Don't know how to properly grow strong seedlings of summer plants? This article will help you not to make mistakes and get a beautiful flower bed.
With the help of attractive annuals, you can create a bed of continuous flowering. To do this, the first thing you need to determine the optimal timing of sowing seeds for seedlings. Plants that bloom a couple of months after sowing (verbena, gazanilla, gubastik, coleus, bellflower, pelargonium, sparkling Salvia, sweet-scented tobacco, snapdragon, cineraria seaside), sown in January-February. But the mass sowing of annuals in March and April.
Containers for flower seedlings
Flower seedlings are best grown in separate pots, so that then do not engage in picking seedlings. Such seedlings grow stronger and, as a rule, they are not affected by rot.
As a container for flower seedlings will be suitable as small disposable cups, and voluminous boxes. The main thing is to make holes in the bottom of the container for draining excess water, and also have a tray.
Soil for seedlings
In no case, you can not use soil in which were already growing room or container plants. For seedlings, you need to take new soil. If you want to save money, you can make your own potting soil. Do not forget to disinfect it: warm it in the oven for an hour at 50 ° C.
Sow the seeds for the seedlings
At the bottom of the container, pour the drainage of claydite, gravel or broken bricks 1 cm thick. Then place moist (but not too wet!) substrate so that you have about 2 cm to the top of the container.
Sow large seeds into the pre-drilled furrows to a depth equal to triple the size of the seed, and tamp the soil down lightly. Also sow medium sized seeds into the seed furrows, but only slightly bury them in the soil (not more than 0.5 cm). Mix very small seeds with dry sand, scatter them over the soil and water them with a sprayer.
Cover the container with glass or plastic wrap and put it in a warm place. Keep in mind: until sprouts appear, the soil should always be slightly moist.
After sprouting, remove the glass or film and keep the plants at about 20°C. When the seedlings have grown, sprinkle a little light soil on their stems and place the plants in a well-lit place at 15°C.
Watering seedlings
Try not to water the plants. But also note that the soil should not dry out. It is better to moisten small sprouts from a sprayer or syringe, and grown plants - from spouts. The water should be at room temperature.
Adult seedlings are recommended to water in a tray. This will help the root system of the plants to develop faster.
Fertilizing
The first feeding of seedlings of annuals is carried out 2-3 weeks after sowing the seeds. Use a complex fertilizer (according to instructions). Before planting seedlings in the open field such feeding should be repeated 1-2 times.
Hardening the seedlings of annuals
In 2 weeks before planting in a flower bed or cold greenhouse, it is necessary to gradually accustom the seedlings to a lower temperature. To do this, take young plants out into the courtyard or veranda every day. At first, keep them outside for only 2 hours and then gradually increase the hardening time.
Start taking cold-resistant summer plants (e.g. cineraria and antirrinum) outside at 8-10 °C, and for hardening heat-loving plants, you should wait until the temperature is at least 12 °C.
Planting flower sprouts in the open air
Flower seedlings are planted in the ground in late May - early June, when the threat of return frosts is over. Transplanting is best done on a cloudy day or in the evening when the sun goes down.
Before planting the seedlings, prepare the soil in advance: loosen, apply mineral fertilizers and humus, level the surface, make furrows or wells and water them. When the moisture soaks up the soil, plant the seedlings.
