Description of types of indoor primrose, cultivation and care at home

Primrose is a primrose and blooms almost immediately after the snow melts in early spring. But there is also indoor primrose. If favorable growing conditions are created, the plant will delight you with colorful flowers for a very long time.

Main types and varieties of indoor primroses

There are several varieties of primrose suitable for growing at home. All varieties differ in some characteristics.

Primrose soft

Primula soft-leaved is a low annual plant. The height of the bush is approximately 50-55 cm. The leaves are oval-shaped, dense, of a rich green hue. The edges of the leaves are serrated. Peduncles are located higher than the leaves.

The inflorescences are collected from a large number of small flowers and look like a ball. The shade of the petals can be different: pink, purple, white or red. The inflorescences are fragrant and bloom in mid-winter. Flowering is long-lasting, ranging from 3 to 6 months.

Primrose obconical (obconic)

This variety is especially popular among gardeners who grow flowers at home. The foliage is elongated, emerald green. Peduncles are not much higher in length than the leaves.

The inflorescences are umbellate, collected from small flowers. The shade of the petals can be varied: red, white, lilac, violet, pink. The diameter of the inflorescence is from 7 to 13 cm. The flowering period is short, lasting up to 2 months. But if you properly care for the flower, it can be extended.

Primula stemless

Another type of indoor primrose is stemless. The variety is classified as miniature. The foliage is a rich green hue, the shape of the leaves is elongated, lanceolate. Unlike other varieties, the inflorescences grow singly on peduncles, and not collected in one large umbrella. The peduncles are tall, up to 10 cm high. The inflorescences come in different shades. The flowering period begins in April and lasts up to 4 months.

Tips for caring for primrose at home

Growing flowers at home is not the most difficult task.But you shouldn’t ignore plant care either. With properly organized care, the plant will bloom for more than one month.

Location of primrose in the apartment

When growing primrose in flower pots, you need to provide favorable conditions for growth. It is recommended to place pots with plants on sunny windows. The culture prefers soft, diffused light. But it is not advisable to place pots on southern windows, especially in summer. The sun's rays in summer are very aggressive and can destroy the plant. Another condition is the absence of drafts on the windows where indoor primrose grows.

Temperature and light

The plant does not like it when the room is too hot. The optimal temperature is from +12 to + 15 degrees. If the house has an uninsulated loggia, then when it gets warm, you should take the pots there.

The culture belongs to light-loving plants. It is best if the primrose is in the sun for at least 12 hours a day. In winter, when there is almost no sun, the flower does not need additional lighting. During this period it is in a dormant stage.

Watering and humidity

Like all primroses, indoor primrose loves water and moist soil. Watering should be plentiful. Irrigate the soil as it dries. When irrigating, the main thing is not to flood the soil. The flower does not like stagnant water. Flowers should be watered in the evening, and it is important to ensure that water does not get on the foliage. For irrigation, use water at room temperature or slightly warmed up. The main thing is that it is warm.

Fertilizers and fertilizers

Most of all, the plant needs iron, so as soon as the flower produces its first peduncles, iron-containing fertilizers are applied to the soil. Then the primrose is fed throughout the flowering period.You can also use fertilizers for indoor flowers. The main thing is not to overfeed the flower.

Transfer

The flower should not be kept in one pot for a long time. As it grows, the plants are transplanted into larger pots. Replanting is best done after the plant has flowered.

Earth mixture

It is recommended to grow primrose in fertile, loose soil. Soil mixture for the plant:

• peat soil;
• leaf soil;
• sand.

Everything is taken in equal parts. Mix everything thoroughly to obtain a homogeneous mixture. And to grow reverse-conical primrose, turf soil is also added to the soil mixture.

Before planting the flower, add a layer of drainage (1-3cm) to the bottom of the pot, and only then add the soil mixture and begin planting.

Protection from diseases and pests

Among the pests you can most often find:

• spider mite;
• thrips;
• aphids

Insects appear on the flower due to too high air temperature in the house and humidity. A solution of laundry soap will help get rid of insects.

Spraying with Karbofos and Decis will also be effective.

When growing primrose, you may encounter the following diseases of flower crops:

• yellow spots;
• chlorosis;
• gray rot.

The appearance of yellow spots on the foliage is associated with a deficiency (or excess) of nutrients in the soil. Organizing the application of fertilizers to the soil and proper watering will help get rid of yellow spots. You need to water the flowers with warm water and fertilize them regularly. Or stop feeding the plant for a while if the yellowing is due to an excess of minerals in the soil.

Chlorosis occurs due to increased acidity in the soil. Primrose does not like acidic soil.You can get rid of it after the acidity level is low or neutral. In addition, watering with iron sulfate is useful. You can get rid of gray rot, as well as other fungal diseases, if you treat the bushes with fungicides. During treatment, you need to ensure that most of the fungicides fall on the foliage.

How to propagate

There are three ways to propagate primrose. This is dividing the bush, seed method and cuttings.

Dividing the bush

The division of the bush is carried out after the flower has faded. Primrose is placed in the shade so that it begins to grow. The main thing is not to forget about watering. After a few weeks, the plant is removed from the pot. Carefully, so as not to damage the roots, divide the bush. During division, you need to pay attention to ensure that each part has a dormant bud from which a flower will subsequently grow. If the roots are too long, they are cut off and dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are transplanted into new pots.

Seeds

The seed method of propagating primrose is very simple.

Seed sowing process:

• the material is pickled before planting in a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• drainage is poured into the bottom of the container, and then soil;
• planting material is scattered over the surface of the earth;
• There is no need to cover it with soil on top.

The sown seeds are watered generously with warm water. Then the containers with the seeds are covered with cling film so that the planting material germinates faster. The film is removed regularly so that the soil can “breathe” and not become moldy. The soil is also watered with warm water. When the shoots appear, they need to be allowed to grow a little, and only then transplanted into separate pots.

By cuttings

The propagation method by cuttings is suitable if the bush is too young.To do this, cut off a healthy leaf and place it in water. After a few weeks, the cutting will take root. When the roots grow, it is planted in the ground.

Primrose forcing

Forcing primrose will speed up the start of the plant's flowering period. The process is carried out with the expectation that it should bloom in the house by the beginning of spring.

Flower forcing process:

• To do this, two-year-old bushes are divided into several parts and planted in spacious pots.
• A prerequisite for forcing is to keep the containers with plants in a cool place. The temperature in the room with pots should be from +5 to +8 degrees.
• At the end of winter, containers with flowers are brought into the warmth. The temperature in the room should be from +14 to +18 degrees.
• It is important not to forget to water the bushes.

Active growth of the flower begins after a few days. By April, the primrose will bloom in lush color. To extend the flowering period, you need to remove the pots with crops in a cool room. Early spring rarely features hot weather, and keeping the plant in a warm room causes the flower to quickly fade, since such conditions are unnatural for it.