Imagine: the first rays of the May sun open the buds, and your plot turns into an impressionist canvas.
To achieve this effect, experienced gardeners begin to “conjure” over seedlings as early as February.
Antonov's Garden magazine and agronomists with 20 years of experience confirm that these are the crops that will have time to reveal their beauty by the beginning of summer.
Petunia is a favourite of country terraces
“Petunia hybrids are sown in February to obtain strong bushes with dozens of buds by May,” explains Lyudmila Shubina, a candidate of agricultural sciences.
The seeds are distributed over the surface of moistened soil, without covering with earth, and kept under a phytolamp for 12-14 hours a day. Summer residents from Siberia share on social networks: ampelous varieties in flowerpots bloom as early as mid-May if they are sown before February 10.
Lobelia - Blue Lace for Flower Beds
This delicate flower, reminiscent of a cloud, requires patience: the seeds, the size of a speck of dust, are sown superficially and covered with film. Nikolai Khromov, a researcher at the I.V. Michurin Federal Scientific Center, advises picking the sprouts when the third leaf appears.
Gardeners in the Moscow region note that seedlings sown in the second ten days of February already form inflorescence caps by the end of April.
Shabo Carnation - Queen of Fragrances
"Only February sowing guarantees that Shabo carnations will bloom in June," warns the Botanichka publication. The seeds are planted 3 mm deep in loose substrate and kept at +15°C.
Gardeners from the Urals boast in their blogs: even in the short summer, these flowers manage to show off their entire palette – from snow-white to burgundy.
Verbena is a magnet for butterflies
Agronomists recommend sowing heat-loving verbena in peat tablets, after soaking the seeds in a growth stimulator.
Garden Mechanics magazine emphasizes: at a temperature of +25°C, shoots appear in 7-10 days. Summer residents of the southern regions share a secret: planting in open ground at the end of April under covering material accelerates flowering.
Salvia - Scarlet Candles in the Garden
This flower, also known as sparkling sage, is sown at the end of February. "Salvia is demanding of light: without additional lighting, the sprouts stretch out and weaken," warns Lyudmila Shubina.
Experienced gardeners advise using LED lamps with a pink spectrum. According to reviews from the Krasnodar region, the first inflorescences bloom already in mid-May.
Pansies - a spring carpet
Viola sown in February is called a "garden long-liver": it blooms from May until frost. Antonov's Garden recommends stratifying the seeds for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before sowing.
Summer residents of Central Russia note that seedlings planted in April in sunny areas quickly gain color even during nighttime cold spells.
Delphinium - a blue sea in the garden
Tall varieties of delphinium, sown in February, form powerful stems with buds by May.
“It is better to germinate the seeds in the refrigerator for 10–14 days – this imitates natural stratification,” advises Nikolai Khromov.
Gardeners in the Leningrad Region share a life hack: mulching the soil with sawdust protects the roots from drying out.
Why February
“Plants with a long growing season require an early start,” explains Lyudmila Shubina.
Short daylight hours are compensated by phytolamps, and warming the soil to +22°C accelerates germination. IVD.ru magazine adds: sowing in favorable lunar phases (Waxing Moon in Cancer or Taurus) increases the growth energy.
The Secret to Success from the Professionals
— Use peat tablets for crops with fragile roots (lobelia, petunia).
— Maintain soil moisture with a spray bottle to avoid damaging the seedlings.
— Harden off the seedlings 2 weeks before planting: take them out onto the balcony for 1–2 hours daily.
"February seedlings are like the first chord of a symphony. If you play it correctly, the entire garden will sound in unison," concludes Nikolai Khromov.
Follow these tips, and by May your plot will become the envy of your neighbors and the pride of your family.
