Flowering annual plantsgrown from seedlings are found in most garden beds. Seedlings are young plants grown from seeds in frames, greenhouses or seedbeds, intended for permanent planting. Although the preparation of seedlings seems complicated,annual plants grown from seedlingscan even be obtained on a window sill. You just need to follow a few simple rules.
Annual plants grown from seedlings
Why annual plants are worth growing from seedlings
Many gardening amateurs sowannual plantsdirectly into the ground, because it is a much less labor-intensive method than growing from seedlings.Sowing flowers into the ground is the right thing to do, especially in the case of plants that do not like transplanting - these should always be sown immediately in a permanent place. However, for manyspecies, annuals grown fromseedlings are nicer, better quality, and flower much earlier than flowers sown directly into the ground at a later date. By independently preparing a seedling of annual flowers from the purchased seeds, we will also obtain seedlings much cheaper than when buying ready-made seedlings in the store, although often not as good quality as those available on the market.
Which annuals can be grown from seedlings
Depending on the requirements of individual species, we start preparingseedlings of annual plantsat different times - from January to mid-March in a greenhouse or on the window sill in the apartment, from the second half of March in unheated in foil tunnels, and from the beginning of April in frames or on seedbeds.
From January to the beginning of March, we sow such species as: lobelia, impatiens, garden petunia, mexican nymph, and in the first half of March also shiny gazania and verbena.
How to prepare a seedling of annual plants
The easiest wayto grow annual plants from seedlingsis to sow seeds into boxes placed on the window sill, where we will provide enough light for the seedling. They can be both plastic and wooden boxes. A 1 cm drainage layer of sand is placed at the bottom of the box, and then the box is filled with seedling substrate. Leaf soil (well-composted leaves of trees and shrubs) with the addition of peat and sand will be perfect as a substrate. If we do not want to prepare the substrate ourselves, we can buy suitable soil for seedlings in most garden stores. We must remember that the soil is sufficiently moist.
Before sowing the seeds, it is necessary to decontaminate the substrateby applying a fungicide.The Magnicur Energy preparation is perfect for this purpose, as it is used in the amount of 25 ml of the agent added to 2 liters of water, which is enough to decontaminate 100 liters of the substrate. The preparation can also be used for watering seedlings or seedlings in the amount of 15 ml per 10 liters of water.
Sow seedsand then cover them with a very thin layer of sand (note - we do not cover petunia seeds at all). Then cover the box with glass or wrap it with transparent foil. The optimum temperature for germination is 18 to 20 ° C. When the first emergence appears, gradually remove the glass or foil, adjusting the plants to less humid air. We start quilting when the first leaves appear. Water the seedlings abundantly and after a few hours gently remove them, prying them up with a stick. The plants are transferred to multi-pots filled with a more abundant substrate than the one in which the plants have grown so far. During this procedure, it is worth shortening the roots of seedlings a bit, thanks to which we will stimulate them to grow and ensure better rooting of the plant.In the case of some species (including sage and zeniszka), double quilting will be beneficial - initially to boxes with a spacing of 3 x 3 cm, and only then to pots. In order to spread the plants better, we can also trim the tops of their shoots.
Preparationseedlings of annual plantsat a later date, i.e. from the second half of March, can be carried out on the plot or in the garden - in unheated tunnels, in frames or on seedbeds. Then we will avoid, sometimes troublesome, growing on window sills, it will also be easier to provide plants with the right amount of light. This method is recommended for beginner gardeners who do not have any experience in growing from seedlings.
Marigold is an excellent plant for beginners, as it is quite easy to plant seedlings. In March, marigold seeds are sown in containers or a semi-warm inspection (placed on a heating pad, and from the beginning of April, we can sow them under unheated tunnels or in cold frames.Seeds need a temperature of 15 ° C to germinate. If the seeds are sown less often, it will be possible to avoid pickling and transplant them directly to a permanent place, which further facilitates cultivation. Quilting is recommended, however, because it will make the plants stronger and prettier.
People interested in knowing the dates of sowing individual species of annuals are invited to our blog, where we have included a table with the dates of sowing annual plants. In addition to plants grown from seedlings, there are many flowers in the table that can be sown directly into the ground. See: annual plants - sowing calendar.
Probably each of us has a favorite garden store. Remember to buy seeds in well-known and proven places - shops and garden centers. We never buy seeds from street vendors, in the market or in the bazaar. Maybe such seeds are cheaper, but we have no guarantee that they have been properly stored.Storage conditions, however, have a huge impact on the ability of seeds to germinate.People looking for the best quality flower seeds, we recommend visiting our guide's store: -)
