Lobelia can grow well in pots with minimal effort. Compact or trailing annual lobelias are a great choice for hanging baskets or planters placed on patios, balconies, entryways. Lobelia is a great, colorful choice to add to a variety of planters, and they are easy to care for as container plants.
Lobelia is a popular annual flower that adds vibrant color and texture to gardens borders hanging baskets, and containers. Its versatility and compact size make it an excellent choice for potted plantings. With proper care, lobelia will thrive and bloom prolifically in pots throughout the season.
Selecting the Right Pot
Lobelia does best in containers that provide good drainage. Plastic, terra cotta, ceramic, or wood pots with drainage holes are ideal. Match pot size to the mature size of your lobelia variety. Compact types only need small 4-6 inch pots. Trailing or cascading lobelias shine in hanging baskets or larger containers they can spill over the edges of.
Make sure your pot has a drainage hole(s) so excess water can escape. Place a layer of pebbles, gravel, or broken pot shards in the bottom of the container to improve drainage before adding potting mix.
The Best Potting Mix
A quality potting soil or mix specially formulated for containers is best for growing lobelia. Look for a lightweight, well-draining mix. You can make your own by combining equal parts peat moss perlite and compost. For added nutrition, work in a handful of slow-release fertilizer granules.
The potting mix should be moist but not soaked wet before planting. Fill pots about three quarters full with mix to leave room at the top for watering.
Planting Lobelia in Pots
Lobelia can be purchased as starter plants or grown from seed. If planting from seed start them indoors 6-8 weeks before your last expected spring frost. Harden off young plants and transplant them into pots after danger of frost has passed.
Very lightly cover the tiny lobelia seeds with soil or simply press them into the mix surface. Keep the soil moist until germination, which takes 14-20 days.
When transplanting seedlings or nursery plants, handle them gently. Carefully separate and plant them at the same level they were growing in the original pot or cell pack. Firm the soil gently and water well after planting.
Ideal Location
In most regions, your potted lobelias will thrive in a spot that receives full sun to partial shade. However, in hot southern climates, provide afternoon shade to prevent the leaves from scorching. Morning sun with dappled afternoon shade is ideal.
Situate hanging pots and elevated planters where the cascading flowers can be admired up close. Place containers on patios, decks, porches, or other spots where you’ll pass by and enjoy their beauty.
Watering Needs
Consistent moisture is key to keeping container lobelias happy. their small volume of soil dries out rapidly, especially with full sun exposure. Check pots daily and water whenever the top inch of soil becomes dry.
During hot, dry weather you may need to water hanging baskets even twice a day. Don’t let pots completely dry out. However, take care not to overwater, as soggy soil can lead to root rot.
Tip: Add water retaining crystals to the soil mix to help maintain hydration between waterings. Installing a drip irrigation system with timers simplifies watering.
Fertilizing Your Potted Lobelia
Like most flowering annuals, lobelia benefits from regular feeding. Use a water-soluble, bloom-boosting plant food every 2-3 weeks. Options include liquid fertilizers or slowly dissolving granules.
Alternate between a higher nitrogen formula to promote lush growth and one higher in phosphorus to encourage abundant blooms. Always follow label directions for correct dosage.
If using compost or organic potting mixes, you can fertilize less frequently. The initial nutrients in the soil should sustain plants for 4-6 weeks before needing supplementation.
Pruning and Deadheading
Lobelia self-cleans as spent blooms drop from the plant naturally. But clipping off old flowers with scissors promotes more buds. Trailing types that grow lanky can be trimmed back periodically to encourage fullness.
If plants get leggy or stressed by heat during mid-summer, cut them back substantially to rejuvenate growth and flowering. This will restore the compact, mounded form.
Overwintering Lobelia
Lobelia is typically grown as an annual in pots and discarded at the end of the season in colder climates. Once plants are spent after the first hard frost, pull them up and add to the compost pile.
The exception is in USDA zones 10-11. There, potted lobelia may survive winter if pots are brought into a greenhouse or sunny window. Keep just moist over winter and resume normal care when spring arrives.
Common Problems and Solutions
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Wilting or browning leaves – Check soil moisture and water if needed. Move to partial shade if affected by too much hot sun.
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Leggy, sparse growth – Pinch or clip plants to encourage bushier form. Fertilize to promote new growth.
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Few or no flowers – Feed with a high phosphorous fertilizer to stimulate blooming. Ensure 6+ hours of sun.
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White spots or stippling on leaves – Treat for pests like spider mites with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Wipe leaves.
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Moldy soil – Allow pots to drain fully after watering. Repot in fresh mix if drainage is poor and soil stays soggy.
