Plant flower seedlings in open ground. When to plant flowers for seedlings. Primrose, lobelia and verbena

Believe me, once you grow a flower, it is impossible to stop. This process is slow and quite complex, but no less interesting and exciting. There is a huge assortment of different flowers and ornamental shrubs, but it is much more interesting to sow flowers as seedlings yourself, then observing the entire development cycle of the plant, starting with a seed and ending with a beautiful flower.

It’s difficult to say exactly when you can sow flowers for seedlings; it all depends on the weather outside the window and forecasts for spring and early summer. Overgrown seedlings lose their marketable appearance, do not tolerate transplantation well and take a long time to take root in a new place. It is necessary to adhere to the average time for sowing seeds, which occurs at the beginning or middle of March. Under no circumstances should you rush into sowing; a healthy plant can take root well and catch up with its previously planted counterparts.

Perennials

The difference between them and annuals is their lifespan; having once planted a perennial, you can be sure that for many years, observing proper care and using the necessary fertilizing, you will be provided with flowering. However, in areas with harsh winters, you need to carefully choose plants taking into account their winter hardiness, since there is a threat of freezing or damping off. Another weakness of perennials flowering plants– fast flowering period. For most of their growing season, perennials build up green mass, then a short flowering occurs, and the plant begins to prepare for winter. Therefore, despite all the beauty and charm of perennial flowers, after flowering they can lose their decorative effect and need to be supplemented with annual flowers.

Annuals - a bright flash of a short summer

The homeland of many annual flowers is warm countries. There they grow safely throughout the year. In our climate with frosts this is impossible, so they can only be grown successfully in warm period. They seem to know about the measured short life, and in gratitude they give us their flowering, like a bright flash! To extend this delightful period, use seedling method cultivation, in which plants are planted on permanent place in the development phase of true leaves, often even ready for flowering. The timing of sowing seedlings for different flowers can vary significantly, it depends on the individual characteristics inherent in each species.

Annual plants

Let's start with a seed

When sowing seeds, you need to have patience and endurance, since seed germination has different timing. If you use seeds collected from your own plants, then keep in mind that they may generally lose their viability if they do not have time to ripen or are stored incorrectly. In addition, there is always a risk that it will not be possible to obtain a plant with last year’s characteristics, since the selection of seeds also has its own subtleties.

The method of germinating seeds purchased in flower shops is indicated on the bags, which describe in detail the conditions for the successful cultivation of each plant. When purchasing, you need to monitor the expiration date and not buy discounted or expired seeds, otherwise you may not wait for germination at all.

Some plants are capable of very rapid germination, and the seedlings can please you in just a few days. For example, marigolds, marigolds, petunia, cleome, viola and many others.

Marigold
Cleome

There are also plants with very for a long time seed germination, such as brugmansia, lavender, primrose, hellebores, lumbago, most perennial plants. Various methods are used to stimulate the processes of seed pecking.

Brugmansia
Hellebore

What is needed for planting seedlings

The successful outcome of the task of decorating the site with flower arrangements does not contain trifles. Growing flower seedlings includes several stages, and each of them needs to be given attention. The initial stage is to purchase high-quality seed and soil mixture for growing plants.

Quality seeds are the key to success

It is better to purchase seeds from trusted manufacturing companies that have proven themselves well in the market. You should not attempt to grow flower seedlings that require special conditions for growth without having sufficient experience for this. It is better to start with unpretentious plant species, and in the future you can afford to grow rare flowers, perennials and even conifers and clematis.

Soil preparation

The second important thing for healthy seedlings has soil used for sowing. If plants are grown using picking, then sowing is done in light soil, and then the seedlings are transplanted into more nutritious mixtures. When grown in one container, without diving, the soil must provide the plant with the necessary amount of nutrients, so it is better to purchase ready-made soils in specialized stores. There is often advice on calcining the soil before planting. This should not be done, since high temperatures kill both harmful and beneficial microorganisms living in the soil, making it dead and useless. To neutralize the soil, it is enough to spill it with a 0.1% manganese solution.

The health of seedlings directly depends on daylight hours. Lack of light threatens weak development and withering of seedlings...

Growing containers – the choice is yours

Before you start growing flower seedlings, you need to take care of purchasing the necessary accessories in specialized stores or flower departments. There you can also choose suitable containers for sowing and growing. If sowing can be done in a small container, then later in the process of growing the root system it will be necessary to transship or transplant the plant into a larger container. Can be used to grow flower seedlings peat tablets. After swelling in water, they greatly increase in volume and create good conditions for plant development. In addition, they significantly facilitate sowing and save time for caring for growing seedlings, since it is enough to place a seed in a shallow hole and carry out timely watering. The main thing is that when landing in a permanent place in open ground do not forget to break the mesh in which the peat tablet is often enclosed.

Planting flowers for seedlings can occur in peat cups, which come in several sizes. What is considered convenient is that you can choose the sizes that suit you, from the largest, most suitable for vegetable seedlings, to the smallest ones, in which picked flower seedlings are grown until they are planted in the flower garden. When cups with seedlings are placed in containers, it is recommended to separate them from contact with each other by placing thick cellophane between them. Seedlings are capable of sprouting roots into neighboring containers, and in order not to injure them when planting in open ground, it is better to prevent this proximity. Disposable drink glasses and food containers are also suitable for use in growing flower seedlings. It is only necessary to rinse thoroughly, disinfect them before use and pierce holes on the bottom to allow excess moisture to escape.

