Flowers are a real decoration of the yard, which is why flowerbeds of various colors and shapes can be seen in almost any summer cottage. Growing these crops is no more difficult, and sometimes even easier, than cultivating fruit-bearing plants. But flowers make it possible to get aesthetic pleasure from being at their summer cottage. How to grow them, what are the secrets of rich lush flower beds? When to plant flowers for seedlings and how to make them grow strong and healthy?

Before you go to the store for seeds to start growing seedlings of flowers (because you really want to see beautiful flower beds in your dacha), you need to familiarize yourself with those varieties and species that need seedling cultivation. Indeed, in fact, many of the flowering plants quite manage to grow and bloom during the summer simply from seeds sown in the ground.

So, both perennials and annual plants with a long growing season can be cultivated in seedlings. They can also be planted for seedlings if the owner of the household plot dreams of a flowering garden already in early or mid-summer. In general, absolutely any flowers can be grown using a seedling method, if there is a desire that the dacha looks like a flower bed throughout the entire gardening season.

But there are plants that are sown for seedlings more often than other crops; in particular, it is:

• lobelia;
• gerbera;
• ageratum;
• nasturtium;
• marigold;
• phloxes;
• begonia;
• zinnia;
• Snapdragon.

There are also other species and varieties that need seedling cultivation. In any case, for this you will need seeds that can be collected with your own hands at the end of last season or purchased at gardening stores. And here, too, you should not lose your vigilance: cunning sellers may try to slip you, as an inexperienced summer resident, low-quality material that may not rise at all. To prevent this from happening, carefully study the packages with seeds, carefully read the expiration dates.

Snapdragon - seeds

On a note! It is best to buy the freshest flower seeds - so there is a greater chance that they have good germination. Unfortunately, over time, they lose this quality. Ideally, if the seed sale period ends no later than the end of the current year or the next.

It is also advisable to make a choice in favor of those seed producers about which you know at least something. It is undesirable to purchase seedlings that are packaged in incomprehensible and damaged bags, even if they are offered at a big discount.

It is also important to evaluate the growing conditions that your chosen flowers need. Familiarize yourself with these conditions and choose those crops that you can provide with the necessary amount of sun, shade, moisture, and also make them exactly the flower bed in which they will be comfortable.

On a note! In shaded areas, lobelia and balsam take root perfectly. And they are not afraid of a short-term drought of nasturtiums, marigolds, phloxes. A long-blooming flower is a petunia that can delight you daily and for a long time, which is why it is considered the queen of country beds.

petunia seed prices

petunia seeds

General sowing rules

Any plant has its own requirements for growing conditions, but there are some general rules that combine the procedures for sowing seeds of any flowers. Most experienced gardeners, of course, are familiar with these nuances, but it will be interesting for a beginner to learn about them.

To begin with, you should take care of the inventory that you may need for a successful procedure. These are all kinds of containers for sowing seeds, diving seedlings. In order not to spend extra money, which, as you know, does not exist, you can take care of the containers in advance and have time to collect a lot of jars of food and drinks. These containers may well make a good container for flowers.

For watering the soil with sown seeds, it is better to purchase a spray gun - it will not wash the soil and will not disturb the flower seeds, which are usually very small. The grown seedlings can be watered with a watering can with a thin spout.

Watering can for flowers "Pumpkin", 1 l

On a note! Before sowing seeds, take care of the labels with the names of the varieties that you will grow.

Preparation of seeds, containers and soil for sowing

Before you start sowing seeds, you need to put in order the container for the soil, the soil itself and prepare the seeds directly. To begin with, all selected ones need to be perforated, that is, to make a drainage system - to pierce several holes at the bottom of the containers through which excess moisture will flow. If you are too lazy to do this, then you can buy ready-made pots for seedlings, which are sold in huge quantities in stores. Then all jars and boxes should be thoroughly washed with soap and water, and then with a soda solution.

On a note! It is good if a layer of expanded clay is placed at the bottom of each jar or box as a drainage material.

Soil for seedlings without fail undergoes a disinfection procedure. It can be steamed, ignited or spilled with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. After that, it is important to dry the earth well.

