Flowers decorate our lives, and there is no need to prove how important it is for flowers to bloom in the garden. The timing of planting flowers for seedlings depends on what kind of plant you are planting. Cold-resistant perennials can be planted in different term, but for bulbous and flowerbed plants, planting time is limited. Be sure to take into account favorable planting days so that planting flowers for seedlings in 2020 will be effective and blooming.

What flowers are sown for seedlings in January

1. Aquilegia (catchment)
2. Delphinium perennial
3. Bluebell Carpathian
4. Pelargonium
5. Begonia everblooming
6. Verbena is beautiful
7. Lobelia heliotrope
8. Primrose
9. Petunia
10. Turkish cloves

The best days for sowing flowers for seedlings in January 2020 are January 11, 14, 17 and 18, with an important condition: you can sow flower seeds only if it is possible to provide additional light to the seedlings.

There is one secret in how to plant flowers for seedlings: if the seeds are very small, such as for example, then they are laid out on top of compacted, moist soil and covered with plastic film or glass. As soon as the seeds germinate, the glass is removed.

Larger flower seeds, when planted as seedlings, are buried.

What flowers to sow in February for seedlings

In February we start planting flowers and, as a rule, we plant flowers with a long growing season and perennials.

Planting flowers in February for seedlings:

1. Petunia
2. Lobelia
3. Carnation Shabo
4. Begonia everblooming
5. Lavender angustifolia
6. Salvia (sparkling sage)
7. Viola (Wittrock violet)
8. Heliotrope

Favorable days for planting flowers in February 2020

The dates for sowing flowers for seedlings from seeds are 7, 8, 12, 14.

Flowers bulbous, tuberous, rhizomatous - 22 - 25.

Unfavorable days for planting flowers in February 2020 - 5, 17 - 19, 27.

The best days in February for planting any plants are 13-16, 28.

Viola or pansies
Petunia
Lavender

What flowers to sow in March for seedlings

March is the month when we plant a lot of different seedlings. These include vegetables, herbs, and flowers. To decide which flowers to plant in your dacha, we provide a list for planting flowers in March.

What flowers are planted in March for seedlings?

1. Echinacea (Rudbeckia)
2. Fragrant tobacco
3. Lobularia (annual alyssum)
4. Verbena
5. Azarina climbing
6. Iberis
7. Cleome
8. Kobeya climbing
9. Coleus
10. Dianthus grass
11. Brachycoma iberisolifolia
12. Snapdragon
13. Phlox annual
14. Summer gillyflower (matthiola)
15. Petunia is annual, double and hanging.

Planting days in March 2020 for flowers

When to plant flowers for seedlings in 2020 when growing from seeds - 1, 2 (before 22.00), 15, 16, 23, 28.

Favorable days 2020 for planting bulbous, tuberous, rhizomatous flowers are 23, 24, 28, 29.

The best planting days for flowers are in March 2020, they are also suitable for planting any plants - 8–9, 12 (after 19:00) – 14, 17–20.

The following work is also carried out in the flower garden in March:

• purchase of flower seeds and equipment: 8, 21
• sowing of drought-resistant crops and picking: 17–18
• sowing flowers for seedlings: 8–9, 12 (after 19:00) – 14, 17–20
• picking seedlings: 3–4, 17–18, 21–22, 25–26, 30–31
• unfavorable days in March 2020: 2 (after 22:00), 3–7, 23–26, 29–31
• watering on any day except: 5–7, 12 (after 22:00), 13–14, 21–22
• fertilizing with watering: 1, 2–4, 8–11, 12 (until 22:00), 19–20, 23–28, 30–31
• fertilizing with dry fertilizers: 5–7, 12 (after 22:00), 13–14, 21–22
• laying beds and working with soil: 1–4, 8–9, 15–20, 27–28
• treatment against diseases and pests: 1, 2–4, 8–11, 12 (until 19:00), 17–20, 25–28

Iberis
Rudbeckia
Fragrant tobacco

Planting flowers for seedlings in April

April is a warmer month, and some cold-hardy flower seeds can be sown in open ground, however, it is more reliable to grow through seedlings. Here, the timing of planting flowers for seedlings can be adjusted to a trip to the dacha and sowed on an auspicious day 2 weeks in advance. Or simply, if you don’t have time to start seedlings, and the planting days have already arrived. So it will be possible to do this according to the plan and guess what are the best days for planting flowers in April 2020 to start growing flowers.