Seed preparation

Pre-soaking seeds

When purchasing seeds, the question often arises - how to grow flower seedlings and not destroy them? There are several techniques for this, starting with pre-treatment of seeds before sowing. Soaking does double duty, dissolving chemical compounds in the seed coat and softening it, speeding up germination. The seeds are soaked in warm water for 24 hours, after swelling, plant in the ground, not allowing to dry out. If for some reason the soaking continues for more than a day, the water must be changed daily.

Seed stratification

Some seeds require the use of cunning to ripen the embryo or to awaken. With the help of cold, winter conditions are created for them - stratification, by placing a small container with wet sand on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Seeds are sown superficially on the sand, covered with a lid and placed in the refrigerator (not to be confused with freezer). It is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the sand, preventing it from drying out and not being very wet. After the recommended time has passed, the container is removed and placed in a bright, warm place.

Sometimes double stratification consisting of alternating several periods of cold and heat is required to grow a plant. For example, tree peonies, yew, cypress, and hellebore have several periods of dormancy and awakening.

Scarification of seeds

There are plants whose seeds are not able to germinate even when soaked, their shell is so dense. Having sowed castor beans, black locusts, sweet peas, and morning glory, you may not see sprouts appear, although the seeds were of high quality and viable. The sprout was unable to break through the thick shell and withered away as a seed. To prevent this, it is enough to violate the integrity of the shell by scratching it or piercing it with a needle, trying not to damage the “eye” - the growth point of the seed. This method of breaking the shell is called scarification (not to be confused with stratification).

Germination in a bag

Very small seeds can be germinated in a bag. This method is quite universal and trouble-free. This is done simply; the seeds are sown in a prepared container with soil, either superficially or lightly sprinkled on top, depending on the individual characteristics of the plant. Moisten and place in a transparent plastic bag, tying it tightly. Place the package in a warm place and forget about it for a while.

This mini-greenhouse does not require watering, since the resulting condensate completely provides the crops with moisture. Inspect the crops from time to time, and when sprouts appear, immediately move the containers to a bright place closer to the window, or under additional lighting. If you don’t do this and miss the moment, your extensions will stretch out and may lie down. The temperature during this period is also reduced by several degrees. Do not place sprouted plants in direct sunlight to avoid burns. Accustom your kids to the sun gradually, taking pity on their delicate leaves.

Soaking in medicines for diseases

It is unknown what may await flower crops after germination and what diseases can damage them or even destroy them. There is a risk of this occurring and some measures must be taken to prevent the death of seedlings. To do this, before sowing, the seed material is kept in a 0.1% manganese solution for half an hour and then washed. You can also use special preparations “Fitosporin”, “Stimulin”, which have a good effect, and the drug “Maxim”, intended for treating flower bulbs. They are used strictly in accordance with the attached instructions.

Seedling care

Watering

Proper watering plays a big role in growing flower seedlings. Before pipping and after the appearance of small sprouts with a couple of leaves, it is very important to prevent waterlogging, as this can ruin all the crops. During this period, plants are watered rarely, with great care, draining water along the inner wall of the container or spraying with a spray bottle, you can use a syringe. It is important to remember that it is better to underwater than to over-hydrate. Subsequently, as the plants grow, they are watered with settled tap water room temperature.

Top dressing

If you have correctly composed the soil mixture or purchased ready-made soil, then feeding the seedlings may not be necessary at first. The soil contains enough nutrients for normal growth and development of the plant. If the appearance of a plant indicates deficiencies of some microelements, then there are many feeds and fertilizers to choose from that can correct this situation. It is best to use complex fertilizer for seedlings in a weaker concentration than indicated in the attached instructions. It is important not to overfeed the seedlings and not to force them to fatten, since in a flower garden the composition of the surrounding soil will differ significantly and the plant may experience severe stress, from which it will be difficult for it to get rid of. Therefore, during the seedling period, plants need to be accustomed to similar living conditions in the garden.

Lighting

To grow high-quality flower seedlings, you need additional lighting using phytolamps. You should not place them closer than 30 cm from the plants; additional lighting should be carried out in the morning and evening, extending the daylight hours by 6-7 hours. With insufficient lighting, the seedlings stretch out, become pale and sickly. If you were unable to purchase a phytolamp in time, a DIY illumination for seedlings can help you get additional lighting. It is not difficult to do and anyone can cope with this task if they wish. It is enough to secure the fluorescent lamp to the window frame using wire or tape.

Description of the process of planting seedlings

Picking

When a plant has two true leaves, it is necessary to pick it. It is better to dry the soil a little before the procedure, without watering the plant for 1-2 days to make it easier to remove it from the soil. Select the largest, well-developed specimens and carefully remove them from the seedling container using a small spoon. The root system is examined and the very long central root is shortened to encourage the formation of additional lateral roots. Carefully transfer to a pot, placing it in the prepared hole and compact the soil around the seedling. After this, water the plant a little. After planting, place the plant in a cool, bright place. Sometimes it is recommended to place the plant under a transparent bag, but this is not necessary, since correctly done picking almost always causes complete survival.

Hardening

Growing flower seedlings goes through many stages, starting from the preparation of seed material and its sowing to planting ready-made plants into open ground. When all growing periods have been successfully completed, preparations begin for replanting the plants to a permanent location. This must be done in several stages, gradually accustoming the grown flower seedlings to new living conditions. Initially, plants in containers are briefly placed under open sky, it is better if the weather at this time is not particularly sunny. Since even in the warm season the night temperatures differ quite noticeably from the daytime ones, the seedlings are brought home at night for the first few days.

If possible, you can use a greenhouse for these purposes, placing seedlings there at night, remembering that there is a threat of return night frosts, which can damage tender seedlings. Only after such hardening can plants be planted in open ground.