Flower seeds should be prepared for planting - disinfection should be carried out. They are soaked for 12 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the seed from various diseases. You can also carry out the stratification procedure - it will help speed up the process of the appearance of the first shoots. To do this, the seeds are soaked for 12 hours in clean water, and then the container with them should be removed in the refrigerator for the same time. After that, they are returned to a warm room again, and then back to the refrigerator. The procedure is carried out until the seeds begin to germinate.

On a note! This procedure will also improve the resistance of plants to low air temperatures.

Since different types of flowers can have different periods of vegetation and the beginning of flowering, it follows at different times. To find out when to sow seeds, the instruction will help, which is necessarily printed on each package with seedlings. But the table below will help you roughly navigate the timing.

Table. Planting time for seedlings.

Month	What do we do
	This month we sow the seeds of those flowers that germinate the longest and grow the slowest. For example, tuberous begonia blooms only six months after sowing, Shabo carnation gives the first flowers no earlier than 5-6 months. Also in January, those plants are sown, the seeds of which are subjected to mandatory stratification - these are clematis, aquilegia, gentians, princes, irises, prolomnik, jeffersonia, perennial violet, backache, lavender, most bulbous flowers. By the way, if begonia is sown in December or January, then its tubers will be better formed and stored than those of the later, March one. Tugovshye seeds, which have a thick skin, are also sown in January. This month you can plant sage and salvia, perennial daisy and other species.
	Throughout February, flower seeds are sown, which germinate and grow for a long time. You can also plant those that are recommended for the beginning of cultivation in January. They also sow fuchsia, pelargonium, balsam, plants for loggias and baskets. February is the time of planting petunia, lobelia, salvia, lavender, heliotrope. Pay attention to the requirements of seedlings for light - for some of these crops, it is important to observe a long daylight hours, which means that additional lighting will have to be arranged.
	March flowers are verbena, echinacea, cleoma, lobularia, iberis, bluebells, annual phlox, levkoy, iberisoloist brachykoma. You can still have time to sow the plants that are usually planted in February. At the beginning of the month, pelargoniums, coleus are sown, and at the end - penstemon, annual aster, ageratum, alissum, helichrysum. Also, do not forget about marigolds and snapdragons - unpretentious, but beautiful flowers. And they bloom until the coldest.
	In April, it is too late to start sowing all of the above flowers, but you can plant delphiniums, dahlias, scabiosa, helipterum, calendula, aquilegia, amaranth. Sometimes you can still have time to plant March flowers - these are marigolds, ageratum, annual aster.

Often gardeners come to the rescue when determining the timing of sowing seeds. It indicates auspicious days for certain gardening works in accordance with the lunar cycles. As you know, the Moon has a significant impact on all living organisms that live on earth, including plants. For example, all bulbs are recommended to be planted during the waxing moon, but seeds are planted during the full moon. However, if you plant the seeds on another day, no big trouble will happen. Perhaps the germination of sprouts will be slightly lower, or maybe you will not notice at all that the seedlings feel a little worse. So you can not pay special attention to the lunar calendar.

Planting seeds

Now let's get acquainted with the step-by-step instructions for sowing flower seeds. There is nothing complicated here.

Step 1. Let's start with primrose seeds as one of the most commonly grown flowering plants. We fill the containers prepared for seedlings with drainage material and treated soil, lightly ramming. After that, moisten a little with a spray bottle.

Step 2 We open a bag of seeds and carefully take them on our finger (be careful - they are very small) and carefully, as if we are salting the food, sprinkle the soil with them.

Step 3 The soil, along with the seeds, is once again slightly moistened with water from a spray bottle.

Step 4 We close the container with a lid or polyethylene. Do not forget to write on the container the name of the variety or type of flowers. We remove the container in the refrigerator on the lower shelf for stratification for 3 weeks.

After stratification, primrose seeds must be placed immediately on a sunny window. The technology for sowing lavender seeds looks somewhat different.

Step 1. We take a couple of pieces of soft cloth, fold one of them in half and moisten it with water from a spray bottle.

Step 2 Open the package with lavender seeds and pour them onto a damp cloth. Wrap it up and put it in a plastic bag with a clip.

