Planting and caring for kobeya in open ground, growing from seeds and how to preserve

The annual tropical shrub-liana is used in the garden plots and summer cottages of Russian gardeners for landscaping gazebos and creating hedges. Kobeya grows quickly, covering vertical structures with greenery. Flowers in the shape of large double bells enchant with their sophistication and beauty. Every gardener should know how to plant kobei in open ground correctly and what elements of care to pay attention to.

Description and features

A tropical flower, given the right growing conditions, thrives in our climate.

Description and characteristics of the plant:

• Fast growth rate.
• Powerful branched root system.
• The presence of tendrils on the stems.
• Large bell-shaped flowers with long stamens and pistils.
• The fruit is a capsule with rounded seeds.

It grows naturally in the tropical forests of South America and Mexico. Cultivated since the end of the 18th century. The popular name is Mexican ivy.

Growing

The main difficulty in growing is the relatively poor germination of seeds. The seed coat is very thick and dense, making it difficult for the sprout to hatch through the crust. Pre-sowing seed preparation is required.

Seed preparation

The purpose of pre-sowing preparation is to get rid of the thick seed shell and dissolve the crust to a mucus-like state. Stages of material preparation:

• The seeds are placed on the bottom of the container and filled with warm water.
• After 2 hours they will be covered with mucus, which must be cleaned off.
• Then the seeds are soaked again.
• Repeat the procedure several times until the seed is completely cleared.

Note: Seed germination is on average about 40%. Shoots appear after a long time, after about 3 weeks.

Deadlines

Seeds are sown for seedlings in early spring or late February.The growth period of the material is long; it is not recommended to delay the planting season.

Soil preparation

The soil for kobeya should be nutritious and loose, adding sand is acceptable. Before sowing seeds, the soil must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or scalded with boiling water to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases.

How to plant seedlings

When grown as seedlings, kobeya is planted immediately in individual cups. The flat side of the seed is placed down on the ground, then the future sprout is sprinkled with earth to a depth of no more than 1 centimeter.

Picking

At the age of three true leaves, kobei seedlings dive. The sprouts are carefully removed from the cups and transplanted into 3-liter pots. The roots of the tropical vine are powerful and should be well formed. Moving plants into larger containers helps produce stronger stems.

Support

After picking, additional devices are installed in each pot in the form of a ladder, which will serve as a support for the future vine.

Hardening

For better acclimatization and survival of plants in open ground, they are hardened off after planting. Around the third decade of April, seedlings can be placed on a balcony or glassed-in veranda. Under favorable weather conditions, seedling containers can be left outdoors until planting.

Planting in open ground

Kobeya is a heat-loving tropical plant; there is no need to rush to plant the vine in unprotected soil, but at the same time, excessive stretching of the seedlings should not be allowed.

When to plant

As soon as the threat of spring frosts passes and the soil temperature reaches a stable mark of +10 ⁰The plant is planted in a permanent place in open ground. As a rule, this is the end of May - beginning of June.

Selecting a location

The main requirement of kobei for the place of growth is the absence of drafts and strong winds in the area. The soil must be nutritious, drought is unacceptable. The illumination of the area is above average, although Mexican ivy is also grown in places with partial shade.

Planting scheme

Kobeya is planted in planting holes that are prepared in advance. The depth of such depressions is 30-40 centimeters; a mixture of humus and sand is placed on the bottom. The distance between the holes is maintained at about 1 meter. The holes are watered and a bush is planted.

It is necessary to install a support for the young vine on the day of planting. To grow a powerful stem and create dense thickets, the plant needs its presence.

Care

Kobeya is demanding on growing conditions. To achieve complete coverage of the fence with foliage and flowering of a tropical vine, systematic care is required.

Watering

Mexican ivy does not tolerate drought well. The soil should not be allowed to dry out. Regular watering is required. Irrigation is carried out with warm water at the root of the plant. But you shouldn’t get carried away with watering; excess moisture leads to the occurrence of various types of fungal diseases.

Top dressing

The main necessary fertilizers for kobei are fertilizers containing nitrogen. As soon as the plant has gained a sufficient amount of foliage and has grown in length, it is necessary to apply potassium and phosphorus fertilizers during the period of bud set.

Note: From folk recipes, it is recommended to water vines with infusion of bird droppings or mullein 2-3 times per season. The addition of humate and other organic fertilizers is encouraged.

Loosening and weeding

Removing weeds and regular loosening are mandatory procedures, after which the bushes can be sprinkled with a mixture of humus, wood ash and sand.