Names of flowers for planting seedlings in April:

1. Aster annual
2. Ageratum
3. Kochia (summer cypress)
4. Aquilegia (catchment)
5. Amaranth
6. Limonium Suvorov
7. Venidium
8. Annual dahlias
9. (perennial)
10. Daisy
11. Scabious
12. Tritoma berry (kniphofia)
13. Celosia
14. Zinnia graceful

Planting days in April 2020 for flowers

The best days to plant marigolds for seedlings in 2020 and sowing flower seeds for seedlings in April 2020 are April 6 - 17.

The best days for planting flowers in April 2020 - bulbous, tuberous, rhizomatous flowers are best planted on April 25, 26, 29.

Work with flowers in April:

• purchase of annual seeds and perennial seedlings: 7
• planting drought-resistant crops in the ground (purslane, young, katran, etc.): 13–14
• sowing of annual and biennial crops: 7–8, 13–18
• unfavorable planting days in April 2020 for working with flowers (planting, dividing, replanting): 19–23, 26–28
• watering on any day except: 1 (after 19:00), 2–3, 29–30
• fertilizing with watering: 4, 6–8, 17–18, 20–27
• treatment for diseases and pests: 4, 6–8, 13–14, 21–25

Celosia
Delphinium
Dahlia annual

What flowers to plant in May

May is a rather capricious month in terms of weather. It can be very hot, but it can also be cold. Therefore, annuals that have short term vegetation. In addition, until they germinate, they will lie in the soil for 5-7 days, so they are not afraid of frost. In May, with peace of mind, you can plant seeds in the ground, under the film:

1. Gypsophila
2. Nasturtium
3. Marigold
4. Daisies
5. Nivyanyk

When to plant flowers in May 2020

Flowers from seeds - 8, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Flowers are bulbous, tuberous, rhizomatous - 23, 28, 29.

• purchase of seeds, perennial flowers, equipment: 5–6
• sowing drought-resistant and picking: 10–11
• sowing summer plants in the ground (calendula, nasturtium, etc.): 6–7, 15–16, 21–22
• planting bulbous and corm plants (crocosmia, gladiolus,
• freesia, acidanthera, etc.): 5, 12–14, 26
• picking biennial seedlings: 17–18, 24–25
• dividing and planting perennials (phlox, astilbe, geranium, primrose, etc.): 6–7, 12–14
• sowing of climbing varieties (sweet peas and beans): 15–16
• unfavorable landing days in May 2020: 24–25, 27–28
• watering on any day except: 6–7, 15–16, 26–28
• fertilizing with watering: 1–4, 19–22, 24–25, 29–31
• weeding: 21–22, 29–30
• fertilizing with dry fertilizers: 6–7
• cannot be fed: 12–13
• treatment for diseases and pests: 1–5, 10–11, 19–22, 29–31

Daisies
Nivyannik
Gypsophila

What to plant in a flower bed in June

In the first half of June, seedlings of heat-loving ornamental plants can be planted in open ground:

• • amaranth,
  • balsam,
  • begonia,

• Coleus

You can also start sowing biennial seeds for seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground. This:

• viola,
• forget-me-not,
• daisies,
• Turkish cloves,
• hesperis.

In the second half of June, you can transplant all the remaining late flower seedlings, sprouted dahlias, and tuberous begonias into the flowerbed and into open ground.

Days to plant flowers in June 2020

Flowers from seeds - 1, 6, 9 - 15.

Flowers are bulbous, tuberous, rhizomatous - 18, 22, 23.

Unfavorable planting days in June are 24–25, 27–28.

Coleus

Planting flowers in the country

After the question of when to plant flower seedlings in 2020 has been resolved, you need to decide on the correct planting of flowers. Plants are planted in mature soil. Squeeze a handful of soil in your hand - it should be wet enough to form a clump, but at the same time it should crumble if you drop the clump onto a hard surface.

Most often, we plant flowers at home in the spring, and then transplant the flower seedlings into the garden, into a flower bed. Compared to buying seedlings, growing summer and biennial plants has two advantages: this method is cheaper, and the choice of types and varieties of seeds is much wider.

Try to purchase flower varieties designated as F1 hybrids - these are first-generation hybrids that have greater vitality than regular varieties and more attractive flowers. Some perennials can also be grown from seeds, but this requires a lot of time and certain skills.

When landing small plants The planting hole is filled with soil taken from the same hole. To cover the roots more large plants It is better to prepare a planting mixture of 1 part turf soil, 1 part wet peat and 3 handfuls of bone meal per wheelbarrow.

