Podzimnie crops of flowers. Podzimny sowing of flowers Podzimny sowing - natural stratification of seeds

Winter sowing of annual and perennial flowers means planting already on frozen ground - in late October - early November, or even on snow - in December - January. However, you need to start preparing for the winter sowing of flowers right now: prepare the soil, ridges and, of course, stock up on seeds.

If you have never sowed before winter, the very thought of such a method of growing flowers can make you shiver: but how can you throw them, tender ones, right into the snow? In fact, it is the winter sowing of many flowers that often gives the best results.

Planting flowers before winter in November 2019: rules for sowing annual and perennial flowers in autumn

If you want to see your garden beautiful and even colorful already in the spring, start the new summer season in the company of green strong shoots pleasing the soul, and then surrounded by bright early flowering, then the autumn (winter) sowing of flowers is just for you!

Yes, this is not a joke or a mockery! It is in the fall, before winter, that many flowers (and not only flowers!) can and should be sown in the garden.

Benefits of autumn (winter) sowing flowers

• the possibility of obtaining bright spring flowering much earlier than with spring sowing, and covering the crops with a film gives even greater acceleration;
• full use of spring moisture from snowmelt by crops, i.e. eliminates the risk of "dry spring";
• the passage of the hardening process by seeds under conditions of natural selection: the weak ones died, the strong ones will give strong and healthy seedlings;
• obtaining frost-resistant, disease-resistant seedlings and plants, and the absence of pests at this time will give additional strength for development at the initial stage of development;
• if from year to year you use exclusively your seeds obtained from plants that have passed natural selection in this way, then over the years you can get new varieties adapted to local winter conditions, improving the result every year;
• getting a certain amount of free time to use it for other spring work, since part of the work on preparing the beds and sowing has already been completed in the fall;
• the ability to form a more powerful, deep and healthy root system, allowing the use of moisture from the lower layers of the soil;
• the opportunity to leave the window sills free in the spring.

Possible risks of autumn (winter) sowing of flowers

• the difficulty of determining the timing of sowing: if you do not guess with the timing of sowing, the seeds will hatch in the fall and freeze in the winter cold;
• the danger of early thaws: if the seeds begin to hatch from temporary warming, then the return of severe frosts will also lead to their freezing;
• relatively low germination of annuals in comparison with the seedling method of growing flowers;

Terms of autumn (podzimnego) sowing flowers

Autumn (sub-winter) sowing of flowers can be started only after the onset of a stable, stable cold snap and frost.

In many regions - this is the end of October - the beginning-mid-November. To start sowing, the soil should freeze to 2-4 degrees, the air should not exceed 0 degrees during the day. If there is a possibility of an increase in temperature, then you should not rush with crops, because. thaw after sowing is highly contraindicated. Here the main indicator is the frozen topsoil.

Lunar calendar 2019

Auspicious days for sowing and planting flowers

Preparation of beds for autumn (winter) sowing of flowers

The most important thing here is the right choice of a place for crops.

• The correct choice would be a sunny, sheltered from cold winds, well-heated and drying place, not flooded in spring, on the southern slopes and hillocks.
• With a low-lying location of the site and surface groundwater, the beds are made raised (15-20 cm high), or high (30-40 cm high).

It is advisable to prepare the beds in advance, the best time for this is September, early October.

• The soil must be dug up and fertilized: basically, it is compost or humus, in some cases, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
• The soil should be light and fertile, because. heavy over the winter has time to strongly compact.

• for small seeds - 0.5 - 1 cm deep,
• for medium - 2 cm deep,
• for large seeds - 4-5 cm deep.

The beds with grooves are covered with a film to keep the soil dry so that autumn rains and weed seeds do not fall into the grooves.
Also, you need to take care of the preparation of dry soil and mulch (sand, compost) in advance, put it in a dry place before sowing the seeds.

Podzimny sowing seeds

Podzimny sowing seeds of annual flowers can be done in two terms:

1. late autumn (end of October - beginning of November) and
2. at the beginning of winter (December - January).

At the same time, the sowing technology for these two terms is different.

Sowing seeds in late autumn (late October - early November)

Podzimny sowing late autumn you can start only after the onset of a stable, stable cooling and frost:

• The topsoil must be frozen and the flower seeds must lie dry in the soil so that they do not have time to germinate in the fall.
• When such a time comes, the topsoil is frozen, there is no threat of warming, then completely dry seeds are sown along the grooves and nests in previously prepared areas, then they are sprinkled with a layer of 1.5-2 cm prepared in advance, dry soil, with an additional 2-3 layer of mulch on top cm.
• Mulch is used to prevent crusting on the soil surface and to maintain negative temperatures in the soil during occasional autumn warming and early spring thaws.
• And this factor is very important and it must be observed, otherwise if the seeds begin to hatch from temporary warming, then the return of severe frosts will lead to their freezing.
  Seed consumption during autumn (winter) sowing of flowers increases by 1.5 times.

• In the spring, the first thinning of seedlings is done after the appearance of the third leaf,
• the second thinning - 2 weeks after the first, already finalizing the desired scheme for each type of plant.

Sowing seeds at the beginning of winter (December - January)

The sowing of flower seeds at the beginning of winter is started after the formation of a snow cover of at least 25 cm.

• Snow is trampled down on a site prepared in advance in autumn, grooves are made directly on it, and seeds are sown in them, also spending 1.5 times more seeds.
• The seeds are sprinkled with a layer of 1.5-2 cm prepared in advance with dry soil, and snow is thrown on top and compacted well to protect the seeds from mice.
• In the spring, two thinnings are made according to the method described above.
• Most annuals do not tolerate transplanting well, and therefore it is better to sow such species immediately in flower beds to a permanent place.

As for perennials, there are even more reasons to sow in the fall. The fact is that for many types of perennial ornamental plants, stratification is necessary for seed germination - that is, cold treatment. In order to grow these flowers in seedlings, soaked seeds are kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. However, it is much easier to sow these seeds in the ground before winter, and then the stratification will take place naturally without much effort on your part.

Most perennials develop much more successfully during winter sowing. And if you cover the seedlings with a film in the spring, you can often even achieve their flowering in the first year of life.

As for the germination of perennial seeds during autumn planting, it is much higher than that of annual plants.

The first rule when planting annual crops in the autumn is to sow in already frozen ground. Otherwise, the seeds may germinate prematurely and die at the first frost.

However, it is necessary to start preparing the soil in advance - in late September - early October, before the ground freezes. It is worth carefully planning the site for planting so that in the spring the seeds are not washed away by melt water.

To prepare the soil in the selected area, it is necessary to dig, fertilize and make shallow grooves or holes. The depth of the grooves is calculated based on the selected plant species: for large seeds, a depth of about 4-5 centimeters is needed, for medium ones - about 2, for small ones - no more than 1 centimeter.

In addition, it is worth stocking up in advance with a substrate for sprinkling seeds. Since during the winter the top layer of soil can be very compacted, which makes it difficult to germinate, it is recommended to sprinkle the crops with a thin layer of peat, humus or a light soil mixture of compost, peat with sand or humus with sand.

The actual sowing can be started in two terms: in November-December, when the topsoil freezes, or in the snow, in December-January. In any case, the seeds should be sown thicker than in spring.

When sown in late autumn, the seeds are placed in grooves and sprinkled with prepared soil mixture. From above, you can additionally cover the crops with a layer of fallen leaves.