Planting is done on a cloudy day. During the first time, it is necessary to ensure sufficient soil moisture, but at the same time watering should not be too abundant.

Primrose: short description, species The first acquaintance with primroses amazes the imagination with the variety of shapes and colors….

Diseases and disease control

The main disease that can destroy an entire crop overnight is blackleg. main reason its occurrence is due to excessive soil moisture and heat air. At the first signs, you need to remove all the fallen plants, and add dry sand to the remaining ones. It is recommended to treat the seedlings with Previkur.

Powdery mildew

In conclusion, I would like to note that the most beautiful flowers bloom where they are raised with love and treated like living beings. Try to take part in this exciting process, start by growing flower seedlings and see for yourself!

Preparation for the process of growing flowers in own garden It is best to start in winter so that in the future the flowers will grow stronger and bloom faster. There is nothing complicated in this matter, but still some of the knowledge contained in this article may be useful to you.

What flowers are grown through seedlings

Before you begin the process of growing flower seedlings at home, you need to determine which flowers can be propagated in this way. These can be annual, biennial, or even. For sowing, plants are usually selected that have a fairly long growing season and earlier flowering; as for other flower seedlings, here, in principle, you can choose any plant that tolerates further replanting well.
Frequent guests on balconies and window sills are mainly: phlox, begonia, verbena, gerbera, geranium, mignonette, marigold, zinnia, snapdragon, sweet pea, Chabot carnation, petunia, cineraria, pansy, viola and many others.

Did you know? The ancient Egyptians were the first to think of growing flowers. This happened more than 4000 years ago.

Basic growing rules

Not only can you grow healthy, strong flower seedlings with a well-developed root system experienced gardener, but also just a diligent amateur. In order for everything to work out as it should, you just need to adhere to the basic simple rules of growing.

Seed selection

The most important, most significant mistake when growing seedlings is buying low-quality, spoiled seeds - after all, the final result will depend on their quality.

Important! You should not save when buying seeds, because stinginess can lead to best case scenario to weak shoots, at worst- they may not germinate at all. Therefore, stock up on high-quality planting material only in trusted places and from trusted manufacturers.

Deciding on a container for planting

The best container for sowing flower seeds in a house or apartment will always be pots, because when planting in boxes, you then have to pick the seedlings, and the seedlings themselves in the “potted” version are less susceptible to injury and infection with rot. Of course, if we talk about a large amount of planting material and large garden plans, then plastic cassettes with pallets, glasses or the same boxes will be more relevant.

Important! It is better not to use cardboard containers for seedlings, especially those in which dairy products were stored. The fact is that they are treated with special evaporating substances that can suppress barely emerging shoots.

Peat pots are rightfully the best container for planting seeds.- they are made of environmentally friendly material and provide the necessary moisture and air exchange in the soil zone in which it should be located root system. The main advantage of these pots is that grown seedlings can be planted in the ground directly in them, without damaging the still rather weak roots.

A for germination small plants peat tablets work well- they are able to swell when soaked and turn into an interesting glass filled with peat substrate. However, ordinary boxes for seedlings and plastic glasses will also work well, but with the condition that there will be drainage holes and trays for excess liquid.

Soil preparation

The main requirements for preparing the soil in which the seeds will germinate are its moisture and air permeability, as well as moderate nutritional content. For some, it is preferable to immediately buy ready-made soil in a specialized store, but, as the practice of many gardeners has shown, it is better to choose and prepare the soil yourself in order to avoid various counterfeits and low-quality impurities.
Compositions soil mixtures may differ slightly from each other, but, as a rule, they mainly consist of garden or turf soil, sand, and, of course, peat.

Let's look at each ingredient separately:

You can prepare turf soil in a simple way, but in terms of waiting times for ready soil, it is extremely long. It is necessary to remove a 5-cm layer of turf in the meadow, turn its strips down with grass and lay them on top of each other in piles, and only after 1 or 2 years, after the grass has completely rotted, you will get excellent nutritious soil.
Instead of turf soil, it is much easier to use leaf soil. To do this, you just need to remove its top layer from under deciduous trees or take it from greenhouses or ridges.
Humus for the mixture should be taken well rotted, no longer containing unpleasant odor and quite loose.
The sand usually taken is coarse-grained and clean, mainly of river type.
The peat for the soil should be loose, milled and low-lying - it has a dense structure and a fairly dark color.

Also, when preparing the soil for seedlings, components such as chalk, lime and dolomite flour will not interfere. All these ingredients must be mixed in the proportions you need, pinch them off with special shovels or buckets. The mixture is then mixed well and sifted on a garden screen.

Processing of planting material

Such a preparatory stage before planting, such as processing the planting material, is necessary to ensure that the seedlings are healthy and strong. Selected viable medium and large seeds must be thoroughly disinfected and prevented from all possible diseases. To do this, they are first placed in a solution of potassium permanganate and soaked for 12 hours. Next, the seedlings should be soaked in a special growth stimulator, in order, in particular, to develop their resistance to adverse conditions.
The stratification procedure will not be superfluous either. To carry this out, the seeds should be soaked for 12 hours at room temperature, and then place them in the refrigerator (also for 12 hours), then take them out and keep warm. Thus, the plant is initially prepared for temperature changes.

Choosing a place to grow

The main rule for growing flowering plants is to germinate seeds in a dark place. The position of the containers must be changed already when the first shoots appear - they must be placed in a well-lit area. It is clear that in the end winter period natural light will not be enough at all, so special fluorescent lamps can come to the aid of gardeners. Fluorescent lamps are also suitable for this, but they should be turned on daytime, then the seedlings will maintain a balance of day and night.
The best option to choose right place there will still be a mini-greenhouse, but it takes up a lot of space, so you can try using improvised means. For example, cover containers with seedlings with glass, and after germination, build an imitation greenhouse (a piece of polyethylene is stretched between two pieces of wire).

