In February, many gardeners have itchy hands - they really want to plant something, sow something. Sowing flower seeds - good way take this time with some work to decorate the garden. When to plant flowers for seedlings? How to do this correctly, without errors? Before going to the store or garden center, firstly, decide in advance what flowers you want to see on your site, and, secondly, first look for information about which flowers for seedlings can be sown in winter - in February or early March .
Pansy shoots
The instructions on the seed packet do not always contain such information. But some seeds can be sown even in January for seedlings, for example, pansies.
When you have already decided on the assortment, go to the store and buy. Otherwise, judging by my experience, you may not buy exactly what is suitable for winter sowing - your eyes will wander and it will be much more difficult to choose than you would have done in advance.
What flowers can be planted as seedlings in February? These are petunias, begonia, pelargonium, salvia, balsam, cereraria. These flowers are best suited for winter sowing as seedlings.
Shabot carnations can be sown even in January, since it takes 5 or even 6 months before the flowers appear. That is, the sooner you sow, the sooner it will bloom. At the end of January you can sow pansies for seedlings.
How to determine good seeds or bad? Very simple! First, check the integrity of the packaging for any tears or damage. Secondly, pay attention to the packaging date, the deadline for sale.
To make it more convenient to sow small flower seeds, pour them out of the bag onto a white, clean sheet of paper. It is very convenient to take seeds from a leaf with a wooden stick or toothpick. Wet the tip of the stick with water and bring it to one of the seeds scattered on the paper - it sticks very well to the stick. It is convenient to put such a seed in Right place- container for seedlings.
I advise you to prepare some tags or stickers in advance in order to notice the place (pot) where certain flowers were planted.
One of the basic rules of landing small seeds– the smaller the seeds, the more thin layer soil must be filled in.
But balsam seeds have one peculiarity: they germinate in the light, so they practically do not need to be sprinkled, but for better contact with the soil, they should be lightly pressed to the surface of the earth.
The next important stage in growing flower seedlings is moistening the newly sown seeds. Never water from a cup, bottle, watering can or other container. All yours painstaking work sowing may go down the drain - the seeds may move, clump together, and you will simply wash them away from their places. Use only a fine spray bottle for watering.
And last The final stage sowing flower seeds - they need to be covered, since the seeds must be in a moist environment, with constant humidity, before germination.
How to do it? If you sowed in containers, many of them are sold with a transparent lid - all you have to do is cover the container with it.
If you plant seeds in other containers, then it is enough to place them in large transparent plastic bags or cover with cling film.
The temperature for comfortable germination of these flower crops should not go beyond 18-25°C. If the room in which you germinate the seeds is below 18°C, they will take a long time to germinate and the germination rate will be low. And at temperatures above 25°C, the seeds may die.
As a rule, your first sprouts will appear in 7-10 days, some types a little later - up to two weeks.
As soon as the first sprouts hatch, place the containers with seedlings in a bright place. In case of insufficient lighting, illuminate with lamps, since light for seedlings is important condition growing.
Yes, the lid or film covering the container with seedlings should be removed as soon as you see the first sprouts.
Don't forget to water the seedlings. It is best to spray them with a spray bottle.
Pansies you can dive
The seedlings are grown in this form until the first two true leaves appear. Then it needs to be dived.
Lunar sowing (planting) calendar for 2019 - when to plant flowers