For winter (in December-January, when the snow layer is at least 25 centimeters) sowing, the soil is prepared in exactly the same way (digging, fertilizing), however, there is no need to make grooves in the ground, since the seeds are sown directly into the snow.

Snow is trampled down, grooves are made in it, seeds are placed in them. From above, the crops are sprinkled with a layer of prepared (non-frozen) soil mixture or peat and additionally with a layer of snow.

In the spring, seedlings will need to be thinned out.

Some of the annuals suitable for winter sowing: summer adonis, sea alissum, Chinese aster, annual cornflower, Chinese carnation, large-flowered godetia, graceful gypsophila, annual delphinium, notched and rain dimorphotheca, bitter and umbrella iberis, calendula officinalis, clarkia marigold, echscholzia california, collinsia variegated, kosmeya double-pinnate and sulfur-yellow, keeled chrysanthemum, sowing and crowned, three-month-old lavatera, antirrinum, poppy-self-seed, seaside malcolmia, mattiola two-horned, fragrant mignonette, scabiosa dark purple, Drummond's phlox, nigella.

The soil for the autumn sowing of perennial flowers is prepared in the same way as for annuals: they dig up, fertilize and make grooves. Sowing begins from mid-October to early November. Seeds are also sprinkled with a thin layer of prepared soil mixture.

In the spring, after the snow melts, it is advisable to cover the seed bed with a film. Thus, you will accelerate the flowering of perennials, and at the same time protect the seeds from birds and spring rains. After the shoots appear, the film should be removed.

After the appearance of two or three true leaves, the plant dives to the distance recommended for this species.

Many perennials are suitable for autumn crops - for example, aconite, aster alpine and new Belgian, buzulnik, geykhera, gypsophila paniculata, dicentra, oriental poppy, euphorbia, rudbeckia, non-double varieties of popovnik. Seeds of aquilegia, perennial delphinium, gentian, winter-hardy cyclamen, hellebore, lavender, and primrose need mandatory stratification (which means they prefer winter sowing). Both in spring and autumn, you can sow gaillardia, alpine arabis, small-flowered, yarrow, matrikaria, shaving, lupine, lychnis, doronicum, peach-leaved and Carpathian bells.

Values ​​​​of sowing seeds before winter

Many gardeners prefer winter sowing, because this method has a high chance of growing strong, hardy crops. Painstaking work in the fall is justified in the spring, when cornflowers, chrysanthemums, marigolds, carnations, bluebells and many other garden inhabitants adorn the flower beds.

Benefits of sowing seeds before winter:

1. Seeds germinate in a familiar, natural habitat, reproduction occurs autonomously from human efforts.
2. Grown plants are endowed with endurance, they are not afraid of frost and are less susceptible to diseases. Healthy and deep roots are endowed with the ability to feed on moisture deep underground, so dry weather and weeds are not terrible for such flowers.
3. Earlier flowering.
4. In the spring, you don’t have to worry about seedlings; additional space is freed up on the windowsills for non-frost-resistant crops.
5. Flowers that are sown before winter germinate without human participation, you don’t have to worry about sufficient warming of the earth.
6. Natural selection - stronger seeds germinate, and flowers grow stronger and healthier.
7. With the help of natural selection, growing flowers in this way from year to year, you can achieve an improved own variety.
8. The absence of pests in the initial stages of growth.

How to sow seeds before winter

Winter sowing of seeds can be carried out in a school - a special garden bed, where all the comfortable conditions for the development of plants are created. Sowing in containers is also widespread, to prevent the plant from being washed off by melt water.

Sowing seeds in school

The bed should be located in the southern elevated space. The optimal height of the school is 20 cm. With such sizes of the beds, the possibility of washing out the plants with melt water is excluded, and the soil warms up faster. The soil begins to be prepared long before sowing from mid-September. The soil is deeply loosened, complex fertilizers enriched with minerals, potassium, and phosphorus are applied. Coarse-grained river sand with humus is added to clay soils, then the earth is leveled, compacted and grooves are made. The holes should vary in depth according to the size of the seeds. Small seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm, medium - 2 cm, large - 4 cm. The school is covered with a film, since snow may fall before sowing the seeds. Seeds must be dried before sowing.

In late October - early November, you can start sowing. To do this, remove the film and lay the seeds in several pieces in the wells. Large seeds are placed in a smaller amount in each hole, small seeds in a larger one. It is necessary to prepare the soil mixture in advance. To do this, mix humus, peat and sand. The wells are covered with prepared substrate. They collect fallen leaves, dried grass and cover the ground for warming. Watering is not necessary.

In the spring, when the snow melts, the mulch is removed and the seedlings wait. When two true leaves appear, the plant needs to be thinned out as much as possible. After half a month, when the flowers get stronger, you need to remove the interfering shoots again. When weeding, it is recommended to carefully loosen the ground near the flowers, without touching the roots.

Sowing seeds in a container

Before starting work in the garden, they stock up on suitable pots, prepare a soil mixture, coarse and fine sand, markings with the name of flowers, and drainage.

Suitable containers for sowing before winter:

1. Pots should be small 7-10 cm.
2. Be sure to have drainage holes.
3. Sowing containers should not bend easily so as not to damage the root system of flowers, it is better to choose plastic or wooden cups with dense walls.

For winter sowing, it is recommended to use a special substrate. It should be loose enough for the germination of small roots and not let in moisture and air. To obtain a soil mixture, three parts of peat and sand and one part of earth are mixed. Before planting, you need to slightly moisten the substrate.

Expanded clay, small stones, small pieces of bricks are suitable for drainage. In order not to get confused in plants, markings are used. They indicate the name of the culture, the date of sowing.

Winter sowing flower seeds in pots

Technology of sowing seeds in a container:

1. Drainage is poured at the bottom of the container by 2 cm.
2. Then you need to pour the soil mixture. There should be a distance of 2 cm between the substrate and the top of the pot.
3. Lightly compact the substrate.
4. Planting seeds. Small seeds can be mixed with sand.
5. Water containers with contents.

After the necessary preparation, you can begin to place the containers on the garden plot. A place for future flowers is desirable to choose a well-lit, closed from the wind. Dig holes to a depth of about 30 cm. Drainage is laid at the bottom, and on top of the tank. The edges of the pots should be at ground level. The space between the containers is covered with dry grass, leaves. Then the pots placed in the trenches are covered with mulch.

In early spring, after the snow melts, the mulch is removed, and thinned out when shoots appear. Planting plants in a permanent place in flower beds is carried out in late May - early June, depending on the region.

Winter sowing is available to every flower lover.

What flowers to sow before winter

You can sow before winter both perennial and annual flowers.

Perennial flowers that can overwinter in open ground:

Lavender seeds need stratification, sowing it under winter guarantees higher germination

• delphinium,
• bell,
• yarrow,
• carnation,
• doronicum,
• gaillardia,
• gentian,
• primrose,
• lavender,
• aquilegia,
• aconite,
• aster Alpine,
• arabis alpine,
• aster New Belgian,
• buzulnik,
• spurge,
• geuchera,
• gypsophila.

Annual flowers:

• clarkia marigold,
• lupine,
• nasturtium,
• mignonette,
• hop,
• escholzia california,
• cornflower,
• nigella,
• calendula,
• lavater,
• sea ​​lobularia,
• agrostemma ordinary.
• asters

All these flowers can be grown even by an inexperienced gardener, following the rules for planting seeds before winter. The main thing is not to sow the seeds ahead of time, to prepare the soil in advance, to apply the necessary fertilizers. On summer evenings, it will be so pleasant to admire the garden full of fragrant flowers grown by one's own hands.