Sowing flowers for seedlings

The main thing in the question of how to grow flower seedlings from seeds at home will, of course, be the sowing process itself. Before planting, the soil must be moistened in such a way that you completely forget about watering until the seedlings germinate. Next, the process itself is divided into the following manipulations:

If the capacity small size, holes or grooves are made in them.
Small seeds are usually sprinkled on the surface of the soil, large ones are laid out in holes and lightly sprinkled with earth, the distance between them should be maintained at least 3 cm.
Next, the planted seeds in containers are covered plastic film, this is necessary for saving high level humidity. But excess moisture It’s also not very good, so if large drops accumulate under the film or in the bag, the structure needs to be ventilated by turning the film over to the other side.

Plant care

After germination, the selected flowers need proper and regular care. First of all, seedlings need to be provided with a cool and bright place, but without direct sunlight. Further, the following stages are included in the process of caring for plants.

At first glance, it may seem that floriculture is a simple process, because for germination beautiful flower from an ordinary seed you need the most simple conditions created by nature. This is fertile soil, irrigation by rain and warmth from the sun. However, in fact, growing different varieties eustoma, pelargonium, aster, kochia, lavender, kobea, mirabilis and other crops seem to be a labor-intensive task that requires from the grower not only enthusiasm, but also knowledge of the technologies for competent sowing of seeds and practical skills in caring for grown-up seedlings.

But summer residents who do not have this knowledge should not be upset. They can try their hand at floriculture, armed with practical recommendations and tips from this review. It will reveal information about what pitfalls are present in growing specific varieties of popular flower crops from seed.

So that the grown seedlings of perennial flowers are different high quality, during the production of planting material, it is necessary to create ideal conditions. Perennial crops planted from seeds germinate optimally in nutritious soil, so the gardener needs to prepare the appropriate soil mixture in advance and take care of the choice of containers or trays. It is also important to resolve the issue of heating and lighting. Most plants in the best possible way develop in the presence of a constant source of daylight and temperature environment from 24 to 26 degrees Celsius. You can read about how to choose a llama for better lighting of seedlings.

The technology for sowing seeds varies depending on the type of flower, however, some common features can be identified. IN general view sowing seeds in the ground is carried out as follows - planting material is laid out in a moistened and compacted soil mixture. It is then embedded in the soil and covered with a lid or plastic film in order to maintain an optimal level of soil moisture during seed germination. It takes time for flower seedlings to produce the first shoots, so the summer resident should be patient.

Thus, the average germination time for perennial flowers is from three to five weeks.

It is also important to take into account the fact that some seeds germinate faster than others, so germination may be uneven. It is worth highlighting one more point - the level of seed germination. For perennials it is about fifty percent. Compared to the almost one hundred percent germination rate of annual flower seeds, this indicator is critical.

To increase the chances of success in growing seedlings from seeds, a gardener can use the following tricks:

soak the seeds before sowing;
use seeds from healthy plants;
follow the rules for storing seeds in the off-season.

It is important to know when to plant flower seedlings in a particular region. Perennial flowers grow more slowly than their annual counterparts, so it is recommended to sow seeds 10-12 weeks before the planned date of transplanting seedlings into open ground. During this period, the seedlings will get stronger and be ready for new conditions. To ensure good survival rate of planting material, it is recommended to harden the seedlings before planting them in the soil.

As you can see, flower seedlings can be grown independently by a summer resident with any skill level. However, for the best result, he will need to take into account the specific growth of specific crops. It will be covered in the following sections.

Osteospermum is an ideal flower for flower beds, grown with your own hands

Self-sowing osteospermum for seedlings is simple and effective. This plant quickly produces the first shoots and will not cause the gardener any hassle associated with preparing the soil or purchasing special trays. The seeds of this crop are large, with a good level of germination. A summer resident can see the first results after sowing them in just a couple of weeks. As for the specifics of sowing, experts recommend planting osteospermum seeds in light peat soil to a depth of 5 millimeters.

Concerns about when to sow osteospermum seedlings can also haunt the gardener. It is necessary to look for an answer to this question based on the approximate timing of planting seedlings in the ground. So, in order to see the flowering of this perennial at the beginning of summer, the seeds should be sown in peat in March.

Gardeners who are interested in unpretentious perennials may be attracted to another ornamental crop - morning glory. It grows in open ground and does not require special care. When growing this crop, summer residents are interested in only one question - when to plant morning glory seedlings using seeds? On average, planting time in temperate climate zones is at the end of April. Residents of warmer regions can sow seeds as early as March, and by May they will receive strong and hardened seedlings of this beautiful, bright vine.

How to grow elegant pelargonium?

Growing pelargonium is also not difficult. A gardener just needs to know when to plant pelargonium seedlings and how to choose the right one for this crop. optimal soil. Professional gardeners advise planting seeds in peat mixed with perlite. Seeds are planted in well-moistened and compacted soil to a depth of several millimeters. At good quality You can avoid long soaking of seeds in water; you just need to irrigate them with water from a spray bottle immediately before planting. This flower will produce its first shoots on days 5-8, and then it will delight the summer resident speed dial vegetative mass.

Exotic eustoma and spectacular salvia - secrets of growing seedlings

The question of when to plant eustoma seedlings worries lovers of exotic flowers. It is recommended to plant this crop in containers at the end of February. Seedlings grown during this period will bloom in the garden quite late - at the end of July or at the beginning of August. To plant seeds, you need a sterilized substrate, a plastic container and film. You can find out how to choose the right pot for planting seeds. The seeds do not need to be planted deep into the soil - just spread them over the surface and press down with your finger. Next, they should be covered with film until the first shoots appear.