| Name | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | Pansies | 19, 20 | 15-17, 23-25 | 15, 16, 23, 24 | 11-13, 17-20 | 14-16, 17, 18 | 5, 6, 11-15 | 10-12, 20-22 | 6-8, 16-18 | 12-14, 17-19 | 10, 11, 15, 16 | 6-8, 11, 12 | 8-10, 13, 14 | Verbena | 15-20 | 11-14 | 10, 11 | 6-12 | 14-18 | 11-15 | 8-10, 25-27 | 4-8, 11, 12 | 12-14, 17-19 | 15, 16, 19-23 | 11, 12, 28, 29 | 3-5, 8-10 | Hyacinths | 25-29 | 23-25 | 23, 24 | 19-21 | 17-19 | 23, 24 | 29-31 | 16-18 | 22, 23 | 19-21 | 16, 17 | 13, 14 | Dahlias, gladiolus, narcissus | 25-29 | 13-17, 23-25 | 19-21, 23, 24 | 19-21, 29, 30 | 14-19 | 9-12, 18, 19 | 8-10, 20, 21 | 11-12, 21-23 | 7-9, 12-14, 17-19 | 10, 11, 24-28 | 6-8, 11, 20-23 | 8-12 | Crocus, peony | 17-20 | 16-20 | 19-21 | 15-18 | 12-18 | 9, 10 | 15-17 | 11, 12 | 7-12 | 10, 11, 24-26 | 11, 12 | 8-12 | Calendula | 15-20 | 11-17 | 10-12, 21-23 | 6-12, 17-19 | 8-10, 17-19 | 5, 6, 11-15 | 2-12 | 4-8, 11, 12 | 1-4, 12-14 | 10, 11, 15-21 | 1, 2, 6-8, 11, 12, 28, 29 | 3-5, 8-14 | Lilies, irises | 23-29 | 15-20 | 19-21 | 11, 12, 15, 16 | 12-18 | 2, 6, 9, 10 | 15-16 | 11, 12 | 7-9, 12-14 | 10, 11, 24-28 | 6-8, 11, 12 | 8-10 | Daisies, marigolds, asters, zinnias, coreopsis, cosmos, annual dahlias | 15-20 | 11-17 | 15, 16, 21, 22 | 6-12, 17-21 | 6-19 | 5-12 | 2-8, 10-15 | 4-8, 11, 12 | 1-9 | 5, 6, 15-21 | 1, 2, 6-8, 28, 29 | 3-5, 8-10 | Petunia, fragrant tobacco, dope | 19, 20, 21 | 15, 16, 17 | 15, 16, 17 | 11, 12, 13 | 8, 9, 10 | 4, 5, 6 | 6, 7, 8 | 6, 7, 8 | 3, 4, 5, 30 | 1, 2, 9-12 | 15-17 | 3-5 | Chamomile | 17-20 | 13-17 | 12-18 | 13-20 | 10-12 | 7-12 | 4-10 | 4-12 | 1-9 | 12-19 | 8-15, 28, 29 | 18-14 | Roses | 19, 20 | 17-19 | 15, 16 | 11, 12 | 17-19 | 13-15 | 10-12 | 9, 10, 16-18 | 12-14 | 10, 11 | 6-8, 11, 12 | 13, 14 | Tulips, hazel grouse | 25-29 | 11-17 | 10-12, 21, 22 | 6-12, 17-20 | 10-16 | 11-15 | 2, 3, 25-27 | 11, 12, 16-18, 21-23 | 12-19, 22-26 | 10-19 | 15-25 | 13-21 | Violets | 15-20 | 11-17 | 10-16 | 6-12, 17-19 | 14-19 | 11-17 | 4-10 | 2-8, 11, 12 | 12-14 | 12-14 | 11, 12, 18, 19 | 8-14 | Chrysanthemums, oak trees | 20-22 | 19, 20 | 19-21 | 15-17 | 12-16 | 15-17 | 10-17 | 11, 12 | 7-9 | 14-19 | 11, 12 | 10-14 | Prohibited days for planting and transplanting | 6-9 | 3-5 | 3, 4, 6, 7, 30, 31 | 5, 26-28 | 5, 23-25 | 3, 20-22 | 2, 17-19 | 1, 13-15, 30 | 10, 11, 28 | 7-9, 28 | 3, 5, 26, 27, 30 | 1, 2, 26, 28-30 | Unfavorable days for planting and transplantation" data-order="Unfavorable days for planting and transplantation"> Unfavorable days for planting and transplantation | 12, 13, 14, 21-23 | 8-10, 18, 19, 20, 27 | 8, 9, 17, 18 | 9, 10, 13, 14 | 1-3, 10, 11, 29, 30 | 7, 8, 25-27 | 4, 5, 13-15, 22-24, 31 | 9, 10, 18, 19, 28, 29 | 5, 6, 20, 21, 24, 25 | 12-14, 17, 18, 21-23, 30 | 8-10, 13, 14, 18, 19 | 6, 7, 15, 16, 23-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII |
So that the flowers grow stronger as quickly as possible and begin to delight their owners beautiful view and fragrance, you should start growing them before spring. How to properly organize the cultivation of flower seedlings, which ones can be grown in this way and in what order should the manipulations be carried out?
Are all flowers suitable for growing in seedlings?
Before we learn how to properly organize the cultivation of flower seedlings, let’s figure out which crops are suitable for sowing. From annual plants, seedlings are often planted those whose development is characterized by a long growing season or if the gardener wants the flowers to begin to bloom as early as possible.
By by and large It is possible to grow any flowers from seeds, with the exception of those that die during transplantation. Among the most common flowering plants experts include:
- clove Shabot;
- mignonette;
- geranium;
- lobelia;
- petunia;
- phlox;
- godetia;
- verbena;
- gerbera;
- viola;
- cineraria;
- aster;
- calendula;
- Snapdragon;
- marigolds, etc.
VIDEO: A new tricky way to grow marigolds
Boarding time
Sowing of small seeds, as well as bulbs of flowering vegetation, is carried out from the second ten days of January until the end of April:
- Planting seeds for seedlings in January. The earliest plants are planted are those that bloom after 5-6 months. These include Chabot carnation, begonia, bathing flower, irises, lavender, clematis, arizema, primrose, rueberry and many others. Therefore, be sure to read the information on the packaging with seedlings and be guided by the planting data regulated by the manufacturer.
- Sowing seeds in February. In the second winter month, it’s time to sow the following crops:
- fuchsia;
- balsam;
- petunia;
- pelargonium;
- lobelia;
- lavender angustifolia;
- heliotrope.