Before winter, not every gardener dares to plant flowers on the site. But those who have already tried it know for sure that it is profitable and convenient. One of the reasons is good soil moisture, which significantly reduces watering and care after sowing. It is also worth considering that at the end of autumn there is much less trouble in the garden, so it's time to pay attention to flower beds and flower beds in order to enjoy the first flowering already on the first warm days. In October-November, you can plant both perennial and annual flowers, it is better to choose varieties that are most adapted to frost or require stratification.

Pros and cons of winter crops

Winter sowing has many advantages, although when starting planting, it is worth knowing the disadvantages in order to be prepared for the unexpected. There are several advantages, because of which gardeners sow flowers before winter:

1. If you don’t plant in the ground in the fall, then with the onset of heat, you will have to prepare the soil, fertilize, moisten, and wait for the establishment of a positive temperature so that the frosts do not damage the sprouts. In addition to flowers, gardeners devote a lot of time to vegetables, shrubs, trees, because they all require care, so things may not come to beauty in a flower bed.
2. Seeds that have overwintered in the ground become more hardened, so some varieties are able to cope with the spring cold snap without loss. Many crops need stratification, so it’s easier to plant them in the ground than to keep them in the refrigerator all winter, artificially maintaining “natural” conditions.
3. When sowing in autumn, you will not need to plant seedlings on windowsills and then plant them in the ground (there is a category of amateurs who are not difficult to do this, but some would gladly refuse this process).
4. Early shoots. Sometimes this is 2-3 weeks earlier than spring plantings. And when the heat is just beginning, everyone is tired of the cold, dampness, grayness, a bright flower bed will be an excellent occasion for joy and good mood.

Note! If you have seeds left that are nearing the end of their useful life, winter sowing is a great reason to keep them viable. If you leave them until spring, during the winter they will lose some of their properties, and in the spring they will be unsuitable for landing.

The disadvantages include:

• the likelihood of germination in the event of sudden warming in autumn or winter with a positive temperature (if the seeds have time to germinate, then they will die when it gets cold);
• not all seed will sprout, so you will have to sow 20-30% more than in spring;
• some perennials bloom only in the second year.

What flowers can be sown before winter

Starting from the end of August until the first days of December, you can plant seeds, bulbs, or plant bushes. It can be both annual and perennial varieties, the main thing is that they can tolerate the cold. It is better for bulb lovers to take care of the preparation in advance, selecting and drying the strongest bulbs. Before starting, it is worth properly preparing the soil, taking into account the location of the flower bed and choosing the optimal time so that the seeds do not die due to early planting. It is better not to delay the bushes, they need time to take root, so September is great for this. For most seeds, the best period is October. With bulbous plants, everything is individual, for example, muscari can be planted in the ground as early as the end of August. Winter sowing of asters is carried out in late October or early November.

The criterion for the optimal time for sowing seeds is when the temperature does not rise above zero day or night. In some regions, this occurs already in mid-November, in the south - in December. The main thing is to take into account the peculiarities of the climate so that shoots do not appear at the time of warming if they are planted too early. If the beds are prepared in advance, then seeds can be applied in December, and even in January. If the soil is already frozen, use either a shkolka or pre-prepared containers and beds for sowing.

Note! You can use folk signs to determine the right time. It comes when the leaves fall from the cherries.

Autumn sowing of annuals

Annual crops must be planted in frozen ground, otherwise they may germinate and die during the onset of cold weather. Seeds are placed in grooves prepared in advance, sprinkled with substrate, leaves, peat. After the emergence of seedlings, they must be thinned out.

You can sow in the snow in December, in January, with a snow cover of at least 25 cm. Then they don’t make grooves anymore, they just throw seeds into the snow. So that they are not blown away by the wind, birds do not peck, or they do not freeze, they trample the snow, put a layer of soil mixture or peat on top, and additionally sprinkle with snow. The soil must be prepared in advance - when it is still warm, it is dug up and fertilized.

Annual varieties are not so often sown before winter, because they sprout well in spring, and immediately bloom profusely. If you choose those that will sprout well in the spring, then these are cornflowers, marigolds, marigolds, fragrant tobacco, mattiola, chrysanthemums, annual asters, scabiosa, poppy, mignonette. In order for the flowering to be earlier, after the snow melts, arcs are placed and the film is stretched so that they rise faster. It is better to choose a permanent place right away, annuals do not need to be transplanted. Even in flower beds you can sow before winter:

• agrostemma;
• Adonis;
• year;
• kochia;
• dimorphotheque;
• nigella Damascus;
• lavater;
• sea ​​alissum;
• Chinese cloves;
• cosmea;
• clarkia marigold;
• antirrinum;
• seaside malcolmia;
• phlox Drumond;
• escholcia.

Note! Planting dates should be chosen based on their climate and weather, even if they are very different from the recommended ones. With snow cover, it is permissible to plant seeds if the soil is loose and soft. In slightly frozen ground, you can add purchased mixtures or warm soil, heated indoors, to the hole.

Autumn sowing of perennials

Of perennials, first of all, bulbs should be planted, during the winter some small bulbs dry out and by spring they are no longer suitable for sowing. If you still didn’t have time in time, you can leave them for distillation or organize suitable storage conditions until spring.

In autumn, perennial shrubs with a closed root system take root better, they are able to withstand frost if they are covered. The exposed root system takes longer to adapt, so it's best to plant them early. In some cases, it is better to dig seedlings, covering them with foil or branches, in order to determine a permanent place for them in the spring.

When the snow melts, it is best to cover the beds with foil to speed up growth and protect from birds, spring rains, and sudden night frosts. When shoots appear, the film is removed and after 15 days the shoots dive, depending on the species.

In the fall, the following perennials are planted:

• arabis;
• gaillardia;
• doronicum;
• shaving;
• lavender;
• aconite;
• buzulnik;
• geyher;
• dicenter;
• rudbeckia;
• daisy;
• aquilegia;
• primrose;
• doronicum;
• spurge;
• yarrow.

Note! No need to use stimulants in the fall. It is important for plants to winter at rest, and not to start growing and die from the cold.

In addition to the usual method of planting in open ground, you can use two more - in a school and in a container. Which one to choose for yourself depends on the climate, term, variety, readiness of the flower beds. In some summer cottages, free space is not entirely suitable for winter sowing. Usually this happens where there are small slopes, along which melt water flows in spring. If the snow cover is high, then these streams will wash away the fragile seeds, nullifying all efforts.

In open ground

Flowers for winter sowing, which do not tolerate transplantation, are best planted immediately in open ground. This is especially true for crops with a tap root system. These include magnolias, star anise, California poppy, purple sarracenia, wild begonia, sea armeria, oleander, bindweed, medicinal lavender, Tuscan bellflower, calendula, European aster, Korean chrysanthemum, dahlia.

It is better to plant seedlings with roots in warm weather so that the roots have time to strengthen, but the seeds are thrown into the already frozen ground so that they do not sprout ahead of time. From above, it is imperative to cover with a layer of humus, peat or the top layer of earth, which is removed a little earlier and stored until sowing in a warm place. The bulbs are deepened by about 2 lengths of their size, the seeds should not be left deep, otherwise in the spring they will sprout for a very long time.