Step 3 After that, we remove the bags of seeds in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf for 3 weeks. After that, the seeds are sown superficially on moist soil, as in the previous instructions.

The first shoots will appear in a couple of weeks. After this, the seedlings will need careful care - good lighting, watering, warmth.

Of course, you can buy ready-made tomato seedlings in the store, but it will be much more pleasant to grow them yourself. The first step on the way to growing seedlings will be. For many, this process may seem simple, but everything is much more complicated than it might seem.

It should be on a well-lit window sill, where it will also receive enough heat - drafts are unacceptable. It is necessary to moisten the soil as it dries. Young plants are watered from a spray gun, larger ones that have undergone a picking procedure are fed and watered from a watering can with a spout. By the way, it is best to water with water not only settled, but also at room temperature.

Video - Sowing flowers for seedlings: lavender, primrose, eustoma, carnation

Growing seedlings of flowers from seeds is not so difficult. The most important thing is to provide her with the right care. And by the middle of summer you will not recognize your cottage - it will sparkle with all sorts of colors from the flower beds dazzling on it.

A few tips for growing strong and beautiful flower seedlings. Many of the most beautiful annual flowers in central Russia will not bloom if they are not planted for seedlings in March-April, or even in February. And I don’t want to deprive myself of the pleasure of admiring their beauty.

Of course, you can buy seedlings in the spring, but it may not always be of high quality and exactly those color combinations and varieties that you expect. In my opinion, it is better to tinker a little and grow your seedlings of flowers. I want to say right away that the most beautiful and strong will, of course, be seedlings grown with love. When caring for seedlings, think about what bright elegant flowers it will decorate your garden by summer, imagine where you will plant it. But this, of course, is not the whole secret, there are subtleties, without knowing which you can make mistakes.

flower seedling

Buying seeds

When buying seeds, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date and never buy seeds from the "markdown" section.

Sowing time

Daylight hours in central Russia are short in winter, so do not rush to sow seedlings, if the type of the selected plant allows it, sow it in April. But some flower seedlings need to be sown as early as February. In this case, so that the seedlings do not stretch out and become thin and weak, care must be taken to illuminate white or daylight with fluorescent lamps. Additional lighting begins to be carried out with the emergence of seedlings in the early morning hours and in the evening at about 6-8 hours in February and about 4-5 hours in March. Sowing in a warm greenhouse- in the middle or end of April, depending on the weather.

Disease prevention

To prevent diseases, the seeds can be soaked for 5-10 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The planting container must be washed, scalded with boiling water and disinfected in the same solution or in a solution of bleach or copper sulphate, even new. It is not permissible to sow new seedlings in dirty containers, with compost residues from last year's seedlings. Soil for seedlings, if it is not bought from you in a specialized store, it is better to ignite it in the oven, you can also freeze it or spill it with potassium permanganate.

Soil and containers

As a rule, the seed contains the primary supply of nutrients necessary for the initial stage of growth, so it is best to use compost with the addition of peat and sand for growing seedlings. For sowing, you can use flat ceramic pots, boxes, special disposable peat pots. A drainage hole is necessary in any container. The dishes must be washed, even if they are fresh from the store. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the tank, for example, it can be gravel or coarse sand. But you can make it easier, the bottom with drainage holes can be sent with a piece of paper or newspaper. The soil can be used purchased or prepared independently. The distance between the soil surface and the edge of the container should be about 2 cm. The day before sowing, the earth is watered. The earth must quickly pass water. Be light and fluffy. Before sowing, the earth is lightly compacted with the palm of your hand or any flat object. The soil is moistened again before sowing.

Sowing seeds

Currently, various growth stimulants are sold in specialized stores, why not take advantage of modern technologies. Soak the seeds in one of the stimulants (epin, zircon, etc.) before planting, this will increase their germination rate and viability.

The seeds are scattered over the surface. You can make grooves with a ruler (slightly pressing its edge into the ground) and sow the seeds in rows. You can mix the seeds before sowing with a small amount of starch or chalk so that they can be seen on dark ground. Such sowing will avoid thickened sowing. After that, the seeds are covered with an even thin layer of earth, or left on the surface, depending on the agricultural technology of the plant.