Diseases and pests

The main enemies of tropical vines are aphid colonies and spider mites. In case of severe infection, plants are treated with insecticides: Iskra, Aktara, Fitoverm. For prevention, mustard powder and wood ash are used, or Bordeaux mixture can be used.

Formation of lashes

The bush begins to form immediately after transplantation into open ground. The plant is tied to supports in the form of ladders, nets or pegs. The growth rate of the vine is fast; the bush must be tied regularly throughout the season. To form beautiful lashes, the plant is pinched and excess shoots are removed.

Reproduction

Breeding kobei involves two methods: seed or seedlings, as well as cuttings. Lianas cannot be propagated by dividing the bush.

Seeds

The main method of propagation of Mexican ivy. The seeds undergo pre-sowing treatment, the hard shell is removed or softened to improve the quality of seedlings. Such plants bloom longer and get sick less.

Cuttings

Cuttings for cuttings are obtained from adult plants that have overwintered in warm conditions in protected soil. Cuttings begin in early spring. A branch is formed no more than 20 centimeters long, placed in water until roots appear, then the plant is planted in an individual pot, in which it develops for 3-4 weeks. Next, the vine is transplanted to a permanent place.

After flowering

The flowering period of the tropical vine continues until late autumn. Next, the kobei bushes are removed, since in Russia Mexican ivy is grown as an annual plant.

Collection and storage of seeds

Self-produced seeds, collected on time and stored at the correct temperature, humidity and lighting, have extremely low germination.It is recommended to purchase kobe seeds in a specialized store.

Preparing for winter

In late autumn, the bush is dug up and removed. In the Russian climate, the plant lives only one season. Advanced gardeners, in order to preserve the vine, root some of the shoots of adult plants for the winter and grow them at home until the spring of next year.

Popular varieties

The varietal diversity of kobei is not too extensive. As a rule, gardeners grow one or two favorite varieties of climbing tropical vines. When choosing a variety, it is necessary to take into account the natural and climatic conditions of the region where it is planned to grow the vine.

Purple

A proven variety for landscaping vertical surfaces. Reaches a length of 4-5 meters. The advantage of this variety is its large bell-shaped flowers of rich bright purple color.

White

An ideal variety for creating hedges, landscaping gazebos and balconies. Spectacular white flowers create a delicate look for relaxing areas. The liana reaches a height of 4 meters.

The Tsar Bell

It is distinguished by the shape of white bells with a small collar. The diameter of the flowers is 8 centimeters. Blooms until the first frost. The length of the lashes is 3 meters.

Amazon

Spectacular purple bells cover the entire vine during the flowering period. Forms many shoots. The length of the vine is 4 meters. Suitable for creating hedges.

Rules for landing on the balcony

There are two methods used for landscaping balconies:

• The vines are lowered from the pots according to the “top-down” principle.
• The supports are pulled “bottom-up” from the ground to the balcony railings.

In this case, it is necessary to select varieties depending on the purposes of cultivation and landscaping.Regular watering of plants is important, it is advisable to use deep containers.

Use in landscape design

Kobeya is an indispensable plant used in landscape design for landscaping vertical surfaces. The long flowering period and the original shape of the flowers are the beneficial advantages of the tropical vine.

Hedges

To create hedges, kobei lashes are formed on nets or ladder supports. A tropical liana can completely cover a fence with dense foliage and decorate the fence with spectacular flowers.

Arches

You can decorate the entrance to a garden or recreation area by creating flowering arches from kobes. Ready-made arch supports can be purchased in specialized stores. It is enough to plant 2 Mexican ivy bushes on the left and right sides of the arch. Next, the flower will cling to the supports with tendrils and will soon cover the arch completely with dense foliage.

Balconies

You can grow kobeya on balconies by planting bushes in deep boxes and lowering the branches down. In this case, supports are not used. Regular watering is important. The plant reacts extremely negatively to dry soil and drought.

Gazebos

Landscaping gazebos with thickets of kobes is a favorite technique of landscape designers. The plant completely covers vertical surfaces, blooms profusely and for a long time. The tropical liana, although demanding of light, can grow in partial shade.

You can decorate a gazebo on your garden plot with a living curtain of beautiful flowers using kobei. Tropical liana will look great when landscaping balconies and terraces. The appearance of the plant is unforgettable; the grown liana will perfectly complement the recreation area and create a pleasant shade in your favorite gazebo.