On the terrace, on the balcony or on the window sill - Campanula makes few demands on the location. With hobby gardeners, it has the reputation of being an extremely easy-care plant. But anyone who thinks that care is a sure-fire success is wrong. Even tolerant flowers such as the perennial bell lines only delight every year with their beautiful bloom under optimal conditions.
Short profile
- Plant family: Bellflower family (Campanuleae)
- Species diversity: around 300 species worldwide
- of which native: 20 to 30 species
- natural habitat: Mediterranean to the Caucasus
- Growth height: depending on the species, an average of 15 to 40 cm
- Growth habit: herbaceous
- perennial?: yes
- Flowering period: June to September
- Flower color: light blue (also available in red, yellow, white or purple through breeding)
- Flower shape: star or bell-shaped
- Use: in beds, hanging baskets, rock gardens, (balcony) pots, as a houseplant
Care instructions
With the right care, the bellflower will live longer and bloom reliably.
Location requirements
The bellflower is suitable both as a decorative bedding plant and for indoor use. In the garden she feels comfortable in a sunny to partially shaded location, whereby the exact intensity of the solar radiation varies from species to species.
Note: Up to 300 different varieties, including many varieties, not only enable the gardener to use the The flower color of the bell lines creates striking color contrasts or a harmonious picture with the rest of the bedding create. Thanks to slightly differentiated lighting requirements, he can ideally adapt the location conditions of the flower to the conditions in his garden.
Indoor plants are in good hands on the windowsill, as they are sufficiently bright here. However, it should be noted that they are not exposed to direct sunlight. The intense midday sun causes the leaves to burn. In addition, the window sill should not be located directly above a heater
are located.Substrate
- damp earth
- poor in clay
- humus
- loose soil
The bellflower is satisfied with standard potting soil. However, it is essential to ensure that the water can drain away. The soil in the field should therefore not be rooted, loose and permeable. In the case of potted plants, the gardener has to pay even more attention to a drain.
Conventional clay pots usually have a trough in the bottom through which the irrigation water can drain off. It has been proven to cover this with a pottery shard. However, there is a risk that the water will build up in the coaster. In addition, the earth in the bucket thickens over time. A professional drainage provides a remedy and can be easily made from inexpensive material:
- Use styrofoam from parcel deliveries or other packaging
- Fill at least a tenth of the bucket with it
- only then pour the substrate over it
- alternatively use expanded clay
Note: Thanks to the styrofoam layer, even large planters remain wonderfully light and can be easily transported.
to water
From the above paragraph it can be seen that bluebells do not tolerate waterlogging. Too wet soil causes mold growth on the roots. If the plant is on a coaster in the bucket, the gardener has to pour it out regularly. However, the substrate must not dry out completely. The need for water is increased, especially during the growth and flowering periods. In addition, the recommended watering behavior varies depending on the flower size. The gardener has to water taller species more often. He can't go wrong with conventional tap water. Even if this has a relatively high calcium content, it does not harm the flower.
plants
Here you will find all the important information about planting the bellflower (Campanula).
time
So that the cape bellflower can use the available energy during the growing season,
the gardener should plant them in the ground during the warm season. If he plants the plant by the beginning of autumn, it will form a stable root system before winter dormancy. Young plants need a little longer for this than pre-grown specimens from specialist shops. Spring is best for planting here.instructions
Since Campanula can be cultivated in many ways thanks to its modesty, the gardener can choose between keeping outdoors or in a flower pot when planting.
Planting in the bed
- do not plant until the beginning of April
- The planting distance corresponds to half of the root width
- Planting depth corresponds to around 2 to 3 cm
- Lightly press the surface of the earth
- then keep the substrate moist
Planting in the tub
- Do not choose a pot that is too small (important for the formation of offshoots)
- Secure tall specimens from kinking with a stick
- otherwise proceed as for planting in the bed
Repot
Although the bellflower has a rather low, filigree growth compared to other plants, it develops a considerable root system. In the first few years in particular, the pot selected at the beginning is no longer sufficient and the root mass gains the upper hand. Then at the latest the gardener has to repot the campanula. This is possible during the entire growing season from spring to autumn. However, older bluebells have already formed such a stable root system that they will find it difficult to cope with a change of location. Here the gardener should limit repotting to every two to three years.