Very small seeds (ageratum, begonia, lobelia, petunia, purslane) are mixed with sand 1:10 before sowing, after sowing they are not sprinkled with earth. The plate in which the sowing is made is covered with glass or placed in a plastic bag, which is tightly fixed. And put the package in a shaded place.

Use the rule - the seeding depth should be equal to three times the size of the seed. After sowing, the soil is carefully moistened using a pulverizer and covered with glass or a transparent film.

Read the landing information on the bag. There are plants whose seed germination requires special greenhouse conditions, while others need stratification or scarification, some germinate only in the light, while others in the dark. If you are a beginner florist, it is best to avoid such plants with specific growing conditions for the time being.

Crops must be ventilated daily by removing and wiping the glass or film. Before germination, the container with seedlings should be placed in a warm place with a temperature of about 20-25 degrees. Usually, crops are not watered before germination, usually the soil retains moisture under glass after planting.

Moisture for seed germination

Seeds need a moist, airy environment to germinate. Under such conditions, the seeds take on water (swell), begin to breathe, biochemical reactions are activated in them, and after a certain time they hatch. In most annual flower crops, seedlings appear in 10-14 days.

Most quickly, after 3 - 4 days, fresh seeds of the cruciferous family - levkoy, lobularia, malcolmia, ornamental cabbage sprout. However, the seeds of morning glory, kobea, coreopsis, flaxseed, snapdragon, mollucella, nyrembergia, salpiglossis and Drummond's phlox usually germinate only after 20 days.

Verbena shoots appear just as long and, moreover, unfriendly. Germination energy and germination are reduced during storage of seeds. These indicators worsen especially rapidly at a turning point, when the period of natural preservation of these qualities ends.

Crops should be periodically ventilated. As soon as the sprouts hatch, the dishes are placed in the light. Polyethylene or glass is lifted, and after a few days it is removed completely. It is necessary to rotate the dishes to evenly illuminate the seedlings with sunlight.

It is necessary to water at this time with extreme caution, overflow is dangerous for the development of a black leg. Pour water at room temperature from a watering can with a fine strainer. When watering from a spray gun, quite often only the top layer becomes wet. It is better to water the seedlings less often, but more abundantly, than to spray the top layer often. But don't fill it up! Usually in apartments with central heating, the air is very dry, so place a container of water near the containers with seedlings, this will help increase the humidity of the air.

Germination temperature

Temperature affects seed germination. The seeds of most annual flower crops hatch and germinate at a temperature of 20°C during the day and 16-18°C at night.

Heat-loving balsams, gazania, dahlia, morning glory, kobeya, nirembergia, pelargonium, thunbergia, celosia and sage germinate better at 22-24 ° C. Cold-resistant ornamental cabbage, levkoy, lobelia, lobularia, snapdragons, chrysanthemums, scabiosa prefer lower temperatures for germination - 14-16°C.

As soon as our seedlings have hatched, the temperature is slightly lowered, for example, to 15-18 degrees and they are placed in a bright place, on a window, for example. This will prevent stretching, will promote the growth and development of the root system.

Lighting

Seed germination of most crops is not affected by lighting. They can be germinated both in the light with obligatory shading from direct sun, and in complete darkness. But there are a number of crops that require diffused light for seed germination, these are ageratum, Waller's balsam, lobelia, lobularia, snapdragon, mimulus, petunia, purslane and celosia. In contrast, complete darkness is required for the germination of seeds of verbena, salpiglossis, Drummond's phlox and schizanthus.

Seedlings usually dive in the phase of 2-3 true leaves. To do this, they are carefully planted one at a time in separate containers - bowls, with a diameter of about 9-10 cm. Before the picking procedure, the plants must be watered.

If the plants are sick with a black leg

The black leg is when the lower part of the stem rots, becomes thin and dark. To prevent this disease, you do not need to water the seedlings with cold water, you do not need to water it too often, and you need to provide the plants with the same temperature. But if the plants are still sick, it is necessary to remove the diseased plants, and pour the rest with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then do not water for several days. You can mulch the soil with a small layer of calcined sand, or with a mixture of sand and ash.

