In April, in areas with a cool climate, the last snow melts, buds swell on trees and bushes - nature comes to life and prepares for a new growing season, and our task is to help it with this. In April, the coverings of perennials and roses are removed, the bushes are treated against diseases and pests, and from the beginning of the month the soil is prepared for sowing annual flowers in the ground and planting seedlings - they dig up and fertilize. And then it’s time to plant flowers in open ground- sowing seeds and transplanting flower seedlings. Vegetable seedlings Some species also land in the city at the end of April.
Flower planting dates in April
What flowers and at what time are seeds sown in the ground in April? In those areas where at this time it is already real spring, even if not very warm, flower growers spend the first half of the month preparing the soil in the flower beds, and the actual planting of flower seeds is carried out from the beginning of the second half of April. Planting flowers in a flower bed, the seedlings of which at home or in a greenhouse have already grown and hardened, is carried out within the same time frame. Planting flowers in the ground is carried out in favorable days. In April 2016 it is the 13th, 14th, 18th and 20th. climbing plants It is better to sow on April 11 or 20.
What flowers are sown in open ground in April
In the second half of the month, seeds of plants such as calendula, iberis, summer adonis, arctotis, gaillardia, garden hibiscus, gypsophila, coreopsis, cosmos, lavatera, sweet peas, viscaria, vaccaria, ornamental cabbage, clarkia, annual cornflowers, Chinese carnation, annual rudbeckia, phacelia, nicandra, matthiola, poppy, lobularia, godetia, dimorphotheca, snakehead, bristle grass, bentgrass, mignonette, scabiosa, nigella, flax, malcolmia, canary grass, eschscholzia, echium and other cold-resistant annuals and perennials. In areas with a cold and long spring, it will be possible to sow the seeds of these flowers in the ground only in May, but it is better to sow them in March or April for seedlings, and in May plant the seedlings in the ground, where they will be, under favorable conditions. weather conditions They will bloom almost immediately. In this article we will tell you how to sow some of the listed annuals, as well as general care rules for these flowers.
Morning glory.
This beautiful vine with gramophone flowers prefers places protected from the wind and loose soil. Before sowing, morning glory seeds are soaked for a day in a thermos with warm water for swelling. Those seeds that have not swelled are pricked with a needle and again immersed in warm water for a day. Instead of water, you can use an aqueous solution of Kornevin or Heteroauxin. It is easy to sow large morning glory seeds: place two seeds in each hole, then fill the holes with soil and water them, after which the flowerbed is mulched with peat. If the forecast predicts frost, the crops are covered with film.
Eschsholzia.
This plant, also called the California poppy, is unpretentious, easy to grow and easy to care for. Eschscholzia is photophilous, grows on drained soils of almost any composition, but with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction, blooms from June to September. Eschscholzia seeds, stored over the winter in vegetable drawer refrigerator, lightly pressing into the soil, after which the area is watered and mulched with peat. Some gardeners sow seeds on melted snow, after which they cover the crops with mulch. Shoots usually appear after 2 weeks and require immediate thinning - optimal distance Between seedlings there should ultimately be 20 cm.
Sweet pea.
This plant is also called China fragrant. It is one of the most beautiful climbing annuals. Sweet peas grow well in windless, sunny or slightly shaded areas. Please note that sudden changes in temperature can cause the plant to drop buds. The soil for peas requires fertile, breathable, neutral reaction. It is unacceptable to grow the plant in high-lying areas. groundwater. When preparing a flower bed, never use fresh manure as fertilizer. Sweet peas do not need nitrogen either - they extract it from the air themselves.
Sow seeds 2-3 pieces in holes located at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other, cover them with soil, compact it and mulch the area. Sweet peas sown in the ground will bloom by mid-summer.
Calendula.