In a similar way, salvia is planted from seed. The only difference is the need to deepen the seeds into pre-made holes by several millimeters. The first salvia shoots appear in 3-4 weeks. During this period, the substrate with plants must be regularly irrigated using a sprayer.

The subtleties of growing fresh and original aster

Only professional gardeners know how to plant asters for seedlings. This section will provide recommendations for beginning summer residents. They will be given advice on how to plant aster seedlings with their own hands. First of all, the gardener must decide when to plant asters, taking into account the climatic characteristics of his region. Based on the fact that seedlings should be planted in open ground at the age of one month, it is best for residents of temperate zones to sow seeds in early April. In the future, they will be able to transfer the seedlings to open ground with the first warm days of May. Sowing seeds is carried out in small containers filled with light soil.

It may contain the following components:

peat;
ash;
humus;
sand and other components that provide good drainage and aeration.

The planting depth should be about a centimeter, and the distance between the holes should be about 2-3 cm. If the planting technique is followed, the plant sprouts in a few days.

Rose - a royal flower for the garden, grown with your own hands

This flower occupies one of the first places in the ranking of popular ornamental plants. It is not surprising that gardeners are interested in the issue of growing planting material on their own, because having mastered it, they will be able to open up a reserve for significant cost savings by refusing to buy expensive seedlings in nurseries.

So, rose seedlings are grown by cuttings from healthy adult bushes. It is recommended to carry out the rooting process of cuttings in small pots treated with potassium permanganate or steam. Soil for better process rooting must have a loose structure. It is also important to take care of its nutritional value. Having planted the cuttings in a container, the gardener can cover it plastic bottle to create a greenhouse effect. If the temperature regime is maintained at 25-27 degrees, you can expect the cuttings to root on the 30th day.

Primrose, lobelia and verbena - unpretentious flowers for the garden

Primrose seeds need to be awakened before planting. Experienced summer residents It is recommended to use one of the following methods for this - soaking in water, treatment with manganese solution, etc. Then you should plant the seeds in wet soil to a shallow depth. After planting primrose seeds in the soil, the first shoots appear on the tenth day. The summer resident must decide when to plant primrose seedlings individually. Thus, the average time for sowing seeds is from the end of February to mid-March.

Lovers of creeping flowers may also need knowledge on how to grow lobelia and verbena seedlings with their own hands. Having received information on how to plant primrose seeds, gardeners will also understand how to plant lobelia seedlings and how to grow verbena in the garden, since the agricultural technology of these crops is similar. But gardeners must answer the question of when to plant verbena seedlings for better results on their own, taking into account the climatic characteristics of their region and relying on the average planting time for this crop in Russia, which falls in March.

Growing bright hollyhocks with your own hands

Stockrose is rightfully considered one of the most noble and beautiful flowers. It has luxurious buds that delight gardeners for quite a long flowering period. Having mastered the intricacies of how to carry out proper landing rose stock for seedlings, the summer resident will be able to grow the number of seedlings of this amazing flower necessary for landscaping the site.

The main advantage of this culture is its unpretentiousness. Seeds can be planted immediately in open ground without worrying about them pre-germination. It is recommended to plant seeds in the last days of May, when the weather outside is warm, but not yet hot.

Seeds should be planted in shallow holes dug at a distance of 20 to 30 centimeters from each other.

Next, you should water the soil and wait for the emergence of seedlings, which usually occurs on the 14th day. To prevent the soil from drying out and the young seedlings from dying, you can organize. You can grow lupine in a similar way. This plant is more heat-loving (like kochia, lavender, kobea) than stockrose, therefore, when deciding when to plant lupine seedlings, the farmer must take into account the climate. Approximately, the plant can be planted in open ground in late April - early May.

The temptation to plant beautiful perennial flowers in the garden seizes many summer residents who strive to create a harmonious and aesthetic space on their site. Indeed, the decision to use perennial flowers has many advantages, because the owner of the plot does not have to re-decorate the flower beds every year, look for seeds in garden centers and fuss over boxes of seedlings. But in order to be able to appreciate these benefits, you need to go a long way and know everything about how to grow flower seedlings from seeds. Growing perennials is more labor intensive, so the gardener needs to have a little patience and enthusiasm in order to see a positive result of his work.

When starting to grow flower seedlings from mid-January, you should provide the seedlings with good lighting, as this gives a good impetus for the development of sprouts and the health of the plant as a whole. Flower seedlings grown from seeds using the following techniques.

February is the time of the first sowing of seeds. This means it’s time to talk about how to grow strong and strong seedlings of garden flowers by the beginning of the season.

Seeds of annuals that do not tolerate transplantation well, or whose seeds sprout quickly, are usually sown in open ground. Annuals with a long growing season begin to be sown as seedlings in February. If you sow them immediately in open ground, they simply will not have time to bloom.

It is safer to grow heat-loving plants as seedlings, then plant them in the garden when the threat of return frosts has passed. These include: marigolds, hybrid gatsania, cultivated dahlia, Waller's balsam, balsam balsam, garden petunia, silver celosia, graceful zinnia, all types of nasturtium.

Some of the listed garden crops(marigolds, nasturtium, zinnia) can be sown in the ground, but then you need to cover the seedlings with non-woven material.

Anyone can grow good seedlings with their own hands, and for this you do not need any special skills, the main thing is desire and a little knowledge. Flower seedlings should be strong and healthy, with a well-developed root system and a strong stem.