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

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

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

Sowing seedlings in January

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

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

Our advice:

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

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

Sowing seedlings in February

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

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

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

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

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

Features of growing seedlings of certain types of flowers

Germination test

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

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

Additional preparation

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

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

Sowing depth and density

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

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

Our advice:

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

Moisture and watering

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

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

Dive

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

Our advice:

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

Topping

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

What difficulties may arise with early sowing?

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

What can negatively affect plant development during early sowing:

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

How to help plants during this difficult period for them?

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

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

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

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

Our advice:

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

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

Svetlana MASHKOVSKAYA, Candidate of Biological Sciences, National Botanical Garden named after. N. N. Grishko NAS of Ukraine
© Ogorodnik magazine
Photo: depositphotos.com

A few tips for growing strong and beautiful seedlings of flower crops. To the many beautiful annual flowers in middle lane Russia will not flourish if they are not planted as seedlings in March-April, or even in February. But I don’t want to deprive myself of the pleasure of admiring their beauty.

You can, of course, purchase seedlings in the spring, but they may not always turn out to be of high quality and exactly those color combinations and the varieties you expect. In my opinion, it’s better to tinker a little and grow your own flower seedlings. I would like to say right away that the most beautiful and strongest will, of course, be seedlings grown with love. When caring for seedlings, think about what bright, elegant flowers they will decorate your garden for the summer, imagine where you will plant them. But this, of course, is not the whole secret; there are subtleties, without knowledge of which you can make mistakes.

Flower seedlings

Buying seeds

When purchasing seeds, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date and never buy seeds from the “discount” section.

Sowing time

Daylight hours in central Russia are short in winter, so do not rush to sow seedlings; if the type of plant you choose allows, sow them in April. But some flower seedlings need to be sown already in February. In this case, so that the seedlings do not stretch out and become thin and weak, it is necessary to take care of supplementary illumination with fluorescent lamps of white or daylight. Additional illumination begins 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 mid or late April, depending on the weather.

Disease Prevention

To prevent diseases, seeds can be soaked for 5-10 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The container for planting must be washed, scalded with boiling water and disinfected in the same solution or in a solution of bleach or copper sulfate, 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 you did not buy it from a specialized store, is better to bake in the oven; you can also freeze it or pour potassium permanganate on it.

Soil and containers

As a rule, the seed contains the primary reserve 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 have just come from the store. A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the container; this can, for example, be gravel or coarse sand. But you can make it simpler; you can cover the bottom with drainage holes with a piece of paper or newspaper. You can use purchased soil or prepare it yourself. The distance between the soil surface and the edge of the container should be about 2 cm. The day before sowing, water the soil with water. The ground should drain water quickly. Be light and loose. Before sowing, the soil is lightly compacted with the palm of your hand or any flat object. Before sowing, the soil is moistened again.

Sowing seeds

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

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. Before sowing, you can mix the seeds with a small amount of starch or chalk so that they are visible on dark soil. Such sowing will avoid thickened sowing. After this, the seeds are covered with an even thin layer of soil, 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 soil. The bowl in which the sowing is done is covered with glass or placed in a plastic bag, which is tightly fixed. And place the package in a shaded place.

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

Study the planting information on the bag. There are plants whose seed germination requires special greenhouse conditions, while others require stratification or scarification; some germinate only in the light, while others in the dark. If you are a beginner gardener, then it is better to avoid such plants with specific growing conditions for now.

Crops must be ventilated daily by removing and wiping 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.

Humidity for seed germination

To germinate, seeds need a moist environment with access to air. 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. Most annual flower crops sprout within 10-14 days.

Most quickly, after 3 - 4 days, fresh seeds of the cruciferous family - gillyflower, lobularia, malcolmia, and ornamental cabbage - sprout. However, seeds of morning glory, cobaea, coreopsis, toadflax, snapdragon, molucella, nirembergia, salpiglossis and Drummond's phlox usually take 20 days to germinate.

Verbena shoots appear just as long and unfriendly. Germination energy and germination rate decrease when seeds are stored. These indicators deteriorate especially quickly at a turning point, when the period of natural preservation of these qualities ends.

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

Watering at this time must be done with extreme caution; overwatering is dangerous for the development of blackleg. Watered with water room temperature from a watering can with a fine strainer. When watering with 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 frequently spray the top layer. But don't flood it! 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 air humidity.

Germination temperature

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

Heat-loving balsams, gatsania, dahlia, morning glory, kobea, nirembergia, pelargonium, thunbergia, celosia and sage germinate better at 22-24°C. Cold-resistant ornamental cabbage, gillyflower, lobelia, lobularia, snapdragon, chrysanthemums, scabiosa are preferred more low temperatures for germination - 14-16°C.