When preparing seedlings and choosing plants, be sure to consider the length of daylight.
Some vegetation needs long-term lighting - more than 8 hours a day, so take care of additional lighting fixtures if you want your seedlings to begin to grow and develop as quickly as possible.
- Sowing in March. In this spring month, experts recommend starting sowing seedlings of echinacea, alyssum, verbena, phlox, annual aster, cobea, cleome, and snapdragon. IN general speech refers to vegetation that begins to bloom 3-4 months after planting.
- Sowing in April. At this time, daisies, godetias, annual dahlias, perennial delphiniums, marigolds.
VIDEO: What flowers to sow in February?
Growing seedlings
Growing flowers from seeds is determined by a number of requirements, adhering to which you can obtain full-fledged and well-flowering plants.
Stage No. 1 - selection of pots
It is best to grow planting material in pots - put it in a separate cup, and the need for picking seedlings disappears by itself. But at the same time, if you are planting not 3-4 dozen seedlings, but much more, and the cultivation takes place on the balcony, then it is best to give preference to special plastic cassettes.
In addition, you should not use cardboard boxes of juice or dairy products as containers for growing seedlings. Interior Such containers are treated with a special solution, which, when evaporated, does not have the best effect on the newly hatched flower.
The most suitable container for these purposes is peat cups, which can later be planted together with the grown seedlings directly into the ground, avoiding any damage to the root system of the seedling.
Stage No. 2 - which soil is best suited?
To provide full development and the growth of future flowers, it is necessary to select soil with the following characteristics:
- looseness;
- ease;
- consistency porosity.
The following components are best suited as soil for planting seedlings of flowering crops:
- high peat;
- lowland peat that has undergone freezing or weathering;
- heat-treated turf soil;
- broken tree bark coniferous species;
- dried needles coniferous trees;
- dust from grain crops;
- crushed peanut shells;
- sand - quartz or river;
- perit;
- crushed pumice and expanded clay.
One of the recipes for preparing high-quality soil is: 70% sawdust and 30% quartz sand.
You can purchase ready-made soil mixture. Eg:
- soil "Flower";
- "Flora";
- "Garden Earth";
- "Violet";
- "Universal".
Flower seeds are best planted in peat cups or peat tablets. The latter are much more interesting, although more expensive (from 30 rubles per tablet). All nutrients, minerals, peat and humus necessary for the culture are concentrated here. The tablet is also convenient because 1 seed is placed in it and 1 bush grows. Then it is enough to transplant the tablet into open ground so as not to damage or disturb the still weak roots.
Stage No. 3 - lighting issue
As mentioned earlier, in the last winter and first spring months the duration of daylight hours is not enough to ensure complete care of future vegetation. Therefore, it is extremely important to organize artificial lighting for them.
For these purposes the best option energy-saving lamps and phytolamps will become available. Such lighting will provide high-quality care for plants and help them grow stronger as quickly as possible.
Organization of flower meadow care
In order to provide high-quality care for flower crops during their cultivation, you must adhere to a number of tips:
Watering
The first humidification is organized before planting planting material into the soil. There is no need to water the soil until the shoots appear. It is enough that it was wet during planting, and after sowing the container was covered with film. As soon as the first shoots appear, you need to organize regular watering so that the soil is always moist, but not wet.
Moisturizing is carried out in the first half of the day. And as a liquid for irrigation, it is best to use warm (not lower than 21°C) water, standing for two to three days. Nasturtium, dahlias and other moisture-loving plants need frequent moisture. Whereas petunia, phlox, purslane, marigolds, zinnia and aster are watered only when the outer layer of soil is dry.
Do not under any circumstances allow the soil to become waterlogged. This will lead to rotting of the root system of the seedling.
Organization of temperature conditions for growing seedlings
The purchased flower soil is sterilized and placed in containers. Next, you need to soak the seedlings in zircon or epin (we are not talking about purchased seeds that are completely ready for planting), spread them on the surface of the soil and press them a little into the ground. After this, we cover the seedlings with a layer of earth, the thickness of which is equal to three times the size of the seedling. The next step is to cover the containers with seeds with film or glass. If we're talking about For slow-germinating seeds, they need to be heated from below 2-3°C higher than the room temperature.
Regardless of the type of crop, it is highly undesirable to grow seedlings on a cold windowsill. After the shoots emerge, the film is removed. A couple of weeks before transplanting the seedlings into open ground, you need to accustom the flowers to the cold, for which purpose open the balcony once a day and organize good ventilation.
Most suitable conditions for growing flower seedlings: 25-30°C for heat-loving species and 18-15°C for cold-resistant ones.
Transplanting seedlings
Picking of planting material should be carried out in a timely manner, when the first 2 full leaves (not cotyledons) appear on the seedlings. This process is necessary in order to increase the feeding area for future flowers. After all root system is constantly growing. It is best to replant seedlings in pots made of peat. If you transplant seedlings into a box, you need to maintain a distance of 50-60 mm between them. Moreover, if the initial planting was carried out immediately in separate containers, then there is no need for picking.