The time for planting seeds for seedlings...

In the last days of January - including February, you can begin to sow the seeds of the earliest crops: Shabot carnation and ever-flowering begonia. It is recommended to sow tuber even earlier - last days December - until mid-January. In this case, the plant will bloom in the same year and have time to form tubers.

If it is not possible to provide constant lighting, then you can shift the planting to the end of February - beginning of March, even if these are the seeds of the most “long-lasting” flowers. Otherwise, you will end up with elongated, weak plants, which for the most part are unlikely to survive until the happy moment of transplanting into the ground.

In February, a fairly large group of flowers is sown for seedlings - New Guinea and Waller's balsam, fuchsia, zonal pelargonium, ampelous pelargonium, cineraria, statice, viola, lipa, salvia, lobelia, tigridia, passionflower, etc.

Pelargonium is usually sown in February to be planted in early June. Last season I sowed 20-23.01, bloomed after 24.05. It is better to plant grown seedlings in small pots - flowering will be more abundant in them.

It takes approximately 3-3.5 months from sowing to flowering of petunia; this crop blooms until frost. You can start sowing from the end of February or in March. Shoots appear in 7-12 days.

Mass sowing of one-year-olds most often begins only in March, which is associated with a short growing season.

In March, most annuals are sown for seedlings: asters, primroses, petunias, purslane, phlox drummond, Chinese carnation, hybrid verbena, annual dahlia, milkweed, snapdragon, anemones, gillyflower, kupena, tsmin (immortelle), delphinium, daisies , sage, calceolaria, castor bean and those that were not planted earlier.

In the last ten days of March, you can sow ageratum, alyssum, arctotis, gatsania, coleus, helichrysum, sweet peas, kochia, lobelia, gillyflower, perilla, salvia, sweet tobacco and some other annual flowers, as well as most perennials.

In April, seedlings are sown with heat-loving and fast-growing flowers that quickly sprout and develop - zinnia, iberis, amaranths, marigolds, nasturtium, balsam, annual chrysanthemum.

It often happens that when sowing at home, some seeds germinate poorly or not at all, but when sown in a greenhouse they will germinate amazingly! In a greenhouse you can grow wonderful seedlings of zinnia, ageratum, marigolds, balsams, iberis, phlox, godetia and some other types of annuals.

The sowing of many annuals, which we plant directly in open ground, in flower beds, flower boxes, occurs in April-May (phlox, asters, nasturtium, marigolds, amaranth, decorative sunflowers, annual chrysanthemums).

Which annuals have small seeds?

The seedling method of growing is well suited for flowers with very small seeds - ageratum, begonia, sweet tobacco, bellflower, lobelia, snapdragon, mimulus, petunia, purslane...

The seedlings of these flowers are very thin and weak and easily die in open ground, so seedlings are a guaranteed way to grow beautiful flowers.

When buying seeds, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date, study the planting information on the bag...

If small seeds need good lighting for germination, large seeds with a hard shell develop slowly and do not need light until germination. But after the sprouts appear, you should move them to a bright place.

How to sow flower seeds correctly?

After filling the seedling boxes with the nutrient mixture, pour in a hot pink solution of potassium permanganate. It is undesirable to apply any fertilizers, since flower seedlings often suffer from excess salts.

Don't forget about drainage holes so that excess liquid leaves the container. When the soil is slightly dry, begin sowing the seeds.

Sow the seeds in rows at a short distance from each other, lightly press them into the ground, falling asleep thin layer soil. The exception is plants whose small seeds germinate in the light. In any case, you should not bury them too deeply in the ground. After sowing, the soil is carefully moistened using a spray bottle and covered with glass or transparent film.

So, the seedlings have sprouted, and in the quantity that you planted! As soon as these seedlings grow enough to be grasped with your fingers, the picking stage begins.

Shabo carnations - growing flower seedlings.

A large selection of seed mixtures will allow you to get flowers of the most interesting colors. You can plant until mid-February. Flowering will begin 150 days after planting and will continue until frost. And shoots appear after 5-6 days.

Sow clove seeds in rows, sprinkle sifted soil on top and carefully spray with a spray bottle. Cover the box with polyethylene. Shake off condensation as it fogs up. Shoots will appear in 7-10 days at a temperature of 23-25 degrees.

Remove the film and place the box closer to the light. As the seedlings grow, add soil to the plant stems, since young carnation seedlings are weak and fragile.

After the first picking, I keep the boxes with seedlings at a temperature of 12 degrees. During the second, I pinch out the seedlings in order to get more lush bushes. I plant seedlings in open ground only in the second half of May at a distance of 20 cm from each other.

Growing begonia seedlings...

You can often find granulated seeds on sale, which, of course, is much more convenient when planting. Optimal temperature for germination 20-22°C. At this temperature, seedlings appear in 10-14 days. Water carefully using a sprayer, avoiding over-watering.

Evergreen begonia seeds are one of the first to be sown; you can start sowing as early as possible before mid-January. Very small seeds are not sprinkled with soil; it is enough to distribute them evenly over the surface. Planting containers are covered with glass.

Tuberous ampelous begonia can also be grown from seeds. To get begonias to bloom in summer, you need to sow them in January. Before sowing, it is better to mix dusty begonia seeds with fine, washed and dried sand. Sow randomly. Then, without covering, moisten the soil with the crops from a spray bottle. Cover the container with glass. Wipe its surface as it fogs up.

We grow primrose - flower seedlings.

We put the primrose seeds in the refrigerator to freeze for a month, and in March we plant them in containers.