- the new vessel can be two sizes larger
- Fill up completely with fresh soil
Fertilizer application
If you want an even more abundant bloom or find that the bell line is weakening in growth, you can help with commercially available fertilizer. The gardener can also extend the flowering time with special flowering fertilizers. Depending on how the flower accepts the nutrients, it is given every two to four weeks. However, the gardener does not accelerate the growth of young plants that are still being grown in this way. On the contrary, the excess of nutrients harms the tender plants. In general, it is important to hold back quantitatively. A dosage that corresponds to half of the information on the package is recommended.
Tip: The flower can break down organic fertilizers on its own. In this case, the gardener does not need to worry about an overdose.
Cut
The delicate bellflower does not usually need to be pruned. The gardener should not remove faded flowers simply because of their appearance. Sometimes they still rob the plant of valuable energy. In addition, the flowering time will be longer if he plucks off all the flowers that have faded. If a potted plant is growing too high, the gardener proceeds as follows:
- Pruning only in the period from spring to autumn
- remove weak and malformed instincts
- Remove transversely growing shoots
Multiply
As a rule, the bellflower multiplies independently via its roots.
Propagation by sowing
- Start of cultivation: end of February
- Fill the growing pot with humus soil (for example conventional potting soil or cactus soil)
- place warm, but not too sunny
- Pour water into the saucer, not directly onto the seedlings
- wait until the shoots are about 3 to 5 cm high
- no fertilizer application
- Place in the balcony / flower box after the frost has subsided
Note: Some types of Carpathian bluebells are light germs, others are dark germs. With the former, the gardener simply lays the seeds on the substrate surface; the latter he presses a few centimeters into the earth. In addition, with some varieties it is necessary to stratify the seeds before sowing. To do this, the gardener puts them in the refrigerator for a few days. He is not allowed to store the seed for a long time, as it has a limited shelf life.
Propagation by cuttings
- Harvest after hibernation
- Length of the cuttings: 8 cm
- with 3 to 4 pairs of leaves
- Treat cut surface with rooting hormone
- Prepare a mixture of sand and peat
- moisten well
- Insert cuttings 1 to 2 cm deep
- cover with a plastic bag
- bright location at 20 ° C
- Root formation takes place after 20 days
- then transfer to normal culture
Multiplication by division
- Dig the mother plant out of the ground
- Divide the root ball
- knock off old soil well
- put in fresh soil
Note: The division is only possible if the root ball is not too lignified.
Overwinter
The bellflower slows down its growth a little in winter to recover from the growing season. However, it is not winter-proof and needs frost-free winter quarters. She should get this after the last flowering in autumn. The following conditions apply here:
- cool (around 10 ° C)
- dark
- low humidity protects against pests
- reduced water supply (only every two weeks)
Note: If the Carpathian bellflower is exposed to high temperatures in its winter quarters, it sprouts early and then dies.
If it is not possible to overwinter the Campanula indoors, insulation made of bast or jute and a layer of mulch made of fir or spruce branches protect against the cold.
Diseases and pests
Small mistakes in maintenance, for example incorrect pouring behavior, can cause disease. The most common pests include:
- the mosaic virus (yellow stripes, zigzag lines or rings on the leaves)
- Spider mites (cobweb-like threads on the plant)
- Thrips (yellow-silvery speckles on the leaves)
Most of the time, simple home remedies such as homemade plant-based sprays help against the pests. In the event of severe infestation, the gardener can also use a product from a specialist retailer, as long as it is free of chemical substances.