Tips for Success with Potted Lobelia
- Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering
- Water early in the day to avoid leaf diseases
- Move pots to a sheltered spot if high winds or heavy rain is forecast
- Rotate pots occasionally so all sides receive equal sun exposure
- Cover with frost fabric or bring pots indoors if cold nights are predicted
- Group pots together for visual impact and easier care
- Interplant lobelia with other sun-loving annuals like petunias or marigolds
With proper selection, planting, and care, lobelia is one of the best choices for adding waves of color to patio pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, and other container plantings. Follow these tips and you’ll be rewarded with vivid blooms and a low-maintenance display all season long.
Growing Lobelia in Containers
Annual lobelia plants come in a wide range of types, including those which are often seen trailing from containers. These petite pink, white, or blue flowers create a dramatic impact in planters. The profusion of blooms makes growing lobelia in a pot an excellent choice.
Deciding to grow lobelia in planters is a great way to ensure the success of this flower. Although these flowering plants are beautiful, they do require some specific growing conditions to truly thrive. When it comes to the needs of potted lobelia, care of the container will directly impact the overall health and bloom time of the plant.
Like many flowers, container grown lobelia do best when given ample sunlight. In cooler growing zones, this means that the planter should receive at least six hours of sunlight each day. When growing lobelia in places with warmer daytime temperatures, the plant may need a location that is shaded throughout the hottest portions of the day.
Lobelia plants are also very sensitive to heat and moisture levels within the soil. Since the perennial flowers are native to marshlands, it is imperative that the soil of container grown lobelia plants is not allowed to dry completely. These plants require consistent moisture, but they do not grow well when overwatered or when containers have become waterlogged.
While lobelia in planters can look quite lovely throughout the spring and early summer, it is very common to see the plants begin to struggle once temperatures begin to rise. As a result, lobelia may cease to bloom or die back throughout this time period. Lobelia plants that have stopping blooming will likely resume their flowering again in the fall, once temperatures have started to cool.
Planting Lobelia in Pots
The best time of year to plant annual lobelia in pots is in the early spring after the last risk of frost. Lobelias prefer a full sun or part shade location. Keep in mind that the more full sun exposure, the higher the water needs of the container. Lobelias are versatile and can be a nice spiller addition to mixed containers of various sizes. Containers with drainage holes made of plastic, terra cotta, or ceramic are the best choices for lobelia.
Lobelia Earinus – garden lobelia/growing/seeding/planting/blue flowers
FAQ
How to keep lobelia blooming?
Make sure to keep your lobelia moist; remember to fertilize it every couple of weeks, and your reward will be bountiful, small blooms in purple, blue, pink, …Feb 7, 2023
Should you deadhead lobelia?
How to grow lobelia. All lobelias need a spot in full sun or part shade, and reliably moist soil. The annual varieties don’t need deadheading but can be cut back in mid summer to maintain bushiness and good flowering. Deadhead perennial varieties once they’ve finished flowering and cut foliage back in autumn.
Do lobelias like sun or shade in pots?
Planting Lobelia in Pots
Lobelias prefer a full sun or part shade location. Keep in mind that the more full sun exposure, the higher the water needs of the container. Lobelias are versatile and can be a nice spiller addition to mixed containers of various sizes.
Does Lobelia like lots of water?
Many Lobelias need lots of water, but not this lovely red Mexican lobelia.
How do you care for a Lobelia plant?
Firm the plant down and water well. As said early annual Lobelias do better in partial shade, whilst perennial may do better in full sun. As the plant loves moisture then you will need to water regularly, otherwise, the plant will die back.
Can Lobelia grow in pots?
Lobelia is considered a flowering annual and requires long days of full sun to continue blooming, which your average houseplant does not receive. Explore tips for successfully growing lobelia in pots, including choosing the right container, soil, and location, and providing proper care to keep them thriving and blooming.
Do Lobelia need to be watered?
Check the soil in your pot to see if your plant needs to be watered. Lobelia is considered a heavy feeder and greatly benefits from regular fertilizer, especially in containers. You want to fertilize container plants more often than plants in the ground because the fertilizer is leached out of the soil more quickly when pots are watered.
What do potted Lobelia need to thrive?
Potted Lobelia need specific growing conditions to truly thrive. When it comes to the needs of potted lobelia, care of the container will directly impact the overall health and bloom time of the plant. Like many flowers, container grown lobelia do best when given ample sunlight.
When should you plant Lobelia in pots?
The best time of year to plant annual lobelia in pots is in the early spring after the last risk of frost. Lobelias prefer a full sun or part shade location. Keep in mind that the more full sun exposure, the higher the water needs of the container. Lobelias are versatile and can be a nice spiller addition to mixed containers of various sizes.
How do I choose a Lobelia plant?
• Choosing the right Lobelia for your pot involves considering factors like the plant’s mature size, bloom color, and growth habit. • Planting Lobelia in pots requires a well-draining soil mix, ideally with coco coir and perlite, and the use of a slow-release fertilizer.