For reference. Why exactly peat pots recommended for plants. The composition of a high-quality pot includes 70% peat, 10% compressed cellulose and 20% humus with mineral additives. Such pots allow air and moisture to pass through, do not interfere with the development of the root system, and decompose in the ground within 20-24 days.
Low-quality samples, where the amount of cellulose exceeds 50% (they are harder and crunchier to the touch), will destroy the plant, as they do not dissolve in the soil and do not allow the flower to develop.
Feeding
A couple of weeks after transplantation, you need to add the first complementary food, which is a 1:10 solution of mullein at the rate of 200 ml of fertilizer for 8-10 seedlings. The second complementary feeding is carried out 45 days after the first, but only in this case a solution of mullein with the addition of 3 grams is used. superphosphate and 1.5 g. ammonium nitrate. Consumption - 200 ml for 4-5 sprouts. In the absence of mullein, bird droppings will also do. Be sure to water the soil before applying fertilizer.
Transplantation into open soil
Seedlings are transplanted when all spring frosts have already passed and the flowers are not susceptible to death. That's why best time It will be May or the first ten days of June for transplantation. It is best to wait for cloudy, but not rainy weather, when the sun does not scorch the earth and the roots have time to “grab”.
Even if it begins to rain during transplantation, be sure to water each hole. In this case, it is much better to overfill than underfill.
Before transplanting, the soil is dug up, fertilized (with manure and compost in the fall, and with humus and mineral fertilizers in the spring), loosened and leveled. All that remains is to make holes and place the sprouts, sprinkled with a little earth.
For convenience, make a small slide around the hole so that when watering the water does not overflow, but flows directly to the root system. This practice is also used for tomatoes, cucumbers and other moisture-loving vegetable crops.
We hope these tips will help you grow your own plot of land beautiful flowering plants.
VIDEO: How to grow seedlings of annual flowers
For an avid gardener, growing seedlings is an amazing and exciting process.
Solving the most important questions: what type of crop to plant, what soil to choose as the basis for the planting mixture, at what time to cut off grown sprouts and many other issues give the gardener great pleasure.
What plants should be sown in seedlings?
As we know, seeds can be planted in open ground or seedlings can be sown with further transfer of seedlings into open ground.
Strong seedlings.
Seeds planted in open ground have a significantly lower germination rate than seeds sown for seedlings. More dangers await them. This includes the unpredictability of the weather, insects eating seeds, weeds and many other dangers.
Garden crops grown through seedlings allow harvesting at an earlier date. In regions with harsh climates horticultural crops with a longer period of development and growth can be grown exclusively by sowing seedlings. These include tomatoes, various varieties peppers, demanding eggplants, and other crops.
In addition, through seedlings you can reproduce the variety of crop you desire, which is difficult to find in specialized stores.
Favorable days
Even ancient gardeners found a relationship between the lunar phases and the speed of plant development. Modern science confirmed the dependence of plant growth on lunar phases and the ability of plants to attract or repel water molecules while in certain phases of the moon.
The period of the Moon's revolution around our planet is divided into four phases. The gravitational force of the Moon on Earth during the new and full moon periods is the same. It is on these days that the lunar attraction promotes intensive plant growth.
There is an abundant flow of nutrients to the tops of plants. But let us note that During the full moon, plants receive more light. Therefore, the process of photosynthesis does not stop, promoting the development of the above-ground parts of plants.
The process of planting in peat tablets.
The basic rule is that after the new moon period we plant garden crops with ground fruits, and after full moon we plant crops with underground fruits.
For gardeners drawing up a sowing plan taking into account Moon phases, there is a basic rule: do not plant anything on the full moon itself and the two days closest to it. Also, on the new moon and the next couple of days it is not advisable to plant root crops.
Dependence of landing time on region
Vegetables the majority come from countries with mild climates, where the frost-free period lasts all year round. In such a climate, plants in open ground go through their entire development cycle.
The time for planting seeds for seedlings depends on the duration of the frost-free period in the region, because the plant should preferably complete its development in open ground.
In the Ural and Siberian zones The frost-free period is only 65 days. The frost-free period begins at the beginning of June. Frosts begin in October.
As for the more southern regions, for example, Belarus, then here the number of frost-free days reaches 180. The frost-free period begins at the beginning of April. In this region, it is possible to transplant seedlings into open ground much earlier than in areas located in the northern and central parts.
What and when should I start planting at home?
The date of planting the seeds is directly related to the period of development of a particular plant. The moment the seeds are planted in the soil is the beginning of the growing season. In our latitudes the number of warm days necessary for full cycle development of many plants. Therefore, for most crops, the growing season begins on the windowsill of our houses.
Before planting in open ground.
The duration of the development period is different not only for different types crops, but also varies among different varieties of the same crop. Nowadays, breeders have developed many early-ripening varieties for gardeners in northern latitudes, with a shortened development period. The period of crop development is usually indicated in the accompanying annotation to the planting rules.
