Kobea - Cobea

 Kobea (Cobaea) belongs to the climbing semi-shrub annuals of the Sinyukhovye or Sinyushnikovye family. In the wild, this vine grows everywhere in the Americas, in particular in Mexico and Peru. It owes its name to the Spanish missionary monk Barnaby Cobo, known as a naturalist who studied the flora and fauna of Central America. Cobei are distributed in tropical and subtropical forests. Since the end of the 18th century, these picturesque vines have been used in horticulture and serve vertical gardening and decorating arches, gazebos, hedges and verandas. In this article, we will talk about how to properly care for a kobe so that it can fully show its decorative qualities.

External characteristics of kobei

Kobeya is distinguished by a rather high growth rate, therefore, it quickly forms a branched and strong root system, consisting of numerous fibrous processes. Aerial shoots can grow up to 6 m and more, which makes it possible to classify the kobei as a tall plant.

The foliage of the kobei has high decorative qualities: the feathery leaf plates arranged in turn consist of three lobes. The leaves located at the tops of the stems undergo changes, becoming tendrils, thanks to which the kobei can climb up the supporting structures.

During the flowering period, from 1 to 3 pedicels appear from each leaf sinus, crowned with flowers resembling bells with a diameter of about 8 cm. As a rule, their pistils and stamens protrude beyond the edges of the petals and serve as an additional decoration for the plant. Barely blossoming flowers and buds have a yellowish-green color; as they open, their petals turn white or purple.

During fruiting, capsules are formed with a leathery shell, which contains oval flattened seeds of a rather large size. As they ripen, the capsules crack along the side seam line, releasing seeds.

Seed breeding method of kobei

Growing kobei from seeds is a rather laborious process and requires knowledge of some of the nuances related to this culture. Compliance with certain recommendations will avoid difficulties in the course of seed reproduction of this tropical vine.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Since the seeds of kobei have a rather strong shell, they cannot be dispensed with without preliminary processing - otherwise it will be difficult for the sprouts to break through. Seed treatment is aimed at softening and practically dissolving their shell, which should become soft and viscous, after which it can be peeled off from the seeds. To achieve the desired effect, the kobei seeds must be placed on the bottom of the container in such a way that the distance between them is maintained. Then pour water on top and close the container with a lid so that the water does not evaporate. From time to time, the lid must be lifted and the seeds inspected - the softened part of the shell must be removed manually in a timely manner, and then the seeds must be returned to their place. Within a few days, the seeds should be completely clear.

Sowing seeds for seedlings is usually done in late winter and early spring.Each seed must be planted separately in a small glass - this will further reduce the risk of damage to the seedlings when the time comes for a pick. The cups can be filled with universal soil, seeds are placed on its surface with the blunt side down and sprinkled with the same soil. The thickness of the top layer should be about 1.5 cm. The seedlings appear unevenly, but on average, if the preliminary treatment was carried out correctly, this happens 14 days after sowing.

Kobei seedlings care

The picking of kobei seedlings is carried out after they grow up and acquire a pair of real leaves - now they can be moved to a larger pot or container, the volume of which is at least 3 liters. The transplant is carried out while maintaining an earthen coma, which protects the roots of young plants and helps them develop safely and form powerful aerial shoots. In a container or pot for growing a kobei seedling, a vertical support should be placed in advance, along which the young vine will climb up. This role can be played by metal or plastic ladders. Simultaneously with the pick, the time comes to harden the future seedlings of the kobei. To this end, containers with seedlings should be placed on a warmed or at least glazed balcony or on a loggia, where they will be until the young plants are ready for transplantation into open ground. This will allow them to get used to the colder temperatures. On average, after 21 days, the seedlings develop resistance to the cold outside air. The seedlings can now be transplanted into open ground in the garden.

Planting seedlings in open ground

When planting kobei seedlings, certain rules should be observed that contribute to the early adaptation of young plants to new environmental conditions.

Time for planting seedlings

The optimal time for transplanting kobei bushes into open ground is considered to be the end of spring, or the first days of summer. It is important that at the time of planting there is no likelihood of recurrent frosts that are detrimental to still immature plants. You can start the transplant procedure as soon as the thermometer stops dropping below 5 degrees at night. It is also not recommended to delay the process, because if the kobei seedlings grow too large, it will be more difficult for them to settle down in a new place. And the transplant itself will be difficult.

Step-by-step instructions for planting seedlings

Transplanting kobei seedlings outdoors includes the following steps:

1) First of all, it is important to determine the place where they will grow in the future. The soil in the area intended for growing kobei should be nutritious, and the area itself should be well lit. Kobeya tolerates slight shading well, but it is better to cover it from drafts.