As soon as our seedlings hatch, 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 pulling and will promote the growth and development of the root system.

Lighting

Lighting does not affect seed germination of most crops. They can be germinated both in light with mandatory shading from direct sun, and in complete darkness. But there are a number of crops that necessarily 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 verbena, salpiglossis, phlox Drummond and schizanthus seeds.

Seedlings usually emerge at the stage 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 blackleg

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

Feeding seedlings

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

Hardening of seedlings

Before planting seedlings in open ground, they 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 day, or first transfer them to the greenhouse and open it for the day. Plants also start to be watered less often. 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 generously and wait a little so that the water is absorbed 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 crop. If you grow annuals - asters, salvias, 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, go to the beginning academic year, sow in mid-April, since most varieties of annual crops bloom approximately 80-100 days after germination, plus time for establishment after planting seedlings. In addition, aster is often grown with picking and 3-5 days are added for the survival of the seedlings. If we need blooming flower beds early, then we sow earlier. In this case, to save space, we grow seedlings with subsequent picking.

♦ The experience of many gardeners 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 aster are suitable for this method of cultivation, but only border, semi-double, and early ones.

♦ The seedling method must also be chosen when growing flower crops with very small seeds - petunia, purslane, snapdragon, etc. The seedlings of these plants are so small and weak that they can easily die in open ground.

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

♦ If there are enough seeds, then crops such as rudbeckia, gaillardia, aquilegia, lupine, primrose, etc. can be sown in beds from May to July. In the fall or spring of next year they can be planted in a permanent place. Another thing is growing seedlings of biennial crops, for example, “pansies” - viola. If you sow seedlings early in March, the plants will bloom in the first year.

In order for your garden plot to be fragrant with various flowers in the summer, you need to take care of the planting material in advance. Many types of plants, both annual and perennial, cannot be grown directly from seeds. They are planted in small bushes - seedlings.

Preparing to sow flower seeds for seedlings

At the first stage, you need to find out what flowers are grown. Most often these are small and weak seeds that can die in open ground under the influence of various weeds.

These include:

• Ageratum;
• Asters and many others

Next, you need to figure out when to plant flowers for seedlings.
As a rule, this time coincides with the end of winter or the beginning of spring. More detailed information can be found on the packaging of the selected plant, which informs about the time of planting seedlings, picking them to a permanent place and some important aspects growing a plant. Some types of flowers require more early landing, for example, carnation Shabot, Lobelia. Planting flower seedlings in January is determined by a long period of seed germination and development.

At the next stage, you need to prepare the seeds, soil and containers for growing flower seedlings.

Preparing seeds for sowing

To speed up germination, seeds can be soaked (according to the instructions) in a solution of zircon or epin.

Many gardeners carry out the stratification procedure with seeds. To do this, flower seeds are soaked in plain water for approximately 12 hours. Next, the dishes with the seeds are put in a cold place for the same time. Then the container is again brought into the room, then into the refrigerator, and so on until the seeds germinate. Experts say that in this way plants, even at the embryonic stage, acquire immunity to possible temperature changes.

Preparing the soil for sowing flowers

must also be unusual. Beginning gardeners can purchase a prepared mixture in the store, for example, “Living Earth”.

But it’s better to prepare the soil yourself. To do this you need to mix:

• 1 part sand;
• 2 parts compost;
• 2 parts turf soil;
• 3 parts peat.

Before sowing flower seeds for seedlings, the prepared mixture, as well as the seeds, must be disinfected. To do this, the entire soil is spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and the soil is completely dried.

In order for the seeds to hatch faster, it is recommended to plant them in slightly cooled (up to 20ºC -22ºC) soil.

Preparing containers for growing flower seedlings

Currently, specialized stores have large selection various containers for growing flower seedlings. As a rule, they are all quite large and deep. To fill such containers you need large number soil. Some enterprising gardeners prefer to use:

• disposable cups or mugs;
• food containers;
• containers for yoghurts and curds;
• milk and kefir bags cut to the required height.

If food utensils are used, they must be washed to remove any possible food residues. It is important to remember that holes must be made at the bottom of any container to drain excess liquid.

Before filling soil in containers, it is necessary to do drainage system. To do this, a layer of sand or fine expanded clay no more than 1 cm high is laid on the bottom of the box for flower seedlings.

It is necessary to fill the soil into the container not to the very edge. It is advisable to leave 1 cm or 2 cm. This space will be required for regular watering and, if necessary, adding soil. The soil in the container for seedlings should be compacted tightly so that when watering it does not crumble and does not lag behind the edges of the container.