Vegetable sowing dates: schedule
For greater clarity, we present a table indicating the timing of planting seedlings of the most common vegetables. The periods are indicated for planting vegetable seeds in central Russia. To determine the exact time of planting seeds in other parts of Russia, the table must be adjusted to suit the climate corresponding to them.
Time for sowing vegetable seedlings:
Sowing table for annual and perennial flowers
Seeds of flower plants must be sown for seedlings in their own time periods, which differ from the periods of planting vegetables. The sowing dates for some flower plants are given in the table below.
Picked seedlings.
Timing for planting seedlings of flower crops:
| Name | Seed planting period | Appearance of first shoots (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Begonia everblooming | December - January | 20 |
| Verbena garden | March, April | 10-12 |
| Carnation | January February | 5-10 |
| Heliotrope | January February | 15-21 |
| Summer dahlia | March | 10-12 |
| Sweet pea | February | 5-115 |
| Calendula | April May | 5-15 |
| Space is twice cirrus | March, April | 10-12 |
| Mathiolla | February March | 3-6 |
| Lobelia Erinus | February March | 5-7 |
| Mimulus | January February | 10-12 |
| Nasturtium | April May | 10-14 |
| Forget-me-not Chinese | March, April | 12-14 |
| Petunia | March | 7-10 |
| Rodochiton | March, April | 20-30 |
| Rudbeckia | March, April | 12-14 |
| Sweet tobacco | March | 15-20 |
| Marigold | March | 7-10 |
| Zinnia | April | 8-10 |
It is necessary to understand that the germination of sprouts is directly related to many factors. This includes temperature, grouping of seed planting, size of the selected container for planting and many other factors.
How to grow peppers?
We start sowing seeds for seedlings around March 10-20. Before planting, the seeds are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds must sprout before they begin to bury them in the soil. To do this, the seeds are left in a well-moistened cloth for 7-14 days in a warm and dark place.
Plants planted in a garden bed.
The planting container must be disinfected. The soil can be used either purchased or made independently. The sprouted seeds should be carefully laid out with tweezers at a distance of 2 centimeters from each other.
After cutting through the sprouts, we transfer the container to the windowsill; the pepper loves light and warmth. Before transplanting the pepper into an open space, it is cropped without deepening twice. Feed pepper seedlings twice, one and a half to two weeks after picking.
Tomato seeds
It should be planted on the twentieth of March. It is advisable to soak the seeds in water before planting. To do this, you can take an ordinary saucer. Pour water into it, lay out the seeds, cover with a clean cloth. Seeds must be soaked for 10-12 hours, but no more than 24 hours.
Then we fill the disinfected container with the previously prepared special mixture for tomatoes. The mixture should be sufficiently moistened. Seeds are planted at a distance of two centimeters from each other. The planting depth is no more than one and a half centimeters. Cupping is done when the plant has two leaves. They are docked without deepening.
Remember, tomatoes love light and warmth, but do not like excess moisture.
Eggplant
belong to a very demanding culture. Seeds for seedlings are planted on the twentieth of March. The soil should be neutral, loose and fertile. The container is filled with soil mixture approximately 20-24 hours before planting. Soil mixture moisturize well.
Before planting, the seeds are disinfected. Then wrap it in two layers of moistened wipes. For seven days at night we store in a cold place, such as a refrigerator, during the day at room temperature.
Additional illumination of seedlings on the window.
After seven days, soak for twenty minutes in melt water with the addition of a growth stimulator. Dry until crumbly and plant in the soil to a depth of 1.5-2 centimeters. We crop at the stage of development of two leaves. We water the seedlings every 5-6 days.
Growing cabbage
Seedlings on white cabbage should be planted in early April. Before planting, be sure to neutralize the seeds. Sown seeds must be well moistened before germination. After the seedlings appear, they are thinned out. The distance between the sprouts should be at least two centimeters.
Two weeks after harvesting, the seedlings are planted deeper. After another two weeks they are transplanted again. The distance between the sprouts should be at least five centimeters. There is not enough daylight for cabbage. Seedlings need additional lighting.
Optimal temperature for growing cabbage seedlings within 18-20°C.
Cucumbers for the garden
Cucumber seedlings are planted between May 5-10. Crop seeds require pre-treatment before planting in the ground. First, soak them in a three percent solution table salt. You can plant those that remain at the bottom of the container.
When the soil has completely thawed and warmed up, work in the garden begins: we sow flowers in the ground and plant seedlings so that after 2-3 weeks we can enjoy the look of the flower beds. Most often this annual crops. But spring warm days favorable for sowing perennial plants, because warm soil still retains enough moisture, and young seedlings can tolerate a slight drop in temperature at night without pain.
The timing of sowing flower seeds is slightly different from the time when seedlings of more heat-loving plants can be planted without fear for their normal development. Even hardened and cold-resistant seedlings are recommended to be transferred to permanent place not before the return frosts have passed. In most regions of our country, 2-3 decades of May or even the beginning of June are considered safe times for planting seedlings. But you can sow seeds of annual flowers in open ground earlier.