It is better to prepare a flower bed in advance - in spring or summer. The site is dug up, fertilized with phosphate and potash fertilizers. There is no need to make nitrogen supplements that provoke activity, helping rapid growth, winter planting does not imply germination before spring.

Note! Before sowing, it is imperative to clean the beds from old tops, leaves, weed residues so that they do not rot and do not complicate planting.

Shkolka is a separate small bed for seedlings, growing cuttings, supporting plants with different germination times and conditions. For its arrangement, the southern site on a hill is better suited. Height - 20 cm, then the soil warms up faster and is not in danger of washing out the seeds with melt water when the snow melts. Land preparation begins in mid-September - they fertilize, loosen, if necessary, add river sand, humus, crushed stone. The top layer is leveled, compacted, grooves are made, depending on the size of the seed. The larger the seeds or bulbs, the deeper the grooves are made, usually it is not deeper than 4 cm. After that, they cover it with a film so that the snow that has fallen does not disturb the structure of the bed, and it can be planted even under the snow.

By the end of October, you can start sowing. The film is removed, seeds are placed in the wells several at a time, in case not all germinate. Small ones are put a little more, large ones are enough 2-3, it all depends on the variety and their size. From above they fall asleep with a soil mixture, which is prepared in advance and kept in a warm place. To do this, mix humus, peat, sand. You can also add fallen leaves, dry grass to insulate. Autumn sowing does not need watering, otherwise the plants will begin to develop ahead of time.

After the snow melts, the top layer of mulch is removed and shoots are waiting. As soon as strong sprouts with two leaves appear, you can thin out the planting if the seedlings are plentiful. After 14 days, you can repeat the procedure if the sprouts interfere with each other.

Note! During weeding, the ground around must be loosened carefully so as not to touch the roots.

Pots of different diameters from 7 to 10 cm with drainage holes are most often used as containers. They should not easily deform and bend, otherwise the roots may be damaged.

It is better to take a loose substrate that will not allow moisture and air to pass through, but will allow small roots to germinate. To do this, mix peat, sand, earth in a ratio of 3:3:1. Before making seeds, it is slightly moistened.

Drainage is laid at the bottom - expanded clay, small fragments of bricks, small stones with a layer of 2 cm, then the prepared mixture is poured, leaving about 1.5-2 cm of free space on top, compacted. Plant seeds, water.

Ready-made containers with seed are placed on the site in well-lit places protected from the wind. They are installed in pits 30 cm deep, in which drainage is also laid on the bottom. The edges should neither protrude nor go deep. Dry grass, leaves are poured between the pots, covered with mulch.

When the snow finally melts, the top layer of the shelter is removed, after the emergence of shoots it is thinned out. Plants are transferred to flower beds only by the end of May, beginning of June, depending on the climate.

Note! In order to understand where something is planted, you should prepare stickers or inscriptions in advance with marking the names, and the date of sowing, you can apply it with a waterproof marker directly on the container.

What is important to do in the spring

In spring, the ground must be moistened so that the seeds do not dry out, the less snow there is, the more abundant watering will be required. After the snow cover melts, a film is laid on the beds or stretched over arcs. This will speed up the emergence of seedlings and protect from wind, birds and cold weather.

After the appearance of sprouts, the shelter is removed, thinned out, and seated if necessary. If some of the seeds have not germinated, they are additionally sown so that there are no empty spaces in the flower beds or too wide gaps between the bushes. Every 15 days, the density of the shoots is checked, removing the extra ones, taking into account the size of the stem and the distance between the flowers. When using shkolok and containers, the grown seedlings are transferred to a permanent place as soon as they get stronger, and the weather becomes warm.

Place for winter sowing of flowers

It is very important to choose a good place for flowers so that adverse factors minimally affect germination and development. Melt waters, strong winds, scorching sun rays - all this can interfere with seedlings, therefore, based on the selected varieties, you need to choose the site with the most successful location, taking into account all the interference.

Too acidic or clayey soils become very compact during the winter, so in the spring the sprouts will not be able to break through the dense top layer. To fix this, in the fall you need to add sand, gravel or peat, loosen it to lighten the soil a little. Fertilizers are applied with potassium and phosphorus. The mulch, which is covered on top and the top layer of the earth, must be kept in a warm place so that they are not frozen by the time of sowing.

Preparing the beds for the winter sowing of flowers

Sowing sown in autumn is best placed where early work is not carried out in spring. Before starting, the remnants of weeds are carefully removed so that they do not germinate and do not interfere with young shoots. Compost is not brought in, because of the likelihood of residues in it of the roots of harmful plants that have not yet rotted. The earth is leveled, grooves or holes are made 1-1.5 cm deep. Stakes with labels can be placed on the sides of the rows, on which the sowing date and variety name are written. It is better to dig them in in advance, because it will no longer be possible to stick them into the frozen ground.

You can install arcs on which a film is stretched or a piece of linoleum is placed. This will come in handy before sowing, if suddenly the snow falls early, and in the spring, in case of early frosts.

Note! Labels on stakes or planks are needed to mark the place of crops, otherwise, after frost and snow melting, you may not find the beds, trample them or dig them up.

Soil for the winter sowing of flowers

It is ideal to use a ready mix from horticulture prepared with the varieties that will grow there. If this is not possible, or the soil on the site is suitable, you need to collect the top layer in advance in a bag and put it in a barn or house so that it does not freeze. It is enough to use it only for powdering, even if the ground is frozen, the seeds are thrown from above, and then covered with a prepared warm substrate.

For autumn sowing, you need to carefully choose crops so as not to waste time and not be upset in the spring when the flower bed does not bloom, remaining empty. It is better to take those seeds that endure cold or must undergo stratification. It is also worth planting those varieties that have a short shelf life, if they are stored for a long time, then germination is greatly reduced. Before planting, you can check all your stocks so as not to forget about those that have been lying for more than one season, it is also better to sow these before winter so that you can add fresh ones in the spring if they do not sprout.

Some varieties of perennials will bloom only in the second year, this should be taken into account before sowing, and when choosing a place, so that there is no empty space in a flower bed or rock garden. Such plants are planted either separately, or with those that bloom their flowers at the same time as them.

Planting dates can even be the latest - the main thing is to ensure that warming does not begin in the coming days after planting. The beds are prepared in advance, leaving the top layer of earth and mulch in a warm place, which will be sprinkled on top. A little more seeds are put in the holes than in spring, in case some do not endure the cold.

Do you want your garden or patio to light up with bright colors in early spring? Do you want to mess around in the beds, occasionally glancing at a chic flower bed full of flowering plants when the neighbors are just planting seedlings of flowers? Do you want to get strong flower plants with maximum immunity? Then you definitely need to read this article and make winter crops of flower crops. About how to do it, what crops to use, when to sow - now we'll tell you everything!

Chinese Callistephus (Callistephus chinensis)

But, before we start a fascinating story about how to correctly and when it is most correct to lower the grains into the soil, let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages, the pros and cons of winter crops of flower crops.

When there are two pieces of news, I always prefer to start with a good one, so let's start with the benefits of planting flowers in the fall.