Seedling feeding

In order for the seedlings to be beautiful and strong, they are fed with complex mineral fertilizers. Two top dressings are enough when the plants reach the phase of 2-3 true leaves and shortly before planting in open ground.

Seedling hardening

Before planting seedlings in open ground, it must be hardened off. To do this, if the plants are on the windowsill, start opening the window more often, take the seedlings outside during the daytime, or transfer them to the greenhouse first and open it for a day. Plants are also less likely to be watered. The hardening procedure usually lasts about a week.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in late May - early June, when the threat of return frosts has passed. Before removing the plants from the container, you need to water them abundantly and wait a little for the water to soak into the ground. Plants are planted, observing the distance between them indicated on the bag. During the first week, the seedlings are shaded and watered abundantly for better regrowth.

♦ Carefully study the biological characteristics of the culture. If you grow annuals - asters, salvia, tagetis, zinnias, dahlias, etc., be guided by the date by which you want to receive flowers. If you want your flower garden to be the brightest and most attractive by the beginning of the school year, sow in mid-April, since most varieties of annual crops bloom in about 80-100 days after germination, plus the time for survival after planting seedlings. In addition, aster is often grown with a pick and 3-5 days are added for the survival of seedlings. If we need flowering flower beds earlier, then we sow earlier. In this case, to save space, we grow seedlings with subsequent picking.

♦ The experience of many flower growers suggests that many annuals are easier to grow directly by sowing in the ground. To do this, it is necessary to prepare the soil in the fall and have a large supply of seeds, since germination in open ground is always lower. Not all varieties of asters are suitable for this method of growing, but only border, semi-double, early ones.

♦ The seedling method has to be chosen when growing flower crops with very small seeds - petunia, purslane, snapdragons, etc. The seedlings of these plants are so small and weak that they can easily die in the open field.

♦ Growing and perennial flower crops by seed method has a number of features. In the first year, these plants do not bloom, so early sowing is optional. The seedling method is used only with a small amount of seeds in order to obtain and maintain as many seedlings as possible.

♦ If there is sufficient seed, crops such as rudbeckia, gaillardia, aquilegia, lupine, primrose, etc. can be sown from May to July on beds. In the fall or spring of the following year, they can be planted in a permanent place. Another thing is the cultivation of seedlings of biennial crops, for example, "pansies" - viola. If sowing seedlings is carried out early in March, then the plants will bloom in the first year.

Each plant needs an individual approach, but there are general rules, under which your work will be crowned with success. Everything written here has been tested by practice, you can safely use it in life.

Now many flower growers prefer even annual plants to buy seedlings. There are several benefits here:

• when purchasing flower seeds, we can only rely on the conscientiousness of the manufacturer, who dried them well (ideal humidity should be 4-8%);
• storage periods are no less important - in different species they range from 1 to 6 years. If the seeds are older, germination will be low or none at all;
• also the seeds may be infected, which is impossible to visually determine;
• and in the treasured bag you can get an unpleasant bonus -.

Choosing seedlings

There is nothing complicated in this matter, but I still advise you to pay attention to a few nuances:

root system

From practice it follows that it is more expedient to buy seedlings with a closed root system (in peat or small plastic pots). It is desirable that there is one plant in each container (unless you are planning in flower beds). Highly important so that the roots are not overgrown, oppressed: if they did not have enough space for natural growth and they intertwined into a ball, there will be little sense from such a plant. That is why many flower growers are afraid to purchase seedlings in cassettes with a minimum cell volume.

Diseases and pests

Feel free to carefully examine each plant you buy for diseases and pests, feel the humidity of the substrate in the container with your finger (it should never be dry!). Stems and leaves must be fresh, strong, natural color for this species and variety, without spots, plaque and damage. Do not take specimens with an unnaturally bright color of the leaves and an unusually thick stem, short internodes. Obviously, a huge amount of and was used in their cultivation. After landing on a flower bed, without receiving the usual diet, such a plant will quickly lose its spectacular appearance and will probably die.

