There are snowdrifts outside the window, the New Year holidays have just ended, and it is still far from spring. But avid gardeners are already anticipating what beautiful flower beds they will have in the near future, and begin sowing seedlings of flowers.
What compels us to do early sowing of flowers in January? The first reason is the long growth period of flowers. If the plant takes 130 days from sowing to flowering. The second reason is the short daylight hours. Although the day begins to arrive little by little, this is still not enough for full-fledged growing of seedlings in a short time.
So what flowers can you plant
I really like all kinds of begonias. To get seedlings by May, I advise you to plant them in the second half of January. To do this, loosely compact the begonia seeds on the surface of the wet soil. Then keep under the film until the first shoots appear, about 10-14 days.
Another of my favorite flowers is primrose. This perennial is undemanding for germination and further planting, it can grow well in the shade. Having sown once, you can then admire her for more than one year. For the first shoots, it will also take about 2 weeks.
Lovely lavender is loved for its color and recognizable scent. But to grow it with seedlings, you need to make an effort. Place the seeds in the ground at a distance of 2 centimeters from each other, sprinkle on top with a thin layer of sand or soil. For the best germination of lavender seeds, refrigerate for 45 days after sowing. This is called stratification. It allows you to improve seed germination and get more viable seedlings. Or you can try to plant seeds in open ground at the end of November, so they will undergo natural stratification.
Everyone knows such a flower as pelargonium, or geranium. It can be seen on almost every windowsill. But it looks great outdoors too. To grow pelargonium, seeds need preliminary preparation. For faster germination, you need to break the integrity of their shell. Try rubbing them with coarse sandpaper. If you have already bought seeds in the form of pills, then this procedure is not necessary, they are already ready for sowing. Plant seedlings in shallow grooves at a distance of 3 centimeters. On top, just fill it with soil or river sand. Be sure to ignite the sand to protect crops from all kinds of fungi.
Eustoma reminds me of roses very much. A beautiful, exquisite flower that does not require special conditions for planting and growing. Pour the seeds into a prepared container with moist soil, cover with calcined sand or soil on top. Can also be sown directly into peat tablets. Leave them to swell in water for 30 minutes, then place 2-3 seeds in the center of the tablet.
You can also plant such flowers on seedlings in January: garden carnation, euphorbia, gentian, Himalayan poppy (meconopsis). These perennials are quite unpretentious to care for. Of the annuals, I can note cineraria, petunia, lobelia, gailardia.
I advise you to spray seedlings from a special sprayer, but do not forget to check the moisture content of the soil - in most cases, the seedlings are simply poured. Do not forget about the source of additional light - buy LED, halogen or special phytolamps.
So, the advantages of early planting of flower seedlings:
- you will have more time for other crops or flowers;
- in case of non-germination of seeds, there will be time for re-sowing;
- earlier flowering of plants.
There are also disadvantages:
- weakness of seedlings due to poor lighting and poor feeding;
- seedlings can "sit out" if you do not plant them on time in open ground.
Do not forget to monitor the crops, moisten and feed on time. Then, at the beginning of summer, you will admire the beautiful flower bed on your site. The most difficult thing left is to make your choice!
Read also: Garlic has grown, what to plant in its place?
Friends, do not forget to subscribe to the channel and LIKE if the article is useful!
#phytolamp#sowing seeds in January#useful tips