There is no danger for plants in this: after sowing, the seeds remain in the soil for some time, where they are not afraid of frost and down to -50°C. Moreover, they will hatch only if the soil temperature is sufficient for this. The germination of seeds when sowed directly into the ground will be regulated by nature itself.
But even the sprouts that have hatched will not appear above the ground for another 2-3 days after the seed germinates. And they will even stop growing if the soil temperature suddenly drops due to a frost. Both winter sowing of garden crops and sowing of winter cereals in the fields are based on this property of plants. With warming, flower crops immediately begin to grow and within 5-7 days after planting they become noticeable in the sown flowerbed.
Types of annual plants
Most often, cold-resistant varieties of flowers are planted in early May: gypsophila, cornflowers, marigolds, annual chrysanthemums, cosmos and many others (Fig. 1). Seed packets usually indicate when they can be safely sown in open ground. Some of the cold-resistant annuals also reproduce well by self-sowing - they sprout from seeds that fell into the soil in the fall of last year.
But heat-loving annual flowers can also be sown in early May directly in a flowerbed or in a flowerpot. This applies to crops with a long seed germination period, such as nasturtium, Turkish beans and sweet peas (Fig. 2). In the 10-14 days that the seeds spend in the ground, the frosts will end. But already from the 2nd decade the flowerpot will turn green, and early-sown annuals will outstrip in growth those plants that will be planted as seedlings.
Planting flowers in May is also advisable for varieties with a long growing season. These include purslane, helichrysum, annual asters, Eschsolzia. If sown late, their flowering will begin only in the 2nd half of summer. In order to get bushes that bloom 1-2 weeks earlier, you can sow the seeds of these crops directly into the soil. With this method, you need to take care of covering the seedlings in case of frost. non-woven material or plastic film.
Sowing seeds in open ground is carried out in more late dates. In the 2nd half of May, annuals with a short growing season can be planted. They will have time to bloom and even produce seeds. To the flowers that are sown late spring, include varieties of snapdragon, coreopsis, mignonette, lavatera and ornamental sunflower (Fig. 3). There are many other plants that can be sown in the soil in May. The packages with them indicate both the sowing time and the approximate flowering time. Based on the recommendations of the company that sells seeds, you can independently determine the best time for sowing.
Biennials and perennial flowers
May is also the best time for sowing plants that will bloom only on next year. These are various perennials and biennials. They have a long growing season and during the first year of life they must have time to form a bush and lay flower buds. In order to survive the winter without damage, these flowers need to make reserves of starchy substances in their rhizomes and tubers. Better days When you can plant such seeds without fear - the second half of the month.
In the first summer, flowers will not be able to decorate flower beds and flowerpots. It is best to sow them in a specially designated bed in a convenient place with good lighting. As they grow, you can plant them out or thin them out. At the end of August, perennials can be planted in a permanent place, where they will delight with their bright flowers from the beginning of the next season.
Among the plants grown in this way there are many beautiful early flowering species: anemones, forget-me-nots, brunners, lumbago, primroses and other ephemerals. Most often they begin to reproduce by self-seeding. Later, summer and autumn flowers - chrysanthemums and perennial asters (Septembers), rudbeckias, foxgloves, delphinium or mallows - have to be propagated by dividing the bush or sowed specifically according to the same pattern.
Soil preparation and planting process
When choosing the time for early spring sowing of annual or perennial flower crops, you should focus on the readiness of the soil. It should thaw and warm up enough. In the Non-Black Earth Region, the first planting of seeds can be done as early as the end of April. At this time, on the southern slopes of the hills, light sandy loam soils are already sufficiently warmed up and still retain optimal humidity, which allows seeds to germinate quickly and seedlings to develop well.
If the soil on the site is loamy, dense and heavy, then it is better to postpone sowing to the first ten days of May. These types of soils retain moisture longer and warm up much more slowly. Therefore, sowing too early will not bring results: the seeds will remain in the ground until it warms up to the optimum temperature.
Soil preparation has important for the development of young plants: looseness, permeability, nutritional value of the soil allow seeds, especially small ones, to quickly sprout and strengthen before the onset of dry days that occur in late spring. Early flowering annuals should have formed buds by this time. Then caring for the flowerbed will leave only pleasant impressions.
When planting flowers in flowerpots, the nutritional value of the substrate is no less important. Growing up in limited space the bushes should have enough minerals for the entire growing season. This can only be achieved correct composition soil mixture and feeding during subsequent care.
Under no circumstances should fresh manure or other incompletely decomposed substances be added to the soil. For sowing and planting flower crops, the following can be added to the soil dug up and thoroughly loosened with a rake:
- rotted manure (from last year’s cucumber bed, for example);
- peat, if the soil acidity is low;
- good compost from plant residues.
These substances enrich the soil with organic matter and increase the nitrogen content in it, which is necessary for the growth of green mass. With absence organic fertilizers You can use mineral fertilizers (ammonium nitrate).