This flower gained popularity back in the days of the ancient Greeks and has not lost it to this day. Calendula not only decorates the summer flower bed, but is also one of the most healing plants. It is grown both by seedlings and by sowing seeds directly into the soil, into which fertilizers are applied two weeks before sowing. The scheme for planting calendula flowers is as follows: sowing is done to a depth of 1-2 cm at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. The interval between rows is 60-70 cm if you grow calendula as ornamental plant, and 30-40, if as a medicinal one. In this case, the distance between the bushes can be reduced to 7-10 cm. Shoots appear within a week, and 2-3 weeks after their appearance, decorative calendula seedlings are thinned out, leaving a gap of 25-30 cm between them. Excess seedlings removed from the flowerbed flowers can be transplanted to another place. Calendula will bloom 10 weeks after sowing - by mid-summer.
Adonis.
He's an adonis. A mythical flower that became popular in the 17th century and has still not lost its charm in the eyes of flower growers. Ideal place for a plant - a sunny area, which plunges into shade in the afternoon. The best soil– rich in lime and organic matter, light, well-drained soil with pH value 7-7.5 units. Seeds of one-year-old Adonis, collected from six-year-old bushes, are stored in winter in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, after which they are kept for a day in warm water for swelling, after which they are sown to a depth of 1-2 cm. They germinate at a temperature of 5 ºC in a month.
Clarkia.
It is elegant, elegant, cold-resistant and long lasting flowering plant. It feels best under the sun in an open area, in loose, moist, slightly acidic soil. A couple of weeks before sowing, add peat to the soil and mineral fertilizers. Sow Clarkia seeds in nests of 4-5 pieces at a distance of 20-40 cm from each other, without burying them in the ground, but only lightly pressing them into it and sprinkling them on top thin layer soil. The seedlings that appear after just two weeks are slightly thinned out: low-growing bushes should be spaced 20 cm apart from each other, and tall varieties should be spaced 25 cm apart. Do not overdo the thinning: dense plantings of Clarkia flowers look excellent.
Decorative cabbage.
When planning to decorate your flower garden with something unusual, remember this plant, which, despite its undeniable decorative value, is completely unpretentious and easily tolerates short-term spring frosts. They even benefit it, giving the leaves more rich color. Cabbage prefers humus-rich loams and sandy loams as soil. As for lighting, it grows equally well both in bright sun and in light shade, although the leaves of the plant from the shaded flower bed are not that juicy green like cabbage leaves growing in the sun.
A week before sowing, wrap the cabbage seeds in a solution soaked in organic fertilizer gauze and place in a cool, dark place. As soon as the seeds hatch, you can start sowing. The seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a 1 cm thick layer of soil. When sowing, keep in mind that cabbage sometimes grows up to 60 cm in diameter, so place the seeds at a distance of at least half a meter. When the seedlings develop 3-4 leaves, they are thinned out and the excess plants are transplanted to another place.
Gypsophila.
It's graceful herbaceous plant with tender small flowers white, pink or white with green tint. Gypsophila is planted on open areas with low-lying groundwater. The plant prefers well-drained soil containing lime, sandy loam or loamy soil. Two weeks before sowing, in addition to humus, the area where the gypsophila flower grows must be added for digging. dolomite flour or ash. The seeds are sown sparsely to a depth of 0.5 cm, and they germinate in just over a week. Strong seedlings are thinned out, leaving a gap of 15-20 cm between specimens. After sowing, gypsophila blooms within a month and a half or two.
Mattiola.
Matthiola, or gillyflower, is a cold-resistant plant with fragrant white, pink, dusty yellow or purple flowers, the smell of which is familiar to everyone. Matthiola is grown in well-lit and drained areas in fertile sod-loamy or sod-sandy loam soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction, which does not require fertilization before sowing, unless the soil is very depleted by its predecessors. The area where representatives of the Cruciferous family previously grew is not suitable for growing matthiola. Matthiola seeds are sown in shallow holes located at a distance of 20 cm from each other, 3-5 pieces each, sprinkled with sand on top, or you can mix the seeds with sand and simply scatter them over the moistened surface of the area, and then lightly sprinkle them with soil. Shoots appear in a week or ten days. They can withstand temperatures down to -5 ºC. When the seedlings develop 2-3 leaves, they are thinned out, trying to maintain a distance of 15-20 cm between the specimens. In order to prolong the flowering of matthiola, it can be sown several times with a break of two weeks.