2) The scheme for planting kobei seedlings involves maintaining an interval of at least 0.5 m (but not more than 1 m) between planting holes. The depth and width of the pits should be such that the root system of the plant along with the earthen lump is placed in them.

3) To fill the planting holes, you will need a nutritious soil substrate that you can prepare yourself. To do this, you need to mix in equal parts sod land, peat and humus.

4) Kobei seedlings are transplanted into planting holes along with an earthen clod that protects their root system - it is important to preserve its integrity during the planting process.

5) Immediately after the holes are covered with substrate, young bushes need to be watered abundantly.

6) Near each planting hole there should be a support structure dug into the ground, along which young vines will rise as they grow. This will create additional support for the kobei, which will reduce the risk of damage to young shoots under the influence of strong winds.

7) If the planting of seedlings was carried out in the spring, and the threat of return frost persists, the best solution would be to create a shelter for planting kobei using two layers of non-woven material.

Kobe care

Further care for the kobe is to follow simple recommendations that will allow you to easily grow this beautiful plant in the garden.

First of all, care consists in regular watering. The amount of water used for this and the frequency of procedures depends on the weather conditions and the location of the kobei plantings. In the hot summer months, plants need to be watered more often, with the arrival of autumn - less often. If the kobea grows in a shaded area, or in a lowland, there is a danger of stagnation of moisture in the soil, so you need to monitor the condition of the plants and adjust the amount of water for irrigation. Otherwise, there is a high probability of rotting of the root system of the kobei.

During the growing season, plants grow vigorously and need additional nutrition. As soon as the seedlings appear, you can start the fertilization procedure. The kobei should be fed weekly mixtures containing a large amount of nitrogen. After the first leaves appear, the young plant should be fertilized with humates. From the beginning of the season to flowering, it is recommended to alternate mineral complexes ("Kemira Lux") and organic fertilizing. Mullein infusion can act as the latter. When the time comes for bud formation and flowering begins, the plant needs potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Weeds pose a threat to young kobei bushes, so it is important to systematically loosen the soil around them and remove weeds that take away food from the garden plants.

Other breeding methods

In addition to the seed method of reproduction of kobei, you can use the cuttings method. Cuttings are cut in spring from healthy mature bushes that have wintered indoors. Green shoots of the current year are cut from them - these are the cuttings. They should be placed in containers filled with wet sand so that the cuttings will begin to take root. In spring or early summer, after independent roots appear, future bushes can be planted in open ground. As in the case of seedlings, it is important to exclude the possibility of recurrent night frosts. Cutting has both advantages in comparison with the seed method of reproduction of kobei, and disadvantages. The first is the rate at which the cuttings adapt to a new location and begin to bloom. As for the disadvantages, the flowering of kobei bushes grown from cuttings is inferior in beauty and splendor to seedlings grown from seeds.

Protection from diseases and pests

The main enemies of kobei are spider mites and aphids. Preventing their spread will allow the treatment of plantings with a solution based on Fitoverm with the addition of a detergent. Potassium-rich green soap or regular flea-removing shampoo for dogs or cats will work. The latter is also suitable for fighting other harmful insects.

Preparing kobei for wintering

Kobea blooms for a long time - until the onset of autumn frosts. Many gardeners of central Russia prefer to grow it on their site as an annual crop, therefore, at the end of the season, kobei bushes are removed from the beds and burned. In the climate of the northern regions, during the period of fruiting, the seeds of the kobei do not have time to ripen fully, therefore, it is inappropriate to collect them for sowing next year. The best solution is to purchase seed in a specialized store. It is better to choose a well-known and proven manufacturer, however, in this case, the germination percentage does not exceed 30%.

Kobei varieties

In the wild, there are about 9 species of kobei, of which only one is used in horticulture - creeping kobei (Cobaea Scandens), also called tenacious or climbing.

Kobea creeping

This variety of kobei is a perennial, but is most often used by domestic gardeners as an annual plant. In nature, the distribution area of ​​the cobei creeping is in Mexico. This variety is characterized by the formation of a large number of vines, growing up to 6 m in length. The leaf plates of the kobei creeping have a feathery shape and are equipped with antennae, with the help of which the kobei climbs up the supporting structures. This variety blooms from mid-July to autumn, when the first frost comes. The flowers are purple toned and have a pleasant aroma with honey notes. There is also a creeping kobe with white flowers - it is a subspecies of a creeping white kobe (Cobaea Scandens Alba).