The ornamental plant of bakop which homeland is South Africa has for the first time appeared in Russia rather recently – about twenty years ago. The bakopa in suspended flowerpots and also in the open ground is grown up.
The bakopa has become widespread as live decor of internal and external walls of buildings, fences and lamp poles. When landing in flower bed this small bush is very harmoniously combined with such plants as petunia, nasturtium, fuchsia and lobelia.
Landing of bakopa
At cultivation indoors the bakopa can land in small pots or containers which it is necessary to have in those places where a lot of sunlight gets. The bakopa can grow also in half-shade, however at insufficient lighting its blossoming will be not such intensive any more.
Soil for rapid growth and development of bakopa has to be rich with organic chemistry therefore, making landing, it is necessary to add a little peat to the ordinary garden earth and humus. To provide good drainage of the soil, it is possible to add small amount of bank sand also. If there is no opportunity most to prepare qualitative pochvosmes for ornamental plants, it is possible to get already ready in specialized shop. It is necessary to plant bakopa bushes to the open ground in the early spring – after there pass the last frosts. For this purpose it is necessary to dig small pole and to accurately spread out in it side roots of plant. After landing the soil it is necessary it is abundant to fertilize complex of liquid mineral fertilizers. Timely fertilizer is the key to intensive growth and blossoming. It is recommended to water plant in warm season daily.
Fertilizing, temperature condition and leaving
It is important to know, that the African beauty can be attacked by wreckers, the most dangerous of whom - plant louse ordinary and the whitefly. As soon as wreckers have been noticed on flowers and stalks of bush, it should be sprayed with special insecticide immediately. For spraying it is recommended to use only the special protectant for ornamental, garden shrubs. It is necessary to notice that the bakopa is rather resistant to temperature fluctuations and can grow even at temperatures to - 5 wasps. However nevertheless it is better not to temper plant and for the winter period to move it to more or less warm place. The optimum place to wait cold weather, is the winter greenhouse. By the way, winter waterings of bakopa should not be such intensive as summer. Additional leaving for bakopy (except watering and fertilizing) comes down only to periodic scarification around plant. It is necessary to make this procedure carefully as there is risk to damage the superficial root system of the African beauty.