Primrose, like petunia, is sown on the surface of the ground, without sprinkling, in plastic containers with lids, thanks to which a moist environment and enough light are maintained for the crops; make sure that the crops are not exposed to sunlight.

Grow seedlings using the same technology as petunias. You need to handle the seedlings very carefully - the roots are very weak!

Growing petunia seedlings with seeds.

A few days before sowing, water the soil with Fitosporin-M to prevent blackleg. If the petunia seeds are coated, spread them evenly at a distance of 1-1.5 cm and press them to the soil for better contact.

Sowing ordinary petunia seeds does not involve planting them in the soil, but distributing them over the surface. You can mix the seeds with a small amount river sand, do not sprinkle with earth. Cover the container with a lid to create a greenhouse effect. Temperature in containers 20-22°C.

Open the lid of the container from the petunia crops to remove condensation from it. As for ventilation, under no circumstances should you change the temperature and humidity so sharply. Watch the soil so that it is not dry, but do not allow it to become waterlogged. When petunia seedlings grow up, you can gradually accustom them to the open air.

After the true leaf grows, I plant the seedlings at a distance of 3 cm from each other. The plant tolerates picking and replanting easily. I plant them in the flower garden after the threat of night frosts has passed.

When growing aster seedlings, the temperature contrast helps the seeds germinate faster.

In March - early April I begin to sow seeds annual asters. From sowing to the beginning of flowering, 90-140 days pass. I sow early flowering varieties a little later.

I practically do not sprinkle seeds lightly pressed into the surface of moist soil. Having covered the crops from drying out, I put the box with them in a bright place for germination. This technique greatly increases their germination (after 5-6 days). When the first two true leaves appear, the seedlings can be planted. As a rule, this occurs on the 10th day after sowing the seeds.

Sometimes I use another method of sowing aster: I sprinkle the seeds spread on the surface of the ground with snow (1 cm layer). That's all - the snow melts and draws the aster seeds into the ground. With this sowing, an imitation of sowing an aster in the fall before winter occurs.

The temperature contrast allows the seeds to germinate faster. I sow aster on the surface of the earth. I put the crops in the refrigerator overnight, and during the day I place them in a warm place - and so on several times until the seeds hatch. Then I put them in pots, cover them with soil and water them.

At first glance, this method seems to have a lot of “problems”, but then there is no need to plant the seedlings (although the aster is not afraid of transplantation), and the survival rate from such planting is higher.

Almost any flowers can be grown using seedlings.- annual, biennial and perennial. The only exceptions are plants that do not tolerate transplantation well. Annuals are sown as seedlings most often when they have a long growing season or when they want to get early flowering.
The seedling growing method is optimal for flowers with very small seeds. Their seedlings are thin, weak, and can easily die in open ground, and seedlings are a guaranteed way to grow beautiful and healthy plants. Small seeds need good lighting from the moment of sowing. But large ones have a hard shell and develop slowly, so they are moved to a bright place only after sprouts appear.
Seedlings are grown in greenhouses, on window sills or glazed balconies . To make it strong and healthy, you need to have viable seeds, a high-quality substrate, create favorable conditions for the growth of seedlings and ensure proper care of seedlings.

All plants different speed development, therefore, seeds of slow-growing flowers are sown for seedlings already in January-February, with an average speed of development - in March-April, and fast-growing ones can be sown in May immediately in open ground.

The group of flower crops with a long period of development includes both annual and perennial “leisurely” plants, in which 130–180 days or even more pass from sowing to the beginning of flowering. If you sow them for seedlings in winter, annuals will delight you with flowering already in May - June, and perennials - in the first year of their life! If the seeds of slow-growing plants are sown directly into the ground in May, flowering can be seen at best at the end of summer, at worst - only next year.

Sowing seedlings in January

In the first half of January Shabo carnations are sown for seedlings (blooms 5–6 months after sowing), as well as tuberous and evergreen begonias (from germination to flowering they need 5.5–6.5 months). In tuberous begonia, sown in December - January, tubers form better and last longer than those sown in March.

During this period, seeds are sown on seedlings, which must undergo stratification - stimulation by low temperature. These include aquilegia, spring and stemless gentian, arizema, clematis, princelings, swimsuit, alpine bellflower, Carpathian bellflower, rulberry, jeffersonia, delphinium perennial, perennial violet, primula, penstemon, bronchus, lumbago, irises, many bulbous plants, lavender, primrose .

Our advice:

In January, it is necessary to sow slow-germinating perennial seeds with a dense thick shell (otherwise they will have to be scarified - mechanically disrupt or remove the seed coat).

In the second half of January zonal and ivy-leaved pelargonium, lobelia, primrose, heliotrope, calceolaria, meconopsis and graceful groundsel (cineraria graceica) are sown for seedlings.

Sowing seedlings in February

From the beginning of February You can sow quite a lot of flowers for seedlings with a long germination period: antirrhinum (snapdragon), Turkish carnation, gubastik, kermek, coleus, craspedia globulus, grey-headed left-wing, sparkling salvia, fragrant tobacco, tigridia, cineraria maritima, Wittrock's viola, daisy, passionflower , angustifolia lavender, etc.

It's not too late to sow the seeds of Chabot carnation and evergreen begonia.

In addition, the time has come to plant plants that do well both in the garden and at home - fuchsias, gloxinias, cyclamens, New Guinea balsam and Wallera.

Nowadays, early flowering annuals are being sown for hanging baskets decorating loggias, balconies and glazed terraces - verbena, petunias, thunbergia. At this time, they also continue to sow pelargonium and lobelia.

At the end of February sow nemesia, gatsaniya and marigolds for growing in containers.