• Well, of course, this is the very first, the earliest spring flowering, days or even weeks earlier than the “neighbors”, and if you build a small greenhouse and cover the seedlings, it will be absolutely great!
• The second plus is the full use of spring melt water accumulated in the soil from melting snow, so that a dry spring will not threaten you for sure, especially those who break up the most luxurious flower beds in summer cottages.
• Plus the third - natural stratification, or hardening. “If you want to be healthy, temper yourself,” this also applies to seeds. During the winter, a kind of natural selection will take place, and the strongest and strongest seeds will give powerful seedlings, which will not be afraid of either the vagaries of the weather or diseases with pests.
• Plus, the fourth - since the plants are powerful and strong, which means they are resistant to frost and return cold, and this cannot but be to our advantage.
• Fifth plus. Suppose every year we sow only seeds collected by our caring hands - thus, using winter crops, we ourselves, without knowing it, can get elite seed material, simply ideally adapted to local climate conditions. And each year will be better than the previous one, both in strength of growth and in the degree of flowering, coupled with duration.
• The sixth plus is a small head start, a drop of time that can be spent in the spring not on sowing seeds, but on something else.
• Well, a couple of not pluses, but pluses - this is an opportunity for plants to form more developed roots, and, consequently, we should pay less attention to them in the future in terms of care; and cats will bask in the sun on our window sills, and not seedlings will stand (although this is an amateur).

But there is also bad news, or rather, the disadvantages or risks of winter sowing of flower crops. There are significantly fewer of them, but, nevertheless, there is always a risk that you will incorrectly determine the timing of sowing, it will get warmer, the seeds will sprout and die.

Phlox Drummond (Phlox drummondii) Joy

Early thaws - the same picture, a provocation, the seeds "think" that it is spring, but no, then a serious frost and again a bunch of attacks.

Well, it’s a sin to hide, annuals during winter sowing sprout much worse than if you dispersed the cats from the windowsills and started growing seedlings, like this ...

But we are residents of the 21st century, and therefore we need to somehow change the usual foundations, boldly sow annuals before winter.

Sowing annuals

The very first and most important rule is that the seeds of annual crops should only be sown in already frozen soil, otherwise they will sprout and die. Around the beginning of October, prepare the soil well, select a site such that meltwater cannot wash away the seeds, and so that it is more convenient for you to contemplate future beauty, and for future beauty to contemplate the world around.

Dig up the soil, add 300 g of wood ash per sq. meter and make holes or grooves. As for the depth of these same holes or grooves, it must be calculated based on the size of the seeds, but usually the largest seeds are not immersed by more than 4 cm, and the small ones by less than a centimeter (winter is ahead).

Next, stock up on loose and fertile soil so that the holes or grooves are properly sprinkled later. To do this, it is ideal to use humus or a mixture of compost and river sand in equal proportions, or the same from river sand and humus.

Alyssum, or Lobularia maritima (Lobularia maritima) in the fields NK-Russian Garden

Around November, you can safely start sowing annual flowers. At the same time, you can sow both in November and at the very beginning of December, trying to sow twice as thick as usual in spring.

After sowing, the seeds are sprinkled with the prepared mixture, and leaf litter is thrown on top, and so that it is not blown by the wind throughout the area, they are also covered with spruce paws (they chic hold the snow).

How to plant in the snow, you ask? But it’s simple - they trample it down well, crush it and place the seeds, and then sprinkle it with one of those mixtures that are described above, they are stored in our heat. From above you can sketch a snowball.

Proven annual flower crops that will definitely sprout in the spring are: summer adonis, sea alissum, Chinese aster, blue cornflower, Chinese carnation, large-flowered godetia, graceful gypsophila, annual delphinium, notched dimorphotheca, rain dimorphotheca, Iberis bitter, Iberis umbrella, calendula officinalis, clarkia marigold, escholcia Californian, collinsia variegated, double-pinnate kosmeya and sulfur-yellow kosmeya, keeled chrysanthemum, sowing chrysanthemum and crowned chrysanthemum, three-month-old lavatera, antirrinum, poppy self-seed, malcolmia maritime, mattiola bicornu, fragrant mignonette, scabiosa phlox dark purple, dark purple, .

Sowing and perennials

The principle is the same: we prepare the soil well, dig a shovel on a full bayonet, remove all plant debris, weed rhizomes, add 350-400 g of wood ash or a teaspoon of potassium sulfate per square meter. Next, we make holes or grooves, in fact, as for annual flowering plants. Perennials are usually sown from the first decade of October to the beginning of November. The mixture needed to cover the sown seeds can be used the same as we described above. Choose the option you like and sprinkle, and most importantly, keep it warm so that it does not freeze by the time of sowing.

In autumn, you can safely sow such perennial flowering plants as aconite, alpine aster and New Belgian aster, buzulniki, species geyher, panicled gypsophila, dicentra, oriental poppy, euphorbia, rudbeckia, non-double varieties of nivyanik.

Biologically, stratification is required (and, therefore, winter crops are only a plus for them), such crops as aquilegia, perennial delphinium, gentian, winter-hardy cyclamens, hellebore, lavender and primrose.

Both in autumn and in spring, you can safely sow gaillardia, alpine arabis, small-flowered, yarrow, matrikaria, shaving, lupine, lychnis, doronicum, peach-leaved bell and Carpathian bell.

>things to do in spring

Podzimny sowing flowers

The end of October in temperate latitudes marks the end of the gardening season.

What can you do in the country in late October-early November?
"Never mind!" most people will answer.
And they will be wrong...

Right now, you can and should sow many flowers in the garden (and not only flowers!).
Firstly, in this way in the spring you will save precious time.
Secondly, winter crops will bloom much earlier than spring crops.
Thirdly, many plants (whose seeds require cold stratification) simply will not sprout when sown in April-May.

When and how to sow before winter?

The best time for winter sowing is with the establishment of stable autumn cold weather.
In many regions, this period falls precisely at the end of October-beginning of November.

Although autumn crops can be done later, up to the appearance of permanent snow cover. As a rule, at this time the top layer of the earth is already freezing. For seeds, this is not at all scary, but it can significantly complicate the preparation of the soil in the garden for sowing. Therefore, try to make a seedbed early or prepare furrows in a flower garden (before the ground freezes). And also stock up the substrate in advance, with which you will sprinkle the sown seeds.

How often and how deep should seeds be sown?
In autumn, it is better to sow somewhat more often and less deeply than with spring sowing, since the germination of such seeds in spring may be slightly lower. The coming autumn cold will not allow the sown seeds to germinate ahead of time.
Since the topsoil can become very compacted over the winter, it can be difficult for seeds to break through this crust in the spring. That is why it is better to sprinkle seeds sown in autumn with a thin layer of peat or humus.

Watering autumn crops is completely unnecessary and even harmful (unexpected warming weather in autumn can cause premature germination of seeds). And in the spring, these seeds will have enough moisture from the melted snow.

Ways to accelerate flowering

It has been noticed that sowing flowers before winter accelerates the beginning of their flowering by 1-3 weeks.

But there is another way to "deceive" nature. To do this, install metal arcs over the ridge, and in the spring (as soon as the snow melts) cover the ridge with a film. Thus, flowering will begin another 1-2 weeks earlier!

By the way, this is how you can avoid the tedious growing of seedlings of flowers, which in the spring occupies all our window sills.
For example, if you decide to grow the popular annual aster in this way, you will get stronger plants during winter crops. They will be less susceptible to disease and bloom earlier or at the same time as those asters that were sown for seedlings in March.

By the way, the resistance of plants sown in autumn to adverse weather conditions (spring frosts and lack of moisture) and diseases is another advantage of autumn crops.