For lush flowering plants need phosphorus and potassium. They are easy to introduce if you add sifted soil to the soil. wood ash, burnt bone powder. They can be replaced by fertilizers containing the necessary substances: superphosphate, potassium salt. But it is most convenient to use ready-made fertilizer mixtures with many components. These include nitrophoska, “Kemira” and other brands of mixtures marked “for flowering plants.” Fertilizers should be used in accordance with the instructions on the product packaging.
If the soil is very dense, then you can make it lush and easily permeable to air and moisture by adding per 1 m²:
- 0.5-1 bucket of fine sand without clay;
- 150-200 g of ground chalk, shells, dolomite flour;
- about 0.5 buckets sawdust(not shavings).
These components should be scattered over the surface of the dug up flowerbed, and then dug again. This way the components will be evenly mixed with the soil. If necessary, fertilizers are also added during this process, if they have not been applied before.
On a prepared and leveled surface, you need to cut furrows with a depth of 0.5 cm for small seeds (nigella, clarkia, asters) to 1.5-2 cm for larger ones (nasturtium, sweet peas, decorative beans, sunflowers). Sprinkle or spread the planted seed material into furrows and level the surface. Very small seeds (poppy, verbena, snapdragon, eschscholzia, purslane) are usually not sown in furrows, but scattered over the surface, mulched with a thin layer (2-3 mm) of sand or embedded in the soil with a hand movement. The crops need to be watered using a watering can with a strainer or using a hose attachment.
Early spring sowing of flowers in the ground can be very successful if all agricultural technology requirements are met. Preparing the soil, selecting seeds that can be sown directly into the ground, watering seedlings in case of heat or covering them in case of frost - this is what a gardener can do. These simple techniques will help you get flowering flower beds and flowerpots at the beginning of summer.
In order to grow good seedlings must be ensured following conditions:
- high-quality seeds prepared for planting,
- soil for planting,
- good lighting,
- comfortable temperature,
- watering,
- feeding - fertilizers and stimulants.
To work, you need to prepare the following tools: boxes, cassettes, glass, fluorescent or fluorescent lamps for additional illumination, tweezers, a watering can with a fine strainer, a spray bottle, a marker, a syringe in order to accurately add liquid fertilizers.
Growing flower seedlings requires hard work, diligence and certain knowledge gained from the practice of gardeners. If you haven't had any experience yet, it's better to start with large seeds, such as dahlias of the “Jolly Fellows” variety, zinnias, you can try growing petunia and purslane.
The seeds of these plants germinate quickly and do not cause any problems if you follow the most simple rules growing seedlings. The planting time depends on how quickly the seeds germinate and the period after which flowering occurs.
Period from sowing seeds to first shoots:
Time from sowing seeds to the beginning of flowering:
- calendula 40-60 days sowing end of March, beginning of April
- petunia 80-100 days sowing in mid-February
- purslane 80-120 days sowing in mid-February
- salvia 120-180 days sowing at the end of January
- begonia 120-180 days sowing at the end of January
- carnation Shabo 120-180 days sowing at the end of January
Preparing seeds for sowing seedlings
There are plants prone to diseases - aster, ageratum, petunia, fragrant tobacco. Seeds 
Before sowing, it is good to keep these plants in a solution of potassium permanganate (0.1%) for 30 minutes and then rinse.
Since potassium permanganate is not always available in pharmacies, you can use phytosporin.
In addition, there is special drugs– “Fitovital”, “Stimulin”, which disinfect and increase germination. You need to process the seeds according to the instructions and then dry them.
To improve germination, stratification is used - hardening as follows: first, keep the seeds laid out on the ground and covered with polyethylene for two weeks on a shelf in the refrigerator, and then place them in a warm place on the windowsill.
Priming
Flower seedlings are grown in light soil mixtures. You can use a ready-made soil mixture for planting seedlings from a store, such as "Living Earth". You can make the following mixture yourself:
- sand - 1 part
- peat - part 3
- compost - 2 parts
- turf soil 2 parts
The day before planting, you need to spill the prepared soil with a solution of potassium permanganate. Sterilization is necessary to prevent the spread of root rot. The soil for planting has a temperature of 20-22 degrees. When sowing, the soil temperature should be several degrees lower than the air temperature, and the sprouts will be drawn to where it is warmer.
Good lighting
Most of the annual flowers we grow come from tropical countries where daylight hours are 14 hours or more. On short winter days, seedlings need additional lighting fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps in order to obtain high-quality seedlings.
Otherwise, the plantings will be pale, stretch out, the stem will become thin and the plant may get sick. The lamp is placed close to the crop (25-30 cm), the lamp is used at dusk for at least 6 hours, or, if more convenient, for three hours early in the morning and in the evening. The seedlings will immediately get stronger.
