When to sow flower seedlings: timing and recommendations from experts

To ensure that your flowerbed will delight you from early spring until autumn, it makes sense to use the seedling method of propagation.

There is nothing complicated about this type of cultivation if you follow the basic rules and recommendations, which are key.

What flowers can be sown for seedlings

It is worth noting right away that this method of propagation is not suitable for all crops, so it is necessary to pay attention to the planting features. It makes sense to plant the following flowers for seedlings:

1. Cosmos.
2. Gordetia.
3. Primrose.
4. Begonia.
5. Viola.
6. Gerbera.
7. Razeda.
8. Nasturtium.
9. Petunia.
10. Pansies and others.

When to start planting

You can start planting from January, but here you should pay attention to the details. In this month, it is worth planting hard-to-germinate seeds that have a dense shell. If you plant ordinary seeds, the plants may simply die as a result, which will lead to terrible consequences.

February planting

In the second month of winter, you can sow crops with a long germination period. The following feel good in these conditions:

• fuchsias;
• pelargoniums;
• salvia;
• violas;
• lavender;
• balsams and others.

In February, you can plant summer crops. It is important to pay attention to how much sunlight the crops need. It is not uncommon for crops to awaken in the spring, but due to a lack of sunlight, they simply die.

March

In March you can start growing:

1. Verbena.
2. Kobei.
3. Cleomes.
4. Levkoya.
5. Ichinacea.
6. Fragrant tobacco.
7. Iberis.
8. Azarins and others.

Second half of March - April

When the soil begins to gradually warm up, you can start planting annuals. Here are a few examples:

• arcotis;
• alyssum;
• castor oil plant;
• marigold;
• daisy;
• milkweed;
• dahlia;
• celosia;
• Astra and others.

What containers to choose for seedlings

Among many summer residents, the debate on this topic will never end. This should not be surprising, since there are crops that grow well in common pots, while others require individual planting. When choosing pots, it is worth starting from several parameters:

1. Plants should feel comfortable.
2. You shouldn't get carried away with cardboard containers.
3. The container must be environmentally friendly. There are frequent situations when universal containers are used, which is why a significant part of the seedlings eventually die.
4. Peat tablets can be called an excellent solution. However, they are extremely difficult to choose, and there are many fakes on the market now.
5. There must be drainage holes at the bottom. It is unacceptable to allow the soil to become over-moistened.

What kind of soil to use

The choice of soil should take a special place. Some summer residents begin to use soil from their plot, but this is a typical mistake. It is better to grow flower seedlings in a suitable substrate, it should have the following qualities:

• ease;
• porosity;
• looseness;
• air permeability.

If we talk about the composition, then everything is more complicated. The composition of the soil should match the crops that are planned to be grown.

It is unacceptable to use the following as soil for flower seedlings:

1. Compost of any kind.
2. Lowland peat.
3. Turf soil.
4. Chopped straw.
5. Wood sawdust impregnated with varnish.
6. Sand: sea, quarry or unwashed.

In most cases, it is worth buying ready-made substrate in specialized stores.