Autumn crops of annuals

Surely more than once in the spring you found shoots of marigolds that appeared in the most inappropriate places, cosmea, lavater and other unpretentious summersthat grew with you last year.
In general, almost any flowers can reproduce by self-sowing. But only in sufficiently frost-resistant plants, tender sprouts do not die from spring frosts.

So, what kind of letniki can be sown before winter?
Here is just a short list of popular annual flowers: alissum, aster, cornflower, gypsophila, godetia, iberis, calendula, kosmeya, lavatera, poppy, nigella, escholcia and some others.
Most of these flowers, which do not like transplantation, are best sown immediately in a permanent place in the flower bed. If spring shoots are too frequent, they can be thinned out. But it is better to sow the aster in the garden and cover the crops with a film in the spring.

Autumn crops of perennials

If during the winter sowing of annuals, mainly time is gained, then the reasons for the autumn sowing of many perennial flowers are completely different.
The fact is that many types of perennials require stratification for seed germination. Therefore, such seeds need to be at low temperatures for some time to germinate. With spring crops, this can be achieved by placing the soaked seeds for 1-3 months in the refrigerator. But it is much easier to sow seeds with a hard shell before winter.

Here is a short list of perennials that need cold stratification: lavender, gentian, aquilegia, delphinium, primrose, winter-hardy cyclamens, hellebore, etc.

Many types of perennials germinate quite successfully when sown in the spring. But in order to get stronger plants, it is still preferable to do this in the fall. For example, here are some plants that can be sown in autumn and spring: gaillardia, doronicum, Carpathian and peach-leaved bells, lychnis, lupine, carnation, chamomile, obrieta, yarrow, small-petal, arabis, etc.

As practice shows, almost all perennials develop much better during winter sowing. By the way, most of them usually bloom only in the second year. However, by sowing perennials before winter, and covering with foil in spring, you can often get flowers by the end of the first summer!

Autumn crops of garden crops

Although the main characters of this article are flowers, it would be unfair not to say at least a few words about garden plants. Moreover, every gardener is quite capable of arranging a small aesthetic and decorative garden!

So - the seeds of many vegetable crops sown before winter allow you to get a crop 1-2 weeks earlier than from those sown in mid-April. And if we take into account that we usually garden only for the May holidays, then the harvest from winter crops will turn out to be just super early!

What kind of vegetable crops can be sown before winter?
First of all, early ripening greens - dill and lettuce. Parsley and celery will sprout much earlier during autumn sowing.
Some experts even recommend sowing carrots before winter (but this is for lovers of experiments).

But what has been tested for centuries is the autumn planting of garlic. Strictly speaking, it was better to do this at the beginning of October (but, in extreme cases, you can do it at the very end of it). But so that the garlic has time to take root before the cold weather, cover the bed with dry foliage or peat.
You can also plant onion sets before winter - just do it better a little deeper than in spring.

Other benefits of winter sowing

Perhaps all of the above reasons could not convince you of the need for winter crops.
But there is another very significant advantage. The fact is that autumn is the best time for sowing seeds, the expiration date of which ends this year. As well as those seeds whose quality is in doubt. We are talking, of course, about frost-resistant plant species.

Why does it make sense to sow "suspicious" seeds in the garden before winter?
Firstly, in the dry air of a warm apartment, they will lose their germination much faster, and in the spring they can be safely thrown away.
Secondly, winter sowing will allow you to see in early spring whether shoots have appeared. And if there are no inputs, then without wasting time on determining the germination of old seeds, you can sow new ones.

When the entire crop has already been harvested, and there is not so much work in the garden and vegetable garden, you can start winter sowing - an agricultural technique that allows you to get a small (10-12 days) run in the development of seedlings in the spring.

It is especially effective in places where the earth warms up slowly, as well as in arid regions, where plants sown before winter will be able to fully use soil moisture. In addition, using this method, you can better distribute your strengths and capabilities, saving time for other spring work.

Cold-resistant vegetables and greens are chosen for sowing before winter: onions, rhubarb, sorrel, carrots, parsley, dill, coriander, borage, spinach, radishes, leaf mustard, some varieties of lettuce, as well as crops whose seeds quickly lose their germination capacity, for example parsnip, or requiring stratification (katran).

Medicinal herbs can also be sown: monarda, sage, chamomile, medicinal valerian, St. John's wort, yarrow. The smallest fraction can be planted on early greens onion sets, garlic bulbs, which will save the bulbs from drying out in winter.

Sow in late autumn and the seeds of some annual flowers, for example asters, calendulas, mignonettes, mattiolas, alyssums, lavatera, escholzia, annual asters, cornflower, as well as perennial flowers that need stratification: lavender, garden cyclamen, primrose, hellebore, delphinium, aquilegia, doronicum.

Crops such as alpine bellflower, hazel grouse, levisia, prolomnik, gentian, saxifrage during spring sowing often germinate only a year later, therefore, in order to obtain friendly seedlings, they are sown before winter.

Work begins when the air temperature approaches 0 ° C or drops a little lower (up to -1-2 ° C).

Seeds in the ground should have time to swell, but not germinate before the onset of winter. Sowing dates in different regions are individual (for the Non-Chernozem region, suitable weather, as a rule, is set in the beginning - middle, November). So that the seeds do not freeze in the ground, they should never be soaked.

Ridges for winter sowing should be prepared in advance, when the earth is still easy to dig. They also prepare t in advance, store the mixture for mulching crops in heated rooms (so that it does not freeze).

In areas with a close occurrence of groundwater, in order to avoid rotting of seeds from excess moisture, the ridges are made higher than usual (they will settle by spring). The soil must be sufficiently loose.

On heavy loams, the ridges "swim", and it is difficult for seedlings to break through the thickness of the earth in spring. On clay soils, peat or rotted compost is applied (up to 6-8 kg per 1 m 2), as well as phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at the rate of 30-40 g / m 2. Small seeds are buried in the ground by 1.5-2 cm, large seeds by 2-3 cm, onion sets and garlic bulbs by 3-4 cm.

From above, the seeds are covered with pre-prepared peat or light compost so that a crust does not form after the snow melts. In order to get friendly seedlings in spring, the seeding rate for winter sowing must be increased by 50% compared to spring sowing.

It should be noted that, despite all efforts, the seeds can still die in winter or early spring, for example, during a prolonged thaw, severe frosts, or flooding of the site.

Therefore, it is better to save especially valuable seeds until spring. In addition, vegetables grown in this way are not suitable for long-term storage, and the flowers fade earlier than those sown in the spring.

Nadezhda Seredyuk, Voronezh

I think whoever has a dacha, he must plant garlic. This seasoning is indispensable. Here I am planting it without fail.

In the autumn in advance (two weeks before planting) I prepare a garden bed. I always plant garlic in the place where pumpkin or beans grew - these are good predecessors for it. On the morning of October 4-6, I sort out the heads of garlic and divide them into cloves. I choose the largest, flat cloves and set aside for eating. When I finish the preparations, my husband and I go to plant. The husband makes deep grooves with a chopper, and I plant cloves every 10 cm. Then we rake the earth into the grooves with a rake, roll it so that the earth fits snugly against the teeth. We cover the bed with mulch (buckwheat husks) with a layer of about 5 cm. That's the whole planting.

Before snow, the garlic rooted, but did not germinate. And in early spring, when the snow melts, green shoots appear. Under the sun, garlic grows quickly. I do not remove the mulch and do not loosen it, since the earth is soft, the grass does not grow. Caring for garlic is rare watering.