Cornflowers.
There are about 500 species of these graceful, cold-resistant, unpretentious and disease-resistant plants. They are distinguished by abundant and long-lasting flowering, and some of them also healing properties. The color of cornflower flowers can be not only blue, but also white, pink, yellow, blue or purple.
Annual cornflowers are grown in well-lit areas located on the south side. The soil for cornflowers is fertile, with a high content of humus and a neutral reaction. Sow cornflower seeds in soil previously dug to the depth of a spade with fertilizers - 2 kg of peat or humus, 100 g wood ash and a tablespoon of nitrophoska per m². You need to prepare the bed two weeks before sowing. At the end of April, if the winter was snowless and the spring was dry, the soil for planting flowers is well moistened, shallow grooves are made in it, in which the seeds are sown, and they are covered on top with a layer of soil 1 cm thick, after which the crops are lightly compacted, and then covered with permeable material. Water the crops as the soil dries - after 2-3 days directly through the fabric, spending 2 liters of water per m², but after a week, as soon as the sprouts appear, the coating is removed. Grown seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 10-12 cm between specimens.
Poppies.
A beautiful flower with graceful, quivering petals, which gained fame in ancient times, has not lost its popularity to this day. Poppies grow in open areas with deep groundwater and are not at all afraid of the scorching rays of the sun. They like sandy or loamy soil, although they are not capricious in this matter. Two weeks before sowing poppy seeds, the area is dug up to a depth of 40 cm, adding 5-7 kg of humus or compost per m² for digging. You need to sow stratified seeds; for this, they are stored in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator in the fall. Poppy grains are scattered over the moistened surface of the area into the soil fluffed with a rake, without covering it, but lightly sprinkled with soil. The seeds germinate in two to four weeks, and as soon as the seedlings become stronger, they are thinned out so that the distance between the bushes is at least 25 cm.
Caring for flower crops in April
Watering flowers.
If the winter was with snow and the spring with rain, then the young seedlings will not need watering. When the earth warms up and the sun begins to burn like summer, it is better to water young plants from a watering can, pouring water under the base of the stem and not using a sprinkler so that drops do not fall on the stems and leaves of the plants. For irrigation, it is best to use warm water heated by the sun during the day. Can be watered garden flowers from a hose, but in this case be especially careful, watch where the cold water is pouring tap water: It is unacceptable to get it on the leaves and stems; the stream should hit only the soil around the flower. Do not try to create a strong stream so that it does not wash away the soil and expose the roots of plants.
Fertilizing crops.
Plants need at least 16 nutritional elements for normal development, the main ones of which are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from water and air, but you should take care of how to organize the provision of plants with the necessary amount of other elements. At the same time, it is very important to comply with the norm, since an excess of a substance can cause the same harm as its deficiency. In the spring, when plants begin to grow, they need nitrogen most of all, but if they receive it in excessive quantities, they will begin to grow green mass, but will not bloom. Is this what we expect from garden flowers? Phosphorus shortens the growing season of plants, that is, accelerates their development and brings the moment of flowering closer, while potassium enhances the frost resistance of plants and helps them form root system. Calcium and phosphorus are added to the soil in the second half of summer and autumn. Magnesium takes part in the formation of chlorophyll, and boron, cobalt, molybdenum, iron, sulfur, manganese, zinc and copper, the need for which is not so great, increase plant immunity and help them resist pests and diseases. All these elements are contained in organic and mineral fertilizers, which are used to fill the soil before planting, and then applied in carefully adjusted doses during the process of their growth and development. You can feed plants not only by adding fertilizers to the soil, but also by spraying them with nutrient solutions on the leaves. These fertilizers begin to act much faster than root fertilizers. When caring for annuals, they are fed for the first time one and a half to two weeks after planting, the next feeding is applied in mid-summer. Perennial plants are fertilized three times a year: the first time in the spring, when the soil begins to dry out from melt water, the second time at the beginning of the bud formation period, and the third after flowering.
