbing, loose and free-flowing, because it will be impossible to select the tender roots of seedlings from clay soil without damaging them. Seedlings must be kept at a low temperature: no higher than +16 °C

Master class: growing godetia seedlings and planting in the ground

Sowing godetia

1. Containers are filled with soil, which must be compacted and evenly moistened. For uniform sowing, it is advisable to mix the seeds with fine sand and then scatter them evenly over the surface of the soil without covering them.

2. To protect the seeds from drying out, sprinkle the surface of the soil with a small (about 0.5 cm) layer of dry high-moor peat or vermiculite.

3. Water the crops evenly so that the soil is slightly compacted and settled. As the top layer of soil dries, it is enough to lightly moisten it with a spray bottle to avoid stagnation of moisture and disease of the seedlings with “black leg”.

4. Covered with film or a transparent lid, keep the crops in a bright, warm place ( optimal temperature+18...+20 °C) before emergence.

Godetia pick

1. Approximately two weeks after sowing, shoots should appear - the cap can be removed. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings are planted in separate pots and planted. First, using a spatula, carefully place them with a lump of earth on a saucer, several at a time.

2. Some seedlings “hug tightly” - intertwined with roots and leaves. They need to be carefully separated using a spatula.

3. Crucial point: use small scissors to trim the roots by 2-3 cm to stimulate the formation of lateral roots.

4. Now you need to plant the seedlings one by one in 9x9 cm containers. You can use a soil mixture of the same composition as for sowing.

Planting godetia seedlings in the ground

1. For good development, seedlings are kept at a temperature of +15...+18 °C, the room is ventilated, and on warm days at +10 °C they are taken out to the balcony, protected from direct sunlight. Around the end of May - beginning of June, the seedlings will grow up to 7 cm, the roots will entwine the earthen ball well.

2. When the threat of frost has passed, the seedlings can be planted in open ground. Apply complex granular fertilizer to the soil in advance. To ensure that the lump lags well behind the walls, watering is stopped a day before planting.

3. When planting in open ground, you should try to preserve the earthen ball and not damage or tear off small roots. To ensure that the lump lags well behind the walls, watering is stopped a day before planting. Make planting holes according to the size of the root ball; do not deepen the plants when planting.

4. After planting, the plants need to be watered and mulched abundantly, and shading should be installed for the first time to protect them from direct sunlight. In the first two weeks, the plants need regular watering.

Growing godetia in a flowerpot

Low varieties of godetia can be grown in a hanging basket or in a flowerpot - the plant tolerates growing well in a limited amount of soil. Picking can be carried out directly into the selected decorative container.

1. Drainage is poured onto the bottom of the container, and fertile planting soil is placed on top. When planting, it is advisable to apply granular fertilizer for container plants or fertilizer sticks. The next comprehensive feeding can be done a month and a half after planting in the garden.

2. Plants are planted in a container, evenly filling the space from the center to the edges and leaving about 15 cm between them and retreating from the edge of the flowerpot by about 5 cm. The soil around the plants must be pressed tightly so as not to leave voids.

3. After planting, godetia must be watered abundantly and topped up with soil if the soil settles too much. Be sure to mulch the plants in the flowerpot to protect them from the wind and shade them at first.

Godetia is a flower of passion - like a boiling volcano, it is reborn every year from a small seed to once again delight the human eye. Godetia is a relative of Clarkia, but this different plants, although both belong to the fireweed family. A favorite of many flower growers, godetia attracts with its bright outfit, amazes and surprises, forever remaining in the memory. She is graceful like a true lady and gardeners liked her not only for her bright color large flowers, but also for a long flowering period.

The ancestors of modern godetia grow on the plains of North and South America; they do not look very presentable, standing out only for the petals of flowers that look like satin silk. The first European to study and classify godetia was the Swiss botanist Godet, whose name immortalized this beautiful flower.

This delicate plant is used for flower beds, mixborders, ridges, balcony boxes, and outdoor vases. Godetia feels great both in flower beds and flower beds, and in room conditions. Miniature varieties of godetia look incredibly attractive in flower boxes on verandas and as a living border framing a flower garden or path.

Godetia is an annual cold-resistant plant of the Fireweed family with a straight, branched, heavily pubescent stem and linear-lanceolate leaves. Godetia bushes can be spreading or narrow pyramidal. They are abundantly covered with flowers that look similar to azalea flowers in white-pinkish-red shades, which can be double or simple. Godetia flowers are spectacular large bell-shaped buds collected in a racemose inflorescence with a diameter of 4 to 10 cm.

Growing conditions and care for godetia in open ground

• Godetia is not very capricious: it grows well on ordinary loamy soil in a windproof and well-lit place, and is tolerant of light partial shade.
• It is unpretentious in care, blazing with colors until the frosts.
• Tall varieties require garters to strong supports.
• If the summer is rainy, the plant weakens.

Don't get carried away with feeding: This may cause increased development of green mass to the detriment of flowering. Water in doses and periodically, do not over-moisten the soil. Stagnation of water is also unacceptable; for this purpose, good drainage is organized.

To encourage abundant flowering, be sure to tear off the faded buds, not allowing ovaries to form, so as not to weaken the plant. You can leave a few buds specifically for seed production.

The seeds ripen a month after the start of flowering - they are collected after the capsules have darkened and dried. And after drying, open it and pour it into a bag for storage. Germination lasts for about three years.

Growing godetia from seeds

Godetia is grown from seeds, which are sown directly in the garden bed or seedlings are prepared. to obtain earlier flowering.