Technology of planting flower seedlings

Immediately before sowing flowers for seedlings, the soil in the prepared containers must be well watered. If you do not follow this rule, then, even before germination, additional liquid will be required, and when watering, you can damage fragile plants or seeds that have not had time to sprout.

It is necessary to make small grooves or dimples in wet soil if planting material quite large size. Seeds, 2 to 3 pieces at a time, are dropped into these holes and sprinkled with soil. If the seed material is very small, as for example in Lobelia, then it is pre-mixed with sand and simply poured evenly onto the surface of the earth.

Next, the container with seedlings should be covered with plastic or completely placed in a plastic bag, if the size of the container allows.

With this approach, a special microclimate is created inside the planting container, which prevents the temperature necessary for plant growth from decreasing and the soil from drying out. You should monitor the fogging of the film daily. If large drops of liquid accumulate on it, then the seedlings need to be ventilated. You can do this in two ways:

• Just turn the bag over to the other side and wrap the flower seedlings again.
• Open the bag and let the soil and planting material breathe a little (20 - 30 minutes).

If the seeds have not yet sprouted and the soil is very dry, it is recommended to moisten it using a sprayer. You cannot water flower seedlings from a watering can, as this will invariably lead to damage and death of the plants.

Place containers with seedlings in the designated area. It is advisable that there are no batteries near the containers and that they are not exposed to direct rays sunlight. It is most advisable to grow seedlings of annual flowers on an insulated balcony. If this is not the case, then you can make special shelves on the window slightly higher than the battery level (if the windows do not face sunny side). Otherwise, you can set up a nursery in a well-lit corner of the room. The optimal temperature and light level are indicated on the seed package.

If the seedlings are not enough, then it is recommended to turn on the lamps installed above them for several hours a day. Naturally, this issue must be taken care of in advance. LED lamps with a predominantly red spectrum are ideal.

Many gardeners prefer to grow flower seedlings in the greenhouse available on personal plot. To do this, plant seeds are planted along greenhouse ridges around the beginning of April and cared for according to all the specified rules.
The only difference between the greenhouse method of growing seedlings and the home method is that there is no need to transplant grown plants into separate pots. The disadvantage of this method is that caring for seedlings requires constant attention and presence in the garden.

Picking plants

When the seeds have sprouted and several true leaves have grown, you should move on to the next stage of growing flower seedlings - picking.

To do this you need:

• According to all the above rules, prepare separate containers with earth;
• Prepare necessary tools. If there are none, then you can use a regular manicure set.
• Prepare, preferably warm and settled water.

Planting flower seedlings in pots is a delicate and jewelry job. Carefully pull out the sprout with a small amount of soil, pinch the end of the root a little, lower it into a recess made in a separate cup, sprinkle it with dry soil and water the plant from all sides. With this approach, the root of the flower will be absorbed into the soil almost completely, excluding any damage to it.

Some gardeners prefer to transplant seedlings of perennial flowers not into dry soil with further watering, but immediately into well-moistened soil. This method is suitable for a highly developed root system and does not require additional pinching.

If the plants are too weak, then you can plant not one shoot at a time, but in small piles. This will prevent the stems from breaking and will eliminate heavy stress on the rhizome.

Planting care

Flower seedlings, like all ordinary plants, require timely moderate watering, required light and, of course, constant feeding. In botanical stores you can buy complex fertilizers for flower seedlings, for example, Uniflor micro, Agricola.

The first feeding of plants must be done 2 - 3 weeks after sowing and then at similar intervals.

You should constantly monitor for signs of disease in seedlings. The most dangerous for her is the “black leg”.

As a rule, this disease appears when the soil is very waterlogged and the ambient temperature is too high.

Signs of blackleg disease in seedlings are:

• Changes in the color of the basal sprout to brown;
• Thinning of the plant stem;
• A sharp decrease in the bright color of the leaves.

If the first signs of the disease are detected:

• Immediately remove infested plants from the container;
• Add dry sand and lime to the container with seedlings;
• Treat the soil and plants with a solution of foundationazole.

Another important enemy of flower seedlings is powdery mildew.

Plants affected by the disease:

• They differ in the curvature of the stem;
• The appearance of a white coating on the leaves;
• Falling leaves.

To get rid of the disease, use a solution of foundationazole or a solution of soda enriched with calcium.

To avoid diseases of flower seedlings, it is necessary to periodically spray the plants and the ground around them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Growing high-quality flower seedlings yourself will require a lot of time and effort. You can purchase ready-made planting material in botanical stores, but in this case no one will be guilty of buying something that is not what they wanted.

Video: all about growing flowers