Flowers that are at rest do not need to be fertilized, and those that have just been transplanted need to be fertilized only when they take root. It is strictly forbidden to feed plants infected with the disease.
Weeding and loosening.
Loosening the soil in a flower bed is very important work, since it provides air access to the soil, which accelerates seed germination, and then supplies the roots of the plant with oxygen. Simultaneously with loosening the soil, they combat weed grass and thinning of seedlings. They loosen and weed the soil several times a season. It is most convenient to do this after watering or good rain. Loosening should be done very carefully, trying not to damage the root system of plants with the tool.
The vast majority of flowers growing in our areas come from southern latitudes and cannot winter under the snow. Therefore, they are either dug up for the winter and stored in the cellar, like gladioli and dahlias, or they are made a “race” by sowing seedlings.
When to plant asters
Asters - annual plants, belonging to the most valuable flyers. The homeland of the aster is China and Japan. IN middle lane In Russia and Siberia, these flowers are most often grown through seedlings, otherwise especially large and valuable cut varieties will not have enough time to show themselves in all their glory.
Asters are sown by seeds. There are several hundred varieties of asters in the world, which, according to the shape of the inflorescence and the parameters of the bush, are divided into varieties: Chrysanthemum-shaped, Needle-shaped, Princess. Aster is capable of self-pollinating and re-pollinating, so low-grade chamomile-like flowers grow from seeds obtained at home.
Aster belongs to the Asteraceae family. Aster seeds, or rather the fruits, are called achenes. Most plants in this family have bristles and hairs on their seeds that help them spread. In nature, the seeds of Asteraceae are either caught by the bristles of passing animals or carried by the wind using “parachutes” of hairs. To get a clearer idea of what we're talking about, just remember the aster’s relative - the ordinary dandelion.
Aster seeds are light, weightless, have almost no supply of nutrients and therefore, already in the second year of storage, germination rate sharply decreases. Sowing fresh seeds is an important condition successful cultivation of these plants.
- Aster seeds are sown for seedlings in mid-March. Seeds are sown in light soil, to which humus was not added last season. Aster seedlings are sensitive to pathogenic soil fungi, so experienced gardeners in the fall stock up the soil on which marigolds and calendula grew - their roots secrete compounds that disinfect the soil.
- When asters are planted with seeds obtained last year, seedlings appear quite quickly - within a week. There is no need to soak aster seeds. When a true leaf appears, the seedlings dive to a distance of 4 centimeters. Aster does not tolerate transplantation well, so if it is possible to plant each seedling into an individual container, then this should be done. In this case, the root will not be damaged when planted in open ground and the plant will quickly take root.
- The seedlings are kept in a bright place at a temperature of 12 -16 degrees, fed twice with complete fertilizer at an interval of two weeks. Planting in open ground depends on the weather and conditions in which the seedlings grew. Hardened plants planted on a site in peat pots or tablets, tolerate spring frosts up to – 4.
- It is not necessary to bother with aster seedlings - growing from seeds sown in open ground is also possible. This is done before winter, when the soil begins to freeze. Such plants begin to bloom later than those obtained through seedlings, but they bloom longer and more abundantly.
On the site, seedlings are planted at a distance that depends on the characteristics of the variety (the planting pattern is indicated on the package with the seeds). Asters love light and neutral soil. Manure should not be applied to the crop - this leads to infection with fusarium, and the affected plants quickly die. Plants love mineral fertilizers and do not respond well to organic ones. In a bright place with watering and fertilizing, the authors bloom profusely until frost.
Spring crocus or saffron - the most popular garden culture. Crocuses are corms and are not usually propagated by seeds. But they reproduce well from bulbs, and they have a high reproduction coefficient, that is, the plantings thicken quite quickly. If the plants are not replanted, signs of oppression appear, so crocuses are replanted every 5-6 years.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to propagate crocus by seeds. The seeds of these plants ripen at the end of May; they are large, round and heavy. It is important not to miss the moment of collecting seeds, otherwise they will fall to the ground.
- The seeds are collected and stored in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight lid. They are sown in late autumn, when the average daily temperature drops to about +5.