If the lower leaves turn yellow, I take urea and sprinkle along the rows. Then I sprinkle over the top. I don't feed anymore.

Garlic stalks grow thick. When arrows appear, I cut them off. But I leave a few pieces to navigate when digging garlic. The arrow rises and straightens, and on it are small air bulbs covered with a white shell. When this shell bursts. I start cleaning right away.

To dry, I put the garlic in a shaded place, under a canopy (the heads turn green in the sun). All garlic is large as a selection. When the stems are dry, I cut them with secateurs, leaving 2 cm near the head. I dry it a little more in a dark place, put it in a box and put it on the floor in a cool pantry. In such conditions, garlic is perfectly stored until the summer.

Next October I again choose large cloves for planting. And the rest we use during the winter for food and treatment.

I decided to sow onion sets and carrots before winter

Natalia Sergeeva, by e-mail

About ten years ago, I, a native townswoman, who always had difficulty distinguishing lettuce from spinach, bought a plot of land outside the city. And my country saga began. There was no way to build a house. Thank you, my friends helped me get a wooden construction shed, not new, but quite decent.

For a couple of years, I managed to put the abandoned site in order. Made a small garden. planted shrubs and flowers. There is not much space left for garden beds, but without them it is completely boring.

Besides, I really like to experiment.

It's not always possible for me to come to the dacha on weekends. And in the spring, during the "sowing season", every day is important. So I decided to sow something in the fall. I have been looking closely at the beds of my neighbors for a long time (some of them began to turn green suspiciously early).

I heard something about winter sowing, so I decided to sow onion sets and carrots. And nothing happened to me! The neighbors' winter beds are already green with might and main, and weeds have just begun to sprout on mine. I decided that it was time to get to know the neighbors and talk to them about this topic. Neighbors are local people, all their lives in the garden, so it seemed to them that there was nothing to explain here, everything was simple. But for me the conversation was very useful: I realized my mistakes. Firstly, beds for winter sowing should be arranged in a high place so that water (from melting snow in the thaw and in spring) does not stagnate there. If the seeds get wet for a long time, they can begin to germinate and die in frost. Plus, they might just piss off. A high place is also good because the sun illuminates it more. As a result, the earth warms up faster in spring, and seedlings appear sooner.

But I think the main thing that provoked my failure was too early sowing. The autumn was warm and protracted, and the seeds sown in September (it was still warm) probably managed to hatch and then disappeared. Neighbors reassured me, they said that everything happens with them, especially if the temperature jumps in winter: either the sun warms, or the frost.

In the fall, I arranged a bed for winter sowing in accordance with all the rules and sowed on time. And in the spring it turned green on a par with the neighbor's.

On a note!

In order to create normal conditions for germinating seeds of winter carrots, in the spring, when the soil begins to dry out, the soil crust is destroyed. After mass shoots of carrots, 15-20 g / m 2 of nitrogen fertilizers are applied with their incorporation into the soil near the row.

Separately about the experience of winter sowing flowers

In October, she sowed the seeds in prepared flower beds

I don’t go out to the dacha so often - work, household chores. Therefore, in the spring I often miss the optimal time for sowing flowers. There are also problems with seedlings: it’s a bit far to get to the site, by two modes of transport, so you won’t be able to carry much. And there is not enough space in the apartment to grow everything you want. Naturally, more attention is paid to vegetable crops - tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. There is practically no space left for flowers.

And I really love flowers. Therefore, I used to be very happy when I found those that reproduce by self-sowing. And somehow I thought that if you help the flowers survive the winter, then you can not mess with the seedlings, and save time. I began to look for information in books on floriculture and found that it was not the seeds that needed to be helped to survive the winter, but the seedlings - in early spring, when the sprouts died in the ground from frost. And it became clear to me what to do.

Collected cosmos seeds. alissum, lavatery, annual aster, gypsophila, godetia, iberis. nigella, delphinium, escholzia, ash, matthiola, scabiosa. Dry them at home as usual. In the first half of October, I went to the site, sowed it in prepared flower beds and threw it with dry leaves, and covered it with spruce branches on top (so that the leaves would not be blown away by the wind).

In March, when there were still frosts, but the sun warmed well during the day, I got out to the dacha. She removed the spruce branches, covered the flower beds with lutrasil, which she again fixed with spruce branches.

So my flower beds warmed themselves until the frosts had already completely departed. In the second half of April, the insulation was removed, carefully raked the leaves. There were no shoots; I thought that none of my ideas worked. But when I arrived at the dacha two weeks later, I was pleasantly surprised: my flower beds came to life, turned green! True, not all the seeds sprouted, but it was a great progress! The plants developed very quickly: the greenery was good, and they bloomed profusely.

In the fall, I came up with another way to make it easier to grow one- and two-year-olds. Sowed the seeds of aquilegia, Turkish carnation, annual chrysanthemums in several boxes filled with garden soil. I put them together in the yard. She made the shelter in the same way as above the flower beds: first with leaves, and in early spring with lutrasil. The convenience is that much less lutrasil is required. and easier to water.

Now I grow my annuals only with the help of winter sowing.

Sowing before winter: what, when and how

Before winter, you can sow not only garlic. For gardeners who are not afraid of experiments, I advise you to try this method of sowing. It has many advantages, and the main one is that you will get harvests much faster (times vary for different crops). Seeds sown before winter undergo a natural process of processing by winter cold under the snow. In the spring, fed by melt water, they swell and start growing as soon as the sun begins to warm up constantly. Plus, plants undergo natural selection, all the strongest candidates germinate, which are resistant to weather vagaries and diseases, and weak ones do not pass the test in winter. The better the harvest!

What to sow?

Before winter, you can sow different crops. Best of all, in my opinion, beetroot succeeds, and even today varieties are bred designed for this. It rises so amicably that thinning is required, and everything that I thinned goes to a vitamin salad. Also, without a doubt, sow carrots: and it has the most suitable varieties, such as the proven ‘Nantes’ and others. Sow before winter and radishes,

but I tried and decided to sow it the old fashioned way in the spring, because early ripening varieties sprout and ripen very quickly already. I also sow marrows in autumn and harvest early instead of buying from the market. Parsley is excellent for me, which, when sown in the spring, can sit in the ground for a very long time, and sown in the fall, sprouts together and early, gives very early greens.

The same can be said about dill. Even spring greens are obtained early from onion-sampling, which, when sown in winter, gives its feathers early. You can sow head salads, salad mustard and cabbage (red, Beijing and cauliflower) in the fall. You can try to sow tomatoes too, but I confess that the results are better when grown through seedlings, and then in a greenhouse.

The bed must be prepared in advance. Immediately after the autumn harvest of the tops, I dig up the ground, charge it with ash and compost.

This may be, depending on the autumn, and in the middle, and at the end of October or in November. There is no need to rush, because the thaw that came after sowing can destroy the seeds - excess moisture gives them a signal to swell, and the frosts that follow will certainly kill the seeds that have been touched.

The technology itself and sowing rates differ depending on the crop, but at the same time they do not differ much from spring sowing methods. I would only recommend sowing a little thicker and thinning out in the spring.

I checked in practice that the newfangled coated seeds are very well suited for winter sowing.

Galina Petrovna Safonova, Shchigry, Kursk region

Planting before winter

First, I will tell you what guided me when making such a strange decision about winter sowing.

