ANNUALS > CALIBRACHOA
IN THIS GUIDE
CALIBRACHOA GUIDES
Calibrachoa is a popular half - sturdy bedding works for a summer container garden .
Its pretty bell - shaped blossom look like mini petunias and occur in a wide compass of color .
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureSheltered
Height0.1 – 0.5 megabyte
Spread0.1 – 0.5 M
Bloom TimeSummer
PreferredMost fertile soils
MoistureMoist but well - drained
pHAny
Calibrachoas , you might be surprised to con , are actually in the same plant family as white potato , Lycopersicon esculentum and peppers ( Solanaceae).1Calibrachoa x hybrida . ( n.d . ) . North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox . retrieve March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/calibrachoa-x-hybrida/
They are , in their aboriginal South American range , short - lived perennial or subshrub , but they are treated as annuals in the UK and other temperate clime gardens.2Calibrachoa . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:38309-1
The Million Bells serial publication is a solicitation of hybrid calibrachoa commonly cultivated as garden plants .
Most frequently , they are used as summertime beddingplants in hang basketsor tummy , as they have a trailing habit .
They typically supply an excellentflowering display between early summerto former autumn , before temperature fall and the plant are simply added to your composting system .
Reasons To Avoid Planting
For sustainable , eco - friendly gardeners like me , plants like this one are somewhat problematical .
While many love these pretty flush and the way in which they trail over the edges of containers and hanging baskets , they mystify a problem for those who need to garden in a more ethical way .
The job is that these are cross , which can not be grown from seed , and you may not disperse these plants yourself at home because most are trademarked and it is technically illegal.3Get plant life breeders ’ rights for your newfangled motley . ( 2023 , January 5 ) . GOV.UK . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/plant-breeders-rights
Plug plant or pot - grown flora are available comparatively inexpensively from garden center , but most if not all derive in plastic pots , and most come inpeat - based compost – matter we should all be trying to forefend .
I personally would not buy these because I do n’t retrieve the unfeigned price ( to multitude and planet ) is deserving it for just one season of outgrowth .
I would always endeavor to go for alternative which I can grow from seed , or circularise myself for future years – but of course , this is a personal selection .
How To Grow
As bring up above , Calibrachoa hybrid can not be grown from seed .
If you wish to rise these plants then you must either break up up plug plants in the former leaping or somewhat larger plant in previous spring or early summer .
Planting
Plant out calibrachoa once all peril of frost has well and truly passed in your area .
These are tender plants which can not manage with temperatures below 1 - 5 ° C .
Plug plants are the most low-priced option , but remember that plug industrial plant purchased in early leaping must be pot up and develop in a Robert Lee Frost - spare environment before they are hardened off and planted out from late May .
You will demand to verify you have a suited spot in which to do this .
Ongoing Plant Care
Million Alexander Graham Bell may look slap-up , but it is authoritative to understand that though this series is bred to be better for UK grow , and can cope with pathetic summertime weather , it is still quite fussy about on the button how and where it will raise and does necessitate some conscientious care .
Million Bells must be position in a sheltered spot in full sun .
A hang basket or container against a sunny , south - face wall is ideal .
These plants can be planted in any multipurpose , peat - free compost , or in any free - draining yet moist growing culture medium or soil .
you may grow these in a bed or border , but they are typically grown in container or hanging baskets because they look good dog over the sides .
take note that the containers that you pick out should be jolly unspoilt at retain wet , but must reserve excess water to drain away freely .
ensure there are good drainage fix and habituate pot metrical foot to put forward containers up off the soil .
Calibrachoa should be water regularly over the summer months .
Although these plants will not tolerate waterlogged conditions , they will also have if allowed to dry out .
Keep the raise intermediate moist and think that this could regard watering every day , perhaps even more often if the weather is very affectionate and dry .
Feed these plant every distich of workweek from mid - summer with a high - atomic number 19 organic liquidplant provender like comfrey teaor seaweed extract .
No deadheading is require as these plant drop their drop blossom on their own , but you may wish to nip back each root word , nipping off the arise tip , as this can prevent legginess and encourage the plants to bush out and farm more flowers .
These are undivided - season plant which are only usedfor summer beddingand are composted once the weather turn in autumn .
As mentioned above , while Million bells could technically be propagated by mean value of softwood cutting , this is technically illegal since the plants are trademark .
New plant life must be purchase each yr if you want to cover to grow these flowers in your garden in successive yr .
Calibrachoas can be rather fussy plants when it comes to temperature , sunlight and water .
They will not flower well if they are develop in an area with too much specter and will fail in cold temperatures and can wilt when the temperatures are very mellow .
Flowering will also be poor if you have not water systematically , and wilting can be due to a lack of H2O or can be a sign of overwatering , which may have conduce to root rot .
Grey mould is another common issue and can be a sign that you have overwatered .
Yellowing leave can be a sign of a alimentary deficiency and may mean that extra alimentation is required .
Calibrachoas can also be bothered by pests like aphids , slug and snail , though these can normally be command organically by appeal ladybirds , Erinaceus europaeus , raspberry and other good predatory wildlife to your garden .
“ In my experience , other constitutive method , such as treating the compost in pots with nematodes and lend oneself copper tape around the edge of pots , can be very effectual at discourage slugs and snails , ” says Roy Nicol , a Professional Horticulturist with over 10 year of experience .
FAQs
verify it gets plenty of sun , the right temperature , water and even eating , and Million Bells should keep blooming through the summertime until early fall .
No , calibrachoa is perennial in its native range of mountains , but it will not retrovert for a second time of year in the UK , and can not ordinarily be overwintered successfully in our climate without expensive investment .
It grows for a individual summertime and is then composted .
earn sure that your plant gets at least 6 - 8 hour of sunlight a twenty-four hours and pinching off the growing tips to encourage bushiness should stop your flora from becoming leggy .