- The bed for sowing is prepared in advance, in a shaded place. When digging, sand and peat are added. Crocus seedlings are delicate, so even at the stage of preparing the bed, the soil is thoroughly cleared of perennial weeds. In winter, crops are mulched with mature compost.
When to plant dahlias
Dahlias reproduce mainly vegetatively - by dividing the tuber and cuttings. They are bred by seeds exclusively when breeding new varieties.
- At the end of March, the tubers are taken out of the cellar and begin to grow, at the same time they can be divided. The tubers are cleaned of last year's roots, old shoots are cut off, the cuts are sprinkled with coal dust and kept in the air for a day, and then buried in peat, sawdust or moss. The root collar is left on the surface. After 2 weeks, the buds will begin to sprout and division can begin. The tubers are removed from the substrate and separated into parts by hand. The resulting cuttings are again placed in the substrate for growing or, if the time has come, they are planted on the site.
- Dahlias do not tolerate frost at all, so the timing of their planting in open ground depends entirely on the weather forecast.
- May is a busy time for gardeners. The sowing of vegetable and flower crops in the ground is already behind us; the emerging shoots require attention. At the same time, vegetables and flower seedlings. And then, as luck would have it, rumors about the coming frost are spreading throughout the interiors of garden buses. Late spring frosts are the primary enemy of dahlias. This is why plants grown at home need to be hardened off. To do this in warm days they are taken outside for several hours (put on the balcony). Over time, the duration of the “walks” is increased and even containers with sprouts are left for fresh air all night long.
- Ungrown root tubers are planted in the ground earlier than sprouted ones - in early May. The tubers are inspected, areas with signs of disease are cut out, soaked for 30 minutes in potassium permanganate and planted in planting holes 40 centimeters deep and 30 centimeters in diameter. Dahlias should be planted on sunny areas into nutritious light soil. On well-cultivated soil, it is enough to season landing hole one shovel of humus and two tablespoons of complete mineral fertilizer.
Propagation by cuttings
Seedlings of dahlias begin to be planted in February. The sooner you start this, the more developed tubers will form by autumn. However, if you start too early, the cuttings will not root well.
- In mid-February, the tubers are planted in peat for germination.
- Cuttings are cut when the shoots grow 5-8 centimeters and planted in pots for rooting.
- A layer of nutrient mixture is poured onto the bottom, and a layer of calcined quarry sand is added on top.
- The cutting is buried half a centimeter in the sand; it will take two to three weeks to take root. If cuttings were done in February, then after a month and a half the cuttings can already be transplanted into peat pots. If cuttings began in April, then transplantation is done within two weeks.
- Cuttings are planted in open ground when the threat of frost has passed.
When to plant gladioli
Gladioli are one of the most demanding and labor-intensive flower crops. To Work with planting material gladioli are finished in late autumn, and then the corms are checked all winter to see how they are stored.
Since mid-spring, a new cycle of growing gladioli has been gaining momentum. Planting of gladioli in the spring begins in late April (in Siberia after May 9). Much depends on spring and it is better to focus not on the calendar, but on the soil temperature - when planting it should be + 8-10 degrees at a depth of 10 centimeters.
Preparation of planting material
The corms are taken out of the cellar at the end of March and first cleaned of dry scales. At the same time, they are carefully examined, the affected areas are cut out with a sterile knife, dried, and the sections are coated with brilliant green. Then lay out in diffused light at a temperature of +30 degrees (for example, on kitchen cabinets). This technique is called vernalization.
Light treatment and elevated temperature activates biochemical processes, causes the awakening of the kidneys, the influx of nutrients to the root tubercles. Subsequently, all this will result in the rapid development of plants after planting and the acceleration of the onset of flowering. Vernalization has a particularly beneficial effect on juvenile bulbs.
When to plant gladioli on the site? The signal to start planting will be the soil temperature. It is impossible to delay planting gladioli, because heat air stimulates the growth of the above-ground system, while the root system will lag behind and this will negatively affect the quality of the flowers. On the eve of planting, the corms are soaked for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then transferred until the morning in warm solution microelements.