It's very simple - I wanted to save precious spring time, which is so often lacking when you want to plant everything that you have planned for the season.

In addition, from the accumulated experience of various gardeners, I learned that vegetables planted before winter undergo a real hardening, after which only the most persistent and strong plants remain. In addition, by sowing vegetables before winter, I will get a harvest much earlier and will be able, perhaps, to sow some more crops. This prospect intrigued me greatly.

It is necessary to sow winter vegetables and greens when stable frosts begin. But here the beds need to be prepared in advance, so as not to bite into the frozen ground later. Why sow so late, you ask. The thing is that if you sow the seeds before the onset of stable frosts, they will begin to grow together, and we do not want this. I fertilize the bed with organic matter - light soil is the best suited for my purpose.

A thaw after winter sowing is extremely undesirable, since the seeds can germinate and die with the advent of frost.

In the garden, I make grooves 3-5 cm deep. The seeds must be absolutely dry, like the earth, with which I then sprinkle the crops. Then I lay out a good layer of mulch, which I also cover with spruce branches so that the snow layer comes out thick. It’s a good idea to lay a layer of covering material on top of the bed so that the melted snow does not wash out the bed and scatter the seeds.

So you can sow carrots, beets, radishes, greens ... It is important to remember the rule that helped me not to ruin all the plantings: carefully observe the weather! If the temperature stays at zero, I wait, what if there is a thaw? And if frost struck and the top layer of soil froze, you can safely sow!

On the day of winter sowing, seed consumption increases by 1.5-2 times.

If unexpected snow falls, do not be discouraged. Just rake it and sow before winter, sprinkling the seeds with fertile soil, peat or compost. They'll make it through the cold.

Seeds should have good germination, be large, full-bodied. It is better to buy high-quality varietal seeds.

Sowing before winter is suitable for cold-resistant crops. These are those plants whose leaves do not have pubescence (the edge of the leaves protects the plants from heat).

: Winter and spring garlic: how ...

Greetings, dear readers! I would like to believe that among the guests of my site there is no one indifferent to beautiful flowers. After all, you can’t live in a garden alone ... Today I’ll tell you about another opportunity to simplify my spring worries. Such a simplification will be the winter sowing of flowers. Yes, not all flowers are suitable for a cold test, but many will survive it quite well.

The main principle of selecting plants for the winter sowing of flowers is:

1. the need for seed stratification before sowing;
2. cold resistance of plants (heat-loving plants are not suitable for this technique);
3. short shelf life of seeds. Seeds of some flowers lose their germination very quickly (if they are collected in summer-autumn, and then sown in spring, they may not sprout).

In addition, if you have seeds that are about to expire, or have already expired, you can experiment and sow them before winter. If they germinate - excellent, but if they don't - then fresh seeds can be sown in the spring.

Sowing flowers before winter has a number of advantages. This approach:

• frees up time for other spring worries;
• provides earlier and healthier flower seedlings. Accordingly, the flowers bloom faster;
• adapt plants to local conditions. You will get more disease and weather resistant plants.
• allows you to get rid of soaking the seeds and keeping them in the refrigerator. Weather conditions will do it for you;
• provides the plants with the necessary moisture. At the same time, it is not necessary to water or soak the seeds (when sowing in the winter, soaking and watering in the fall are even harmful). Later, the snow will provide the seeds with all the necessary moisture for germination;
• allows plants to "decide" when to germinate. Depending on the type of flowers, the appropriate temperature for their germination is 0...+1 - +20°C. If desired, in the spring you can organize a greenhouse over the sown seeds so that they germinate faster and give strong seedlings.
• allows you not to bother with growing seedlings on the windowsill. If you decide to grow the same flowers on the windowsill, you will have to provide the necessary temperature, lighting, picking ... And then you also need to harden the plants. It is better to free the window sill for heat-loving flowers and vegetables, and “send” cold-resistant ones to germinate immediately outside.

If we compare the winter sowing of vegetables and greens, which I wrote about, then it is easier to work with flowers. There are more chances of success here.

First, many flowers are suitable for this seeding method.

Secondly, thanks to this method, some biennials and perennials can bloom in the same year they germinate (this is not a 100% guarantee, but there is such a possibility).

Thirdly, Nature herself laid the need for stratification and / or the ability to withstand low temperatures in flower seeds. Basically, after all, wild plants reproduce themselves, and do not wait for our help.

What flowers are suitable for winter sowing?

Winter sowing of flowers needs to be done and for this you can use many annuals, biennials and perennials. By the way, some plants can be sown both before winter and in spring. And, as I wrote above, in case some seeds do not sprout, new ones can be sown in the spring (they are not that expensive, and the “winter experiment” will most likely end well).

Flowers, the germination of seeds of which quickly ends:

• Adonis (Adonis),
• aconite,
• delphinium,
• hoof,
• hellebore,
• liverwort,
• lumbago (sleep-grass),
• sanguinaria,
• trillium,
• corydalis.

Despite the fact that all these plants are very beautiful, many of them are both poisonous and medicinal at the same time. There are “legends” about hellebore in general: it is believed that it promotes weight loss, but, given its toxicity, many healers bypass this plant. So think before you use any plant for medicinal purposes. Better to just enjoy them.

And here is a video about sleep-grass:

By the way, the ash tree flower (asterisk or burning bush) also belongs to the above group. But personally, I don’t want to see this plant on my site. It looks beautiful and seems harmless, but great harm is hidden behind beauty. There is evidence that touching it causes severe chemical burns of the 2nd degree. You can't even smell it! And, if you know about its properties, then you are unlikely to keep track of all the guests and children. As they say, it's better to stay away from sin...

Flowers of the following genera and families are good for winter sowing:

• alpine bluebells,
• catchment area (aquilegia),
• gentian,
• saxifrage,
• levisia,
• breaker.

Of the annuals for sowing before winter, they are suitable:

• asters;
• alyssum;
• cornflowers;
• gypsophila;
• kosmeya;
• lavater;
• nigella;
• escholcia (California poppy).

Also suitable are seeds of such flowers as:

• ageratum;
• cochia;
• left hand;
• lychnis;
• chamomile;
• rudbeckia;
• yarrow;
• echinacea.

Other plants are also possible. In any case, for those flowers that you like, but are not mentioned here, you should find out more before sowing the seeds. It is possible that they are suitable for winter sowing.

How to sow flower seeds before winter

Podzimny sowing of flowers can be done in several ways:

1. Direct sowing in a flower bed, where they will then grow.
2. To the garden (to the "school") for further transplantation.
3. In containers, pots, including individual ones.

Direct sowing in the flower bed can be produced for all of the above annuals. Usually they are unpretentious. This also applies to calendula. In the same way, you can grow rudbeckia, echinacea.

To the garden ("school") for further transplantation annuals can also be sown, but those that are not afraid of transplanting are better. So it would be good to sow asters in the garden, and in the spring cover with a film greenhouse. This method will provide you with strong seedlings of asters. Then you can plant the seedlings wherever you want.

The first two sowing methods are carried out in almost the same way as the sowing of vegetables and herbs, which was described in the previous article. Remember to mark your crops somehow. Otherwise, in the spring you will have to guess what has grown.

Some gardeners cover crops with roofing felt or boards and then fall asleep on top with snow. In the spring, when the snow begins to melt a little, these shelters are removed and a film greenhouse is put up. I haven't tried this method. If you, my readers, have grown seedlings of flowers in this way, please tell us about your results.