Primrose room: description of species, cultivation and care at home

Primula belongs to the primroses and blooms almost immediately after the snow melts in early spring. But there is also room primrose. When creating favorable conditions for growing, the plant will delight 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

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

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

Primrose back-conic (obconic)

This variety is especially popular among flower growers who grow flowers at home. The foliage is elongated, emerald green. The peduncles are not much longer than the leaves.

umbrella inflorescences, collected from small flowers. The shade of the petals is varied: red, white, purple, purple, 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.

Primrose stemless

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

Tips for taking care of primrose at home

Growing a flower culture at home is not the most difficult task. But neglecting the care of the plant is also not worth it. With properly organized care, the plant will bloom for more than one month.

The location of the primrose in the apartment

When growing primrose in flower pots, you need to provide favorable conditions for growth. It is recommended to put pots with a plant on sunny windows. Culture prefers soft diffused light.But it is undesirable to place pots on the southern windows, especially in summer. The sun's rays in the 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 illumination

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

Culture refers to light-loving plants. It is best if the primrose will be 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, he is at rest.

Water and humidity

Like all primroses, indoor primrose loves water and moist soil. Watering should be plentiful. Irrigate the soil as it dries.During irrigation, the main thing is not to flood the soil. The flower does not like stagnant water. Watering the flowers should be in the evening, while it is important to ensure that water does not fall on the foliage. For irrigation use water at room temperature or slightly heated. The main thing is to keep it warm.

Fertilizers and top dressings

Most of all, the plant needs iron, so as soon as the flower gives the first flower stalks, iron-containing dressings are applied to the soil. Then the primrose is fed the entire flowering period. You can also use fertilizer for indoor plants. The main thing is not to overfeed the flower.

Transfer

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

Earthmixture

It is recommended to grow primrose in fertile, loose soil. Plant potting mix:

peat soil;
leafy soil;
sand.

All take in the same parts. Everything is thoroughly mixed to get a homogeneous mixture. And for growing reverse-conical primrose, soddy soil is also added to the soil mixture.

Before planting a flower, a layer of drainage (1-3cm) is poured on the bottom of the pot, and only then the soil mixture is poured and planting begins.

Protection from diseases and pests

Among the pests most often found:

spider mites;
thrips;
phish.

Insects on the flower appear 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 preparations will also be effective.

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

yellow spots;
chlorosis;
grey rot.

The appearance of yellow spots on the foliage is associated with a deficiency (or excess) of nutrients in the soil. Getting rid of yellow spots will help the organization of top dressing in the soil and proper watering. Water the flowers with warm water and fertilize regularly. Or stop feeding the plant for a while if the yellowing is due to an excess of minerals in the ground.

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, irrigation with ferrous sulfate is useful.You can get rid of gray rot, as well as other fungal diseases, if you treat the bushes with fungicides. During processing, make sure that most of the fungicides fall on the foliage.

How to propagate

There are three ways to propagate primrose. This is the division of the bush, the 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, and separate the bush. During separation, care must be taken that each part has a dormant bud, from which a flower will subsequently grow. If there are too long roots, they are cut off and dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then transplanted into new pots.

Seeds

The primrose seed propagation method is very simple.

Seed sowing process:

material is pickled before planting in a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
drainage is poured into the bottom of the container, and then the soil;
planting material is scattered on the surface of the earth;
it is not necessary to cover it with earth from above.

Sown seeds are abundantly watered with warm water. Then the seed containers are covered with cling film so that the planting material germinates faster. The film is regularly removed so that the soil “breathes” and does not become moldy. Also, the soil is watered with warm water. When shoots appear, they need to be allowed to grow a little, and only after that they should be 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 he althy leaf and put it in water. After a few weeks, the cutting will give roots. When the roots grow up, it is planted in the ground.

Primrose forcing

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

Flower forcing process:

For this, two-year-old bushes are divided into several parts and planted in spacious pots.
A prerequisite for forcing is to find containers with plants in a cool place. The temperature in the room with pots should be between +5 and +8 degrees.
At the end of winter, containers with flowers are brought into the heat. The temperature in the room should be between +14 and +18 degrees.
It is important to remember to water the bushes.

Active growth of the flower begins in a few days. By April, the primrose will bloom in lush color. To prolong the flowering period, you need to remove the pots of crops in a cool room. Early spring is rarely characterized by hot weather, and finding a plant in a warm room leads to the fact that the flower quickly fades, since such conditions are unnatural for it.