Features of growing seedlings of certain types of flowers

Germination test

The seeds of most of the plants mentioned do not require pre-sowing preparation, but before sowing they must be checked for germination and preferably treated with a growth stimulant (to obtain the maximum number of seedlings).

If the seeds germinate for a long time and unfriendlyly (like verbena or gillyflower), before sowing they must be soaked in a growth stimulator (epin, zircon, HB101, agate, etc.). This will speed up seed germination and increase the resistance of seedlings to unfavorable conditions.

Additional preparation

Carefully read the instructions on the bag of purchased seeds; they may require stratification or scarification.

If the seeds should pass stratification, you will have to keep them for several months in loose, moist soil at low temperatures (aquilegia, primrose, etc.).
Scarification needed for seeds with a hard shell (pelargonium). To do this, gently rub the seed coat sandpaper. Seeds with a thick shell germinate better if they are soaked in advance for 12–24 hours, changing the water 2-3 times, or placed in a thermos with warm water overnight.

Sowing depth and density

It is very important to maintain the depth and density of sowing.

Large the seeds are evenly distributed over the substrate and planted to a depth of 1-2 cm.
Average(cloves, verbena, salvia) - sown in the same way, but planted to a depth equal to double the thickness of the seeds.
Small(impatiens, petunia) and very small seeds (begonia, heliotrope, gloxinia, lobelia, calceolaria) are mixed with sand before sowing, evenly distributed over the surface of a moist substrate and simply pressed to the soil without embedding (surface sowing). They are germinated in the light, but not in direct sunlight.

Our advice:

Some amateur gardeners sow small seeds of many crops (begonia, gloxinia, primrose) directly on the snow. When it melts, the seeds fall into the soil well moistened.

Moisture and watering

Containers with sown seeds are covered on top glass jars or plastic film to prevent soil moisture from evaporating. Until seedlings emerge, containers with seeds are kept in a warm place. The substrate should always be moist, but not too wet, otherwise the seeds may suffocate and rot. When the soil dries out, spray it with water from a sprayer. Regular watering at this time is unacceptable, since water jets can erode the soil with seeds.

The jars and film are turned over from time to time so that excessive amounts of condensation do not accumulate on them, and when shoots appear, they are removed altogether. After this, the plants are watered regularly and very carefully using a sprayer or watering can with a fine sieve.

Dive

Grown seedlings are sure to dive. When the first leaf of delphinium, pelargonium, calceolaria, and meconopsis appears, they are planted in seedling pots. To obtain strong seedlings, seedlings of begonia, carnation, heliotrope, salvia, petunia, and viola are recommended to be pricked 2-3 times, last time- in separate pots.

Our advice:

It is advisable to sow plants that do not take root well when transplanted (lewka, kobeya) immediately into pots (1-2 pieces each) in order to avoid picking and once again not to injure the root system.

Topping

In the phase of five pairs of leaves, seedlings of most plant species are pinched to enhance branching (balsams, verbena, carnations, coleus, petunias, kobeya, salvia, etc.). It is advisable to pinch kobeya, ampel varieties of petunia and verbena several times during the growing season.

What difficulties may arise with early sowing?

For plants sown for seedlings in January - February, it is very important to provide comfortable conditions for development.

What can negatively affect plant development during early sowing:

lack of light due to short daylight hours;
sharp fluctuations in temperature (this can completely destroy fragile seedlings);
increased likelihood of fungal diseases (blackleg), due to a combination high humidity(necessary for normal germination and development of seeds) and a sufficiently cool temperature.

How to help plants during this difficult period for them?

Calcify the soil before sowing.
Control air temperature
Install lamps for supplementary illumination of seedlings in a greenhouse or on a windowsill and turn them on in the mornings and evenings to extend daylight hours and thus prevent plants from stretching out.

What lamps are best to use and how to properly organize the lighting?

Incandescent lamps are absolutely not suitable for this, since they emit too much heat, but give off little light (they emit rays of the red-yellow spectrum, which have low light output). The choice must be made between induction energy-saving lamps and LED phytolamps.
Energy-saving lamps with a warm spectrum are suitable for illuminating seedlings that have entered the flowering phase, and with a daylight spectrum - for supplementary illumination of seedlings throughout the entire growing cycle. Install the lamps perpendicular to the boxes with seedlings.
Among the colossal number of phytolamps for supplementary illumination of seedlings, they are most often used LED, halogen, sodium and fluorescent.

Fluorescent lamps - These are commonly chosen by gardeners because they produce virtually no heat, consume little electricity and emit a full spectrum of colors.
LED lamps are also energy-saving, but their main advantages are durability and the ability to emit red and blue colors that stimulate fast growth seedlings.
Halogen lamps - their level of heat transfer decreases over time, so they are used much less frequently.
Sodium lamps are installed to illuminate small seedlings. For example, to illuminate seedlings located on a one and a half meter window sill, one such lamp with a power of 100 W is sufficient.

Our advice:

If it is not possible to provide constant illumination for seedlings, you can shift their sowing to the end of February - beginning of March, even if we're talking about about the seeds of “long-lasting” flowers. Otherwise, you will end up with elongated, weak plants that are unlikely to survive until transplanted into the ground.

But still, try not to put off sowing your favorite flowers for seedlings, get down to business right now - and then you will be able to enjoy their bloom with the first rays of spring. By the way, growing seedlings of annual flowers can bring good income and support family budget in times of crisis. In this case, you need to hurry with sowing so that the seedlings have time to bloom and withstand competition during the spring sales.

Svetlana MASHKOVSKAYA, Candidate of Biological Sciences, National Botanical Garden named after. N. N. Grishko NAS of Ukraine
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