The bulbs are planted in such a way that a layer of soil equal to double or triple the height of the corm remains above the plant. Shallow landing leads to curvature of peduncles, buried - to a decrease in the number of children and stunted growth.
Children boarding deadline
Children or tubers of gladioli are young bulbs formed on stolons extending from the axils lower leaves. They are dug up at the same time as the bulbs and immediately sorted. For planting, children with a diameter > 4 mm are left and stored together with adult corms.
If the preparation of corms begins about a month before planting in the ground, then the children are taken out of storage 2-3 days before planting. They are cleaned from the shell, discarding dried and diseased ones. Then the children, like adult bulbs, are soaked in potassium permanganate and a solution of trace elements. Children are sown at the same time, to a depth of 5-6 centimeters, at the rate of 40-50 pieces per linear meter grooves.
It is important to know the timing of planting flowers, but it is equally important to comply with them. Plants sown and planted on time will have time to complete the growing season before frost and will delight the farmer with what they were actually planted for - beautiful, lush and long-lasting flowering.
How to choose flowers for planting in open ground?
Flowers for planting are selected based on several parameters:
- perennial or annual;
- fast growing or not;
- frost-resistant or not;
- shady or sunny;
- moisture-loving and vice versa;
You can be guided by your own wishes in choosing and adjust the conditions for summer cottage to the needs of the flowers you have chosen, or select those plant varieties that are suitable in terms of characteristics to the conditions in your region, the type of soil on your site and other basic criteria that I have listed.
Method of planting flowers in open ground
As for the method of planting plants in open ground, there are some nuances here. Planting can be either seeds or cuttings - these two types are often used - but also by dividing rhizomes, cuttings, and seedlings. I suggest you, to begin with, better familiarize yourself with the necessary planting conditions for the selected plant variety in order to understand what process should be used to approach its propagation.
Finally, having studied the nuances of planting in open ground, we came to the main thing - the topic of this article. Planting flowers in open ground for the vast majority of varieties is carried out in spring period, less often in early summer, for certain varieties - in early spring. In winter, flowers are not planted in the ground, but the option is used pre-germination at home, followed by transplanting flowers into open ground in the spring.
Frost-resistant flowers can be planted under snow or in early spring. The same varieties that prefer heat, solar lighting and warmed soil is suitable, of course, planting at the end of April or in May. Fast growing plants with a short growing season, they can be planted in open ground at the beginning of summer, but you should pay attention to the duration of their flowering.
I am attaching color options for early and late planting.
Early flowers for open ground: marigolds, gatsania, cleome, morning glory, anhuza, cloves, bartonia, davera, molucella and others.
Late flowers for open ground: Iberis, phacelia, chrysanthemum, roses, Turkish carnation, mallow, viola, forget-me-nots, phalacea, aster and others.
Personal experience of planting flowers in open ground
I decided to plant asters at the beginning of summer, using the seed propagation method. I would immediately like to draw the attention of beginners to the quality of seeds - it should always be impeccable! Check not only the quality of seeds by appearance, but study what soils the mother plants were grown on, how the seeds were stored and what their shelf life is. Also use high quality soil mixtures the composition that suits your flowers. Good luck, future professional gardeners!
Small seeds planted in the spring can bring great joy. It is annual flowers that bloom all summer, without seedlings, that are bright colors in the garden until late autumn, as well as enjoying the pleasant aroma of fragrant plants. Sometimes you don’t even need to bother with seedlings for this; all that is required is to plant the flowers directly in the ground. A well-prepared weed-free bed gives life-giving strength to each seed so that it can take root. new soil and germinate.
If there is not enough space in the house to plant seedlings and keep them in pallets and mini-greenhouses for several months, then ideal option there will be flowers without seedlings. In this case, planting is done directly into the ground. Seeds are scattered either freely, right at the site of the future flower bed, or according to a predetermined color scheme.
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), helianthus (Helianthus laetiflorus), sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus), iberis (Iberis umbellata), Limnanthes douglasii, foxglove (Digitalis fontanesii), nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus), nigella (Nigella), zinnia (Zinnia), shown in the photographs below.