Seedlings must be hardened

No options. If plants pampered at room conditions get straight into a sunny flower bed, they are unlikely to survive such stress. There is one amazingly simple and sure way to tell if the seedlings have taken part in the events or arrived on the counter straight from the greenhouse.

Remember what freshly blossomed leaves on trees look like in spring. They are pale green in color, almost transparent, with a shiny smooth leaf surface. And if we look at them in two weeks, we will see that the color of the leaf has darkened, the surface has lost its lacquer shine and has become rougher. These are signs of outdoor life - the result of exposure to the sun, wind and changing day and night temperatures. So look for these signs in seedlings!

Consider the characteristics of plants

And one more prerequisite: take into account the biological needs and plants (light, resistance to drought, maximum air temperatures). If you acquire several species, planning to plant them in a group, do not forget about the strength of plant growth: the species that quickly and powerfully develop the aerial part and root system will not leave their neighbors, more modest in this regard, no food, no moisture, no light.

Disembarkation period

You can wait with the landing until the time when the possibility of return frosts in your area has passed. And you can plant earlier in time, but cover the plants with any non-woven at night. By the way, if the weather is sunny in the first days after landing, the new settlers must be shaded, otherwise it cannot be avoided.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Some work needs to be done ahead of time. For example, stock up on stimulants and complex fertilizers.

You can find a wide range of various stimulants and fertilizers in our catalog, which combines the offers of large garden online stores. .

After that, thoroughly water the dug-up area, so that the water does not immediately go into the ground. Until the next day, the soil will be well saturated with moisture and it will be easier for the plants to survive the adaptation period.

Make holes. Their width and depth should be 2-3 cm more than the volume of the container in which the plant is located. Even if the soil is wet, pour the holes again anyway.

Wait until the water is absorbed.

Fertilize or not - you decide

The opinions of experts on the issue of adding fertilizers during planting are different: some tend to believe that during the rooting period (10-14 days), their application is unjustified, recommending starting feeding later. Others advise adding a pinch to the bottom of the hole, sprinkle it with earth (to avoid contact with the roots). As practice shows, plants planted in the second way move to growth and bloom 3-5 days earlier. But it's up to you.

Seedlings - out!

Seedlings in pots are watered abundantly for 20-30 minutes. before planting, so that the earthen ball is well saturated with moisture and remains on the roots. Squeezing the walls of the pot from the bottom up, gently squeeze the seedling.

The earthen lump almost did not crumble from the roots

Never take a plant by one leaf or top, best of all - by an earthen clod:

• put the seedling in a hole and carefully cover it with earth, slightly compact the soil around the stem, pour it under the root to eliminate possible voids;
• as soon as the water has been absorbed, the hole is filled with dry earth or sand to avoid the formation of a crust.

If it was not possible to take out the plant along with the lump, when planting, carefully make sure that the roots are freely located in the hole, in no case bending up. Maintain the planting density recommended for this type of plant to ensure the full development of the crown and root system, abundant long-term flowering.

I hope my simple tips will help you safely plant seedlings in open ground.

In the month of February, many flower growers “itch their hands” - they really want to plant something, sow. Sowing flower seeds is a good way to spend that time doing some gardening work. When to plant flowers for seedlings? How to do it right, without errors? Before you go to the store, garden center, firstly, decide in advance which flowers you want to see on your site, and secondly, look for information in advance which flowers for seedlings can be sown in winter - in February or early March .

Shoots of pansies

The instructions on the seed package do not always have 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 run wide and it will be much more difficult to choose than you would have done in advance.

What flowers can be planted in February for seedlings? These are petunias, begonias, pelargonium, salvia, balsam, ceneraria. These flowers are just the best for winter sowing seedlings.

Carnation Shabo can be sown even in January, since it should take 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 can you tell if seeds are good or bad? Very simple! First, check the integrity of the packaging - for ruptures or damage. Secondly, pay attention to the date of packaging, the date of the deadline for implementation.

To make it easier to sow small flower seeds, pour them out of the bag onto a clean white sheet of paper. It is very convenient to take seeds from a leaf with a wooden stick, a toothpick. Wet the tip of the stick with water and bring it to one of the seeds scattered on paper - it sticks very well to the stick. It is convenient to put such a seed in the right place - a container for seedlings.