Comfortable temperature
Growing flower seedlings depends not only on the seeds and soil, but also on the temperature of the room in which the boxes with the crops are located. Most flowers will sprout vigorously at 18-20 degrees Celsius; there are plants for which to sprout, comfortable temperature lower:
Watering
After sowing, small seeds are sprayed with a spray bottle, larger ones are watered with a small watering can. The soil should not be washed away. To water the crops, we use settled tap water at room temperature.
Fertilizers and stimulants
When the first two leaves appear, not counting the leaf from the seed, watering should be done with water adding a small dose of special liquid mineral fertilizers for seedlings. In accordance with the instructions, add to the water required amount fertilizers with a syringe with divisions.
If you see that the stems are stretching, immediately add additional light and apply fertilizer with calcium. If the seedlings suddenly turn yellow, apply fertilizing containing iron.
Landing dates
The process of growing seedlings of flowers and vegetables is similar and is necessary in order to obtain early flowering or early vegetables. Grown by seedling method the following flowers: snapdragon, ageratum, aster, sweet pea, salvia, sweet tobacco, nasturtium, petunia, dahlia, annual phlox Drummond, etc. Early seedlings It is planted already at the end of January - beginning of February, then after 10-12 weeks at the beginning of May flowers will appear.
Containers for sowing
Currently, specialized stores have a sufficient selection of containers for seedlings, but they are all too deep for planting seeds and require a large amount of soil.
Some gardeners use plastic cat trays and other various items for planting seeds. plastic containers small depth.
After diving, when each root is transplanted individually, deeper pots are needed. They can be bought at a flower shop in a set with a special tray. To save money, you can use plastic disposable cups; it is cheap and profitable - less land is consumed.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
We level the soil with a ruler or plank, lightly compact it, and pay attention that the corners are not empty. There are large flower seeds, such as morning glory and decorative beans, which are immediately planted in separate cups or pots. Such cups are also used for transplanting seedlings after picking. 
For small seeds, we make grooves no more than 2 mm deep and plant them as follows: with the moistened end of a wooden toothpick we touch the seed, it sticks, and we drop it a cm into the grooves.
For coated seeds, it is more convenient to use tweezers. If we want to plant quickly, mix the contents of the bag of seeds with sand and scatter them along the furrows. In this case, the seedlings will not be as uniform; you will need to carefully thin out the sprouts with tweezers. Very small seeds, like those of petunia and purslane, are not sprinkled with soil on top; the grooves with larger seeds are slightly leveled. Then the container is covered with glass or placed in.
The humidity inside such a microgreenhouse will increase, the soil will not dry out, and there will be no crust. There is a danger that if you do not ventilate and do not remove the glass in time, you can infect the seedlings with a fungus - “black leg”. We put labels or label the boxes with seedlings.
Seedling care
When the shoots appear, we carefully monitor them to ensure that they do not become over-watered. Open, ventilate regularly, water or spray about once every two days. When all the seedlings have sprouted, remove the glass or polyethylene.
When the first two leaves appear, not counting the leaf from the seed, the seedlings are picked. Large, healthy, strong sprouts are selected, carefully removed, picked and planted in light, moist soil in separate cups or pots.
The sprouts do not have enough area to develop in a common box. To give the plant room for further growth, seedlings are transplanted at a young age.
This action is called diving and is performed as follows:
- Water the seedlings and carefully remove the sprout with a flat stick.
- The central root is shortened with scissors by about one third to branch the root system. For small, thin sprouts, you do not need to do this so as not to destroy the sprout.
- Make a hole in the pre-watered soil in a pot where the seedlings are transplanted. Lower the sprout into the hole and compact the soil so that the plant stands straight in the pot.
- Spray with water with an energy drink (for example, Epin) and cover the top carefully so as not to damage it for two days.
After picking, it is necessary to lower the temperature in the room to 16 degrees and begin hardening. To do this, we move the seedlings to a cooler place and take them out to a sunny balcony during the day for hardening. Heat-loving plants - ageratum, petunia, purslane, marigolds, sweet peas require
- during the day -20 degrees and above,
- at night - not lower than 15 degrees.
If the temperature is lower than required, growth will slow down. 
For cold-resistant crops - asters, gillyflowers, fragrant tobacco, snapdragons, temperature is required
- in the afternoon - 16 will suffer an increase to 25 degrees,
- at night – 8 degrees.
Planted in open ground only after spring frosts have passed.
Diseases
Most often, seedlings become infected with blackleg. This disease occurs when overwatering and high temperature. Signs: thinning of the stem, pale leaves, the root and stem at the base become brown.
It is necessary to remove diseased plants, add sand or chalk and water the seedlings with a foundation solution. If a fluffy dark gray coating appears on the leaves, you urgently need to spray the plants two or three times with a solution of potassium permanganate, and repeat the spraying after a week.
To spray seedlings planted in the ground, you need to use. Powdery mildew can destroy seedlings. Signs: damaged leaves with dense powdery coatings, stems become bent, leaves dry out and fall off. At the first sign, spray with foundationazole or soda ash solution. Growing flower seedlings is a fascinating activity that will reward the gardener with a blooming garden.
Good luck and friendly shoots !