Time and entire planting process
To ensure that seeds without seedlings take root and germinate quickly, wait until the soil is warm and moist. Usually best time is mid-spring and early summer (April – June) or pre-winter sowing in autumn. If it is possible to make a greenhouse, then the seeds can be planted in March. The seed packets indicate planting time, so check it additionally. 
Tips for planting plants in open ground:
- The flower bed must be dug up to give the seeds a chance to germinate. It is enough to do this to the depth of a shovel. If you are going to sow in a new place, it is better to loosen the soil twice. You can pre-prepare fertilizers or manure.
- Cover the ground with plastic or film to warm it up and additionally protect it from weeds.
- When it's time to sow, lift the film and create a greenhouse-like canopy. Be sure to water the soil before planting, otherwise you will drown the newly planted seeds.
- Make shallow holes by sticking sticks into the ground, or use a rake, and then carefully place the seed in the bottom at least 10-15 mm deep. Don't overdo it, leave at least a finger width of space for small seeds.
- Use a rake to carefully rake the soil and, if necessary, install a shelter. If you cover it with film, you can put bricks or water bottles around the edges to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Be careful, as the seeds can be pecked by birds, and caterpillars and snails really like the young seedlings.
- In order not to forget what you planted and where exactly, put up signs or stick tags with the name of the plant.
Unpretentious pets
Cornflowers(Centaurea cyanus).
Cornflowers
It can be an annual, perennial, or even a subshrub. In one and a half to two years unpretentious cornflowers (pictured) can grow to a height of 0.5-1 meters. And their blue and blue flowers will add spring mood in the garden. Prefer sunny places with sand or clay soil, preferably with humus and good drainage. Pests are not attracted, but can suffer from powdery mildew if there is constant and abundant moisture.
Helianthus, or decorative sunflower (Helianthus).
Helianthus 
Perennial, 1 to 2 meters high. Flower seeds planted straight into the ground, produce seedlings that open in late summer - early autumn, bright yellow spots will delight you until the first frost, because this type of helianthus is frost-resistant. In addition, it is drought tolerant but prefers full sun. As well as clay and sandy soils.
Iberis(Iberis umbellata).
Iberis 
Choose calcareous, clay or sandy soil for Iberis. Be sure to drain well and plant in a sunny location. Height - from 10 to 50 cm. Flowers can be white, crimson, purple, pink. After the plant has faded, it must be cut off, thus next year it will make you happy again.
The success of any design is harmonious combination its key elements, which is achieved with the right...
Blooming all summer
Sweet pea(Lathyrus odoratus).
Sweet pea 
A very simple plant to grow and care for. Most of its seeds are large and take root well if planted in open ground. The unpretentious well-known varieties Colorcade and Old Fashioned produce tall shoots. The varieties Cupid, Bijou and Potted Fragrance grow a little lower, which can easily pass for ground covers.
Limnantes of Douglas(Limnanthes douglasii).
Limnantes of Douglas
The flower, which looks like a boiled egg, is yellow in the middle and white around the edges. Spreads by self-seeding and is suitable for most soil types and lawns. Its unobtrusive beauty will be revealed in rockeries and borders. Limnanthes is such a compact plant that it fits perfectly into a small garden, growing up to 15 cm in length. Loves sun or slight shade.
Digitalis(Digitalis fontanesii).
Naperstyanka 
It is a biennial or perennial that blooms for several years. The creamy yellow bells contrast with the dark green stem, which can grow from 50 cm to 1 meter. Flowering all summer, foxgloves prefer chalky, clay and sandy soils. Drained, well-moistened soil with an acidic or neutral pH is perfect for them. They are undemanding when it comes to lighting, but partial shade is best for them. Trimming the stem will encourage new flowers to grow. Please note that foxglove is susceptible to attack by aphids and caterpillar nematodes.
Nasturtium(Tropaeolum majus).
