Faithful to men is not only a pretty balcony plant, it is also ideal for planting at the edge of flower beds or for beautifying rock gardens. If you don't want to buy any early plants, you can also sow the blue lobelia.
Male-faithful forms a seed capsule after flowering
Where do you get the seeds from?
In specialist shops you can get a large selection of seeds for men, now even different colored versions. Originally, however, men's loyalty flowers bright blue, which is why it is also called blue lobelia. You also have the choice between compact or hanging growth habit. The seeds of your own plants, on the other hand, cannot always be sown successfully because they are self-sterile.
How do you sow male loyalty?
Loyal to men is not only easy to care for, it also germinates without any problems. For this, however, it needs a temperature of at least 15 °C and constant humidity. Man-loyal belongs to the light germs, so the seeds should only be covered with a little soil. When sowing in a pot, it is sufficient if you press the seeds down a little.
The germination time is about one to two weeks. During this time, keep the seeds well moistened and the temperature as constant as possible. A germination temperature of 16 - 18 °C is ideal. Prick out the small plants so that they can grow strong. Only from mid-May, when the ice saints are over, can the young plants stay outside overnight because they are very sensitive to frost.
In the field, men's loyalty should only be sown after the ice saints. However, these plants will then only start flowering later. The actual flowering of the blue lobelia begins in June, when the plants sown outdoors are not yet big enough. For this reason, sowing indoors or in a heated greenhouse is recommended if you prefer early flowering males.
The essentials in brief:
- light germinator
- ideal germination temperature 16 - 18 °C
- ensure a consistently high level of humidity
- Prick out seedlings
- sensitive to frost
- Prefer recommended
- only plant out after the ice saints
tips and tricks
Mannentreu is very sensitive to frost and may only be sown late, after the ice saints. Pre-planted plants flower more successfully and longer in warm weather.