I advise you to pre-prepare some kind of tags or stickers in order to notice the place (pot) where certain flowers were planted.

One of the basic rules for planting small seeds is that the smaller the seeds, the thinner the soil should be.

But balsam seeds have one feature: they germinate in the light, so they practically do not need to be sprinkled, but for better contact with the soil, they should be slightly pressed to the surface of the earth.

The next important step in growing flower seedlings is moisturizing the newly sown seeds. In no case do not water from a cup, bottle, watering can and other containers. All your painstaking work on sowing can go down the drain - the seeds can move, stray into a pile, you just wash them off their places. Use only a fine mist sprayer for watering.

And the last final stage of sowing flower seeds - they need to be covered, since the seeds must be in a humid environment before germination, at constant humidity.

How to do it? If you sowed in containers, then many of them are sold with a transparent lid - you just have to cover the container with it.

If you are planting 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 temperature in the room in which you will germinate the seeds is below 18 ° C, then they will germinate for a long time and germination will be low. And at temperatures above 25 ° C, the seeds may die.

As a rule, you will have the first sprouts in 7-10 days, some species a little later - up to two weeks.

As soon as the first sprouts hatch, place the containers with seedlings in a bright place. In low light, illuminate with lamps, as light for seedlings is an important condition for growing.

Yes, the lid or film covering the dishes with seedlings must 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 can dive

Seedlings are grown in this form until the first two true leaves appear. Then it must be dived.

Lunar calendar of sowing (planting) 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, daffodil	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	Liliaceae, 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, kosmeya, 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, 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, oaks	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 landing and transfer	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 landing and transplanting	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

In order for the flowers to get stronger as quickly as possible and begin to delight their owners with a beautiful view and fragrance, you should start growing them even before the onset of spring. How to properly organize the cultivation of seedlings of flowers, which ones can be grown in this way and in what order to carry out manipulations?

Are all flowers suitable for growing seedlings?

Before we learn how to properly organize the cultivation of flower seedlings, let's figure out which crops are suitable for sowing. From one-year-olds, seedlings are often planted for those whose development is characterized by a long growing season, or if the gardener wants the flowers to start blooming as early as possible.

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:

• carnation Shabo;
• mignonette;
• geranium;
• lobelia;
• petunia;
• phloxes;
• godetia;
• verbena;
• gerbera;
• viola;
• cineraria;
• aster;
• calendula;
• Snapdragon;
• marigolds, etc.

VIDEO: A new tricky way to grow marigolds

Landing time

Sowing of small seeds, as well as bulbs of flowering vegetation, is carried out from the second decade of January until the end of April:

1. Planting seeds for seedlings in January. First of all, plants are planted, the flowering of which occurs after 5-6 months. These include carnation Shabo, begonia, swimsuit, irises, lavender, clematis, arizema, primrose, rutovnik 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.

1. Sowing seeds in February. In the second winter month, it's time to sow such crops:

• fuchsia;
• balsam;
• petunia;
• pelargonium;
• lobelia;
• lavender angustifolia;
• heliotrope.

When preparing seedlings and choosing plants, be sure to consider the length of daylight hours.

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 start growing and developing as quickly as possible.

1. Sowing in March. In this spring month, experts recommend starting sowing seedlings of echinacea, alyssum, verbena, phlox, annual aster, kobei, cleoma, and snapdragon. In general, we are talking about vegetation that begins to bloom 3-4 months after planting.
2. Sowing in April. At this time, daisies, godetia, annual dahlias, perennial delphiniums, and marigolds are planted.

VIDEO: What flowers to sow in February?

Growing seedlings

Growing flowers from seeds is determined by a number of requirements, following which you can get full-fledged and well-flowering plants.

Stage number 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 plant not 3-4 dozen seedlings, but much more, and at the same time the cultivation takes place on the balcony, then it is best to give preference to special plastic cassettes.

In addition, do not use cardboard boxes for juice or dairy products as a container for growing seedlings. The inside of such containers is treated with a special solution, which, when evaporated, does not have the best effect on a newly hatched flower.