If we sow in the ground

Godetia growing from seeds when to plant Photos of seedlings Godetia seedlings

Godetia seeds are not vulnerable to spring frosts, so you can sow them as soon as possible: the plants will sprout earlier and delight you with flowers in a shorter time. early dates. Sowing is carried out already at the beginning of April and until the very end of May. They also practice sowing before winter, in October.

• The bed is prepared in advance: the seeds are very small, it will be better if the soil settles.
• We fill the furrows every 10-12 cm, the depth is no more than 5-6 cm.
• We sow less often, so as not to suffer and break through later. When the seedlings grow up, they are planted in a permanent place.

In the flowerbed, godetia is planted every 20-30 cm to provide enough space for the development of beautiful bushes.

If it is not possible to plant seedlings, then the seeds are sown immediately at the place of growth in early April. It can be planted even before winter: with this method, it turns out to be even more hardened, blooming earlier. When the plants reach a height of 7 cm, they are thinned out, leaving an interval of 20 cm between the bushes.

Planting seeds for seedlings at home

You can sow as early as the twentieth of March in order to get beautiful seedling bushes by May.

• Seeds are sown in March in individual containers - after 10 days the first shoots appear.
• Godetia seedlings react painfully to transplantation. Therefore, to sow seeds in seedlings, it is advisable to purchase peat pots or tablets, placing 2-3 grains in each.
• Moderate watering is needed to prevent fungal diseases from developing.
• A lot of light is needed, at least 12 hours a day.
• At the beginning of May, we begin to accustom the plants to sunlight and the wind, taking it outside. Starting from an hour or two, we increase the “baths” to a full day. And if the weather is warm, you can leave it overnight.

Plant ready seedlings in the ground in May, making sure that there will be no night frosts. You need to carefully pull out the plants with a lump of earth so as not to disturb its integrity, and place it vertically in a previously prepared hole. It’s good to put a couple of humus at the bottom of the hole. The hole is sprinkled with earth and watered until completely moistened. Make sure that the soil does not dry out during the first week. It is good if the tree trunk space is mulched with grass or any other organic matter.

The video will tell you about growing godetia seedlings at home:

Before planting in flower beds, seedlings are periodically watered, preventing the soil from drying out. Feed 2 times: 1st time - after emergence and 2nd time a week before planting with complete fertilizer. It should be noted that godetia does not tolerate transplantation well, and it is better to carry out all operations with seedlings without waiting for the plants to fill the entire earthen ball of the container.

If Godetia seedlings have stretched out

This means that it does not have enough lighting and is very densely sown. Exit: dive into separate containers, find more seedlings sunny place or carry out additional illumination with lamps. And reduce watering to a minimum. 5-6 days after picking, you can feed with complex fertilizer for flowers, diluted to half the recommended concentration.

Godetia tolerates frost and has increased resistance to low temperatures. Growing at home

Compact, low-growing plants with a height of no more than 30 cm are most suitable for this. Even novice gardeners can care for godetia indoors. And she will be responsible for caring lush flowering magnificent bright buds. Large-flowered varieties look especially impressive, which, hanging from the pot under their own weight, create a blooming cloud hovering over the windowsill.

Diseases and pests

Godetia is very often affected by root rot caused by excess moisture. Such plants should be removed from the flower garden. And in the fight against downy mildew - when small spots appear on the leaves - appropriate fungicides will help to cope.

On weedy soils, it is severely damaged by leaf-eating insects, so it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the area, preventing the spread of weeds, weeding and loosening the soil around in a timely manner.

Pests that can affect godetia include flea beetles and aphids. They are destroyed using insecticides. Or carry out preventive treatment with a solution of laundry soap and ash. For these purposes, a solution of birch tar is also used, the smell of which repels insects.

It is impossible not to fall in love with godetia, once you see its friendly blooms and unusual silky funnels of bright colors. Godetia is great for group plantings in the foreground, combining well with many others.

Godetia flowers do not fade within three days, spreading a light vanilla aroma throughout the area. They stand well as cut flowers, and if you add a little citric acid to the vase, this will significantly prolong their life and enhance their delicate aroma. The variety of shapes and colors of godetia will help you create a cozy summer cottage and will satisfy the desires of the most sophisticated gardener and revive even the most inconspicuous flowerbed.

Types and varieties of godetia with photos and descriptions

Two species and many varieties are common in culture, each of which has its own leaf shape, special color of the petals, its variegation and the height of the stem itself.

Godetia amoena

An elegant, slender plant up to 60 cm tall with simple and double bell-shaped or cupped flowers consisting of satin petals. Blooms from July to September.

• Kirshkenigin - pink-red flowers.
• Crystal snowflake - transparent white buds on shoots up to 70 cm high.

Godetia grandiflora or azalea-shaped

Godetia grandiflora or red azalea photo growing from seeds

Strongly branching plant. Blooms until frost. Azalea-shaped flowers are especially prized. Suitable for decorating a garden plot, but also for flower arrangements on terraces, loggias, and window sills.

• Rembrandt - double wavy petals pink shade with a carmine spot in the center.
• Weisser Schwan - satiny snow-white flowers on a low-growing spreading bush.
• Sybil Sherwood - semi-double salmon-pink buds on a peduncle 40 cm long.
• Monarch is the most popular sotra, up to 42 cm long with silky flowers, painted in a variety of tones with iridescence.
• Blitzstral - the bright red color of this variety immediately catches the eye.
• Orange Room - with flowers of red-orange tones on a semi-spreading bush about 45 cm high.

Currently, godetia varieties for growing on the site are presented in a wide variety. Almost all of them are distinguished by their unpretentiousness to growing conditions and at the same time excellent aesthetic qualities. They practically do not require any special care. Based on this, you can safely choose any one and breed it with your own hands, collecting seeds every year in the future.