Plant type: perennial.
Description: short-lived plants with a long flowering period (several months) and ripening once.
- Origin: New Guinea, Tropical Africa.
- Growing environment: indoor or greenhouse.
- Leaf ornament: absent.
- Balsam bloom: present.
- Aroma: no.
- Care for the touchy: careful care is needed.
- Temperature range: 10-24°C.
- Humidity level: moderate.
- Lighting: The best will be full sunlight coming from the south/east/west.
Soil type: To ensure the best growth of balsam, you need quality potting soil that absorbs water intensively, but retains it. When purchasing soil for the plant, make sure it has adequate aeration and if it seems too dense, add peat moss, sand or perlite. If you are going to fertilize the soil, do not do it right away, wait until the balsam takes root. You can also choose soil from the following components: ordinary soil from the garden, coarse sand or perlite, peat or humus and lime. Remember that there should always be a small hole in the pot.
Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist and water with rainwater if possible. Use warm water.
Harmful insects: there is a tendency to whiteflies, plant aphids and spider mites. Before planting a plant at home or in a greenhouse, carefully inspect it for parasites.
Balsam in the photo
Reproduction: occurs by planting seeds or cuttings from spring to late summer. Propagation is best done in soil that is pre-mixed with perlite and moist peat. The pot should be covered with a plastic film with an elastic band around its contour, in order to avoid excessive evaporation of moisture. Place the pot under fluorescent light or indirect sunlight. After the balsam sprouts a little, it needs to be transplanted into the soil of the usual composition.
Care tips and tricks: Pollinate the plant with warm water from time to time, avoiding getting water on the flowers. Trim the balsam every spring and grow new plants through cuttings.