The most suitable container for these purposes is peat cups, which can later be planted directly into the ground together with the grown seedlings, avoiding any damage to the root system of the seedling.

Step #2 - Which soil is best?

To ensure the full development and growth of future flowers, it is necessary to select soil with the following characteristics:

• looseness;
• ease;
• texture porosity.

The following components are best suited as soil for planting seedlings of flowering crops:

• riding peat;
• low-lying peat that has undergone freezing or weathering;
• heat-treated soddy soil;
• broken bark of coniferous trees;
• dried needles of coniferous trees;
• dust from grain crops;
• crushed peanut shells;
• sand - quartz or river;
• perite;
• crushed pumice and expanded clay.

One of the recipes for preparing high-quality soil: 70% - sawdust and 30% - quartz sand.

You can buy ready-made soil mixture. For example:

• soil "Flower";
• "Flora";
• "Garden Land";
• "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 the 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 number 3 - lighting question

As mentioned earlier, in the last winter and first spring months, daylight hours are not enough to ensure the full care of future vegetation. Therefore, it is extremely important to organize artificial lighting for them.

For these purposes, energy-saving lamps and phytolamps will be the best option. Such lighting devices will provide high-quality care for plants and help them get stronger as quickly as possible.

Organization of flower garden care

In order to implement high-quality care for flower crops during their cultivation, it is necessary to follow a number of tips:

Watering

The first moistening is organized before planting material is planted in the soil. During the period until shoots appear, there is no need to water the ground. It is enough that it was wet during disembarkation, and after sowing, the container was covered with a film. As soon as the first shoots appear, regular watering should be organized so that the soil is always moist, but not wet.

Humidification is carried out in the morning. And as a liquid for irrigation, it is best to use warm (not lower than 21 ° C), settled water 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.

In no case do not allow waterlogging of the soil. 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 laid out in containers. Next, you need to keep the seedlings in zircon or epin (we are not talking about purchased seeds that are completely ready for planting), spread them out on the surface of the soil and press them a little into the ground. After that, we cover the seedlings with a layer of earth, the thickness of which is equal to three seedling sizes. The next step is to cover the containers with seeds with a film or glass. If we are talking about hard-to-sprout seeds, then they need to be heated from below by 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 emergence of shoots, the film is removed. A couple of weeks before transplanting seedlings into open ground, you need to accustom the flowers to the cold, for which once a day open the balcony and organize good ventilation.

The most suitable conditions for growing flower seedlings are 25-30°C for heat-loving species and 18-15°C for cold-resistant ones.

Transplanting seedlings

The picking of planting material should be carried out in a timely manner, when the first 2 full-fledged leaves (not cotyledons) appear on the seedlings. This process is necessary in order to increase the nutritional area for future flowers. After all, the root system is constantly growing. It is best to transplant seedlings into pots made of peat. If transplanting seedlings into a box, then you need to observe a distance of 50-60 mm between them. Moreover, if the initial landing was carried out immediately in separate containers, then there is no need for picking.

For reference. Why peat pots are recommended for plants. The composition of a 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.

Poor-quality samples, where the amount of cellulose exceeds 50% (they are more rigid and crunchy 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 the transplant, you need to make the first complementary food, which is a 1:10 solution of mullein at the rate of 200 ml of fertilizer for 8-10 shoots. The second feeding is carried out after 45 days after the first, but only in this case a mullein solution is used with the addition of 3 g. superphosphate and 1.5 gr. ammonium nitrate. Consumption - 200 ml for 4-5 sprouts. In the absence of mullein, bird droppings will do. Be sure to water the soil before fertilizing.

Transplanting in open soil

Seedlings are transplanted when all spring frosts have already passed and the flowers are not subject to death. Therefore, the best time for transplantation will be May or the first decade of June. It is best to wait for cloudy, but not rainy weather, when the sun does not burn the ground and the roots have time to “grab”.

Even if it starts to rain during transplanting, 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. It remains only to make holes and place the sprouts, sprinkling a little earth.

For convenience, make a small hill around the hole so that the water does not spill out during irrigation, 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 beautifully flowering plants on your land.

VIDEO: How to grow seedlings of annual flowers