Nasturtium
Half-meter annual or perennial, which can easily do without seedlings. Feels great in bright sun and is unpretentious to the soil composition. The shades are varied - from delicate cream and yellow to rich orange and red. Of course, nasturtium will fit into any garden composition, and if you prune it at the end of autumn, it will bloom the next year. The only caveat is that it attracts caterpillars, midges and aphids. But the use of appropriate medications can reliably protect it.
Damascus nigella(Nigella damascena).
Damascus nigella 
Annual. Plant flowers directly in the ground so that you can admire their white and blue flowers. Sandy, clayey, calcareous soils and sunny side – the necessary conditions for her. In one year, nigella can grow up to 50 cm, which allows it to be used as a border plant or in mixborders.
Planting and caring for zinnia is not difficult and will not frighten even an inexperienced gardener. Perfect for a rustic garden.
Spring is the time for active work at the dacha. By the end of March, as a rule, the snow melts, gardeners begin whitewashing trees, checking seeds for germination and preparing seedlings. It's time to think about flowers. To get a beautiful flower bed at the beginning of summer, you should sow the seeds of early flowers now.
Which annuals and perennials are not afraid of frost, and how to carry out the preparation procedure for planting in open ground - in the material "AiF-Chelyabinsk".
Cornflowers and chrysanthemum
Not all flowers can be grown in seedlings - many do not survive transplantation. Therefore, frost-resistant annuals and perennials are sown in the ground.
“Cornflowers, Iberis, toadflax, cosmos, and calendula are sown in the ground in early April, without fear of possible cold snaps. These flowers have a short growing season, so at the beginning of summer you can enjoy fragrant and colorful buds. In mid-April, it is recommended to sow asters, godetia, chrysanthemums, and delphinium. In the middle of summer, you can re-sow the same cold-resistant flowers and enjoy them throughout the fall, until frost. Suitable for sowing at the end of April unpretentious plants such as poppy, mathiolla, mignonette, marigold, alyssum, foxglove, mallow, lupine, southern liatris, viola,” says agronomist of the Union of Gardeners of Russia Lyudmila Pashnina.
Not deep grooves
“We must take into account that some will not rise or will die. Therefore, it is recommended to sow one and a half times more required quantity colors. If too many plants come up, they can be easily thinned out or transplanted,” says the agronomist.
The grooves should not be made too deep - they should correspond to the size of the seeds. For the smallest ones - up to 2 cm, for the largest ones - up to 5 cm. You should also calculate the required distance between the rows based on the growth of the planted crops. After sowing, the bed must be covered with film, and when the first shoots appear, it should be removed.
Seeds should be watered as needed. As a rule, they are moistened according to the schedule indicated on the package.
Good germination is ensured by properly balanced air temperature. For example, heat-loving sage, marigold, amaranth, zinnia, petunia, purslane, arctotis, and dahlia need to maintain a temperature of more than +20 degrees to form. For aster, snapdragon, sweet pea, lobelia, godetia, matthiola, cooler air is suitable: from +12 to +16 degrees.
Fertilizing and weeding
Annual plants are fed for the first time one and a half to two weeks after planting, the next feeding is applied in mid-summer.
Perennial plants are fertilized three times a year: the first time in the spring, when the soil begins to dry out from melt water, the second time at the beginning of the bud formation period, and the third after flowering. You can feed not only by fertilizing the soil, but also by spraying the leaves with nutrient solutions. Such fertilizers begin to act much faster than root ones.
Flowers that are at rest do not need feeding, but those that have just been transplanted need to be fertilized when they take root.
“To speed up the growth of seeds, you need to loosen the soil, as this allows air to enter the soil and supplies the roots with oxygen. It is most convenient to loosen and weed with tools after watering. This should be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system,” gardeners advise.
By the way
- When sowing annual flowers to perennials, it is not recommended to loosen the soil deeper than 6-8 cm.
- When forming a colorful, assorted flower bed, you should use “nest” planting: 7-8 pieces of the most small seeds, 4-5 medium and 2-3 large. But caring for such a planting will be more difficult.
- It is recommended to thin out the planting immediately after the leaves appear on the sprouts, but if the young sprouts do not interfere with each other, you can wait for the first small flowers.
