Every month I talk about finding the perfect spot to grow a specific plant. Some flowers like shade, some veges like sun, some herbs like moisture, and the list goes on. But often in gardening you know the spot you want to plant in before you find the plant you want to plant.The point I'm trying to get across with the previous tongue twister is lobelia is a wonderful, low maintenance, garden space filler. With its small but numerous flowers, lobelia provides a colourful coverage and its bushy shape suits most garden types. Not only does it grow well in garden beds, it's ideal for planting around the outside of pots and tubs, along walls, between pavers and in hanging baskets.
If you've got the spot to plant, then lobelia is the plant to plant!
Choose from a selection of lilac, blue, pink, white or mixed Awapuni Nurseries lobelia seedling bundles at the Warehouse, Bunnings or your local supermarket. Otherwise, head to our online shop and have these colourful plants delivered direct to your door. Got a big space to fill? Buy some of our bulk lobelia bundles, which contain at least 25 seedlings.
If you're planting in the outside of a tub or hanging basket try the cascading varieties, which will hang down the sides. Otherwise to fill bare patches in your garden, grow the regular, non-cascading variety, which will reach around 10cm high.
Growing in tubs, pots or baskets? Add a good quality potting mix before you plant. Planting in the garden? Dig in some nitrophoska blue or garden galore fertiliser through lightly composted soil.
Lobelia is a great flower to grow with kids. It's quick to mature and provide results and once planted requires virtually no care - all of which are good for those with limited attention spans or, if you're like me, those who don't want to worry about their garden too much during summer.
Extend the gardening project further by getting your small fry to paint some pots to grow the lobelia in. Or see who can find the most innovative place to plant. Old gumboots and tea leave containers (drill some holes for drainage in the bottom) are good ideas. I like to grow my lobelia alongside thyme and alyssum in between pavers or along the tops of crib walls.
Whatever patch of your garden you're planning to fill with lobelia, simply dig a little hole and then plant each seedling. Then, depending on where you live and how warm the weather is, just sit back and wait four to six weeks for your colourful space filler to bloom.
