In order to decorate their garden, people plant a variety of plants. These may be flowers typical of any flower bed, arranged in an unusual way, or they may be rare plants. For example, the balsam variety Tom Samb is considered a rather unusual flower. It has pompous and incredibly beautiful flowers that will decorate any garden.
Botanical description
This is an annual herbaceous plant native to China.The length of the stem can range from twenty to seventy centimeters, although white balsam can exceed this figure. Popularly, this flower is aptly named “impatiens impatiens” because it reacts extremely negatively to touch, especially to the petals.
Origin
The plant's homeland is considered to be China, India and Central Asia. Moreover, from the moment it arrived from those places, the plant perfectly adapted to new living conditions, namely to temperate latitudes.
Appearance and features
Plants are perfectly adapted for growing in shady places. They have dense, heart-shaped leaves arranged opposite each other. The height varies from variety to variety, but, on average, is in the range of 20-70 centimeters. The petals open very wide when they bloom.
The plant is very sensitive to touch, so if touched carelessly it may lose several petals or leaves that do not adhere very tightly to the stem.
Impatiens do not grow very well at home unless they are located on a loggia or in a separate pot close to the window.
Varieties
Over the entire long history of selection, balsam has been divided into about five hundred species, which differ in color, size and even shape. For example, a dwarf Tom Samb is very different from a garden one. Below are some of the most popular varieties.
Scarlett
The Scarlett variety has an average stem growth of forty centimeters. Like all balsams, it is shade-tolerant. It has bright red, double petals. Suitable for growing both in the garden and on loggias. Can also be grown in greenhouses.
Salmon
An even more miniature variety, reaching a height of 25 centimeters. Due to this, it can be grown both in a flower bed and on a windowsill.The petals are pink, reminiscent of salmon meat in color, which explains its name - Salmon.
White
The smallest of those presented on this list is from ten to twenty centimeters in height. The flowers are white. If planted in March, the white Tom Samb will begin to bloom within four months, and will delight with its flowers until the end of September.
Planting Tips
Like any other flower, Tom Samba has its own characteristics associated with planting, so it would be a good idea to listen to the advice of experienced gardeners.
Preparing the soil
If the land itself is poor, then it is worth fertilizing it with a small amount of peat and humus. Holes for plants should be dug at a distance of about thirty centimeters from each other. This will give the flowers enough room to bloom without fighting each other for space and nutrients.
You can start planting as soon as the frosts end.
Choosing a place
For these impatiens, places that are reliably protected from the wind are well suited. It is also worth considering that they grow well in sunny or slightly shaded places. Ideally, you should choose a place that will be in the shade from noon to three o'clock.
Growing and care
In order for Tom Samb to show itself in all its glory, you should not only carefully choose a place for planting, but also keep an eye on it throughout its growth and flowering. Tips on caring for these flowers will be extremely useful.
Watering
The best option is to water deeply after sunset. Impatiens love moist soil, but without stagnant water. If there is a lack of moisture, the plant may drop all its leaves and flowers in order to survive. Naturally, when it rains, watering is not needed.
Lighting
With colors like these, light is a double-edged sword. Without a periodically falling shadow, the flower may dry out. To correct the situation, you can plant a shrub nearby. If the lighting is too weak, then Tom Samb is unlikely to bloom, but will stretch upward very strongly, trying to get to the light source.
Top dressing
Once every two weeks, fertilize with a small amount of nitrogen, as well as moderate amounts of potassium and phosphorus. The main thing with nitrogen is not to overdo it, otherwise the stem and leaves will acquire a rich, green color, but flowering will not occur.
Pests and diseases
Like any other plant, Tom Samb does not escape the fact that there are pests that are eager to feast on it, as well as diseases that can harm the flower.
Gray rot
This disease occurs due to excessive watering and stagnation of water in the soil. As a result, the roots of the plant begin to rot. The salvation will be replanting into new soil, as well as removing damaged roots. The hole in place of the plant should be treated with a fungicide, since gray rot is mold.
Spider mite
This small insect feeds on the sap of the plant, and the easiest way to detect it is to notice yellow spots on the leaves that gradually spread and enlarge, as well as what appears to be a web-like structure entwining the leaves. If this happens, then in the early stages you can wash the leaves with a soapy solution - spider mites cannot tolerate this. If this does not help, then the affected parts of the flower should be removed.
The reasons for such an infection are too dry air. Accordingly, as a preventative measure, you can simply spray the flowers with a spray bottle.
Whitefly
Whitefly is another pest that is not averse to eating flower juice. It is detected, again, by yellow spots on the leaves and the appearance of a sticky substance on the surface of the leaves. And the insects themselves with white wings are easily detected. To save the flower, it is treated with potassium soap.
Thrips
These are small beetles that target young leaves. In this case, the leaves become deformed and may curl. Affected parts should be removed without delay. The plant itself is then treated with an insecticide, and the top layer of soil is removed, because thrips could have left their eggs there.
Multi-clawed mites
Because of these pests, the leaves become deformed, almost stop growing and harden. The control method is to remove the affected leaves and use insecticides. As a preventive measure, it is worth avoiding too high temperatures and humidity if the plant is grown at home. Otherwise, it will help to destroy overgrown weeds, remove last year's foliage from the ground and plant varieties of plants that do not like multi-clawed mites.
Reproduction
There are two main ways to propagate Tom Samba. Everyone has their own characteristics.
Cuttings
To do this, cut off the top eight centimeters of the flower and replant them in soil or water. In about a week, the cutting will take root. Cuttings are a very popular method due to its simplicity.
Seeds
The seeds are planted in the ground to a depth of half a centimeter, maintaining a distance of four centimeters between the seeds. Watering, at first, is carried out only with a spray bottle. After the roots have formed, the flowers can be planted in separate pots.These seedlings can later be planted in open ground, the main thing is to first take the pots outside for the day and take them away at night so that the flowers get used to the new temperature. The procedure should be carried out over a couple of weeks.
Reviews
Anna, Rostov:
“At first it was difficult - I had never grown such delicate flowers, but I managed. They are indeed very sensitive to touch. In the fall, I picked up the seed pod, and it immediately scattered seeds around.”
Valentina, Kyiv:
“The flower is very demanding on location, but it’s worth it. Very beautiful flowers, they look rich. And in combination with lush foliage, they look like small bouquets.”
