Seedling method of growing annuals

Many annuals require a seedling method of cultivation. These are heat-loving crops: amaranth, balsam, marigolds, dahlias( non-matic), petunia, cesium, zinnia. They are planted in the ground in late terms, after the end of spring frosts. Cultures intended for decoration and valued for a long flowering period - ageratum, Chinese carnation, lobelia, lobulia-ria( alissum), nasturtium, portulak, fragrant tobacco, Drummond's phlox - with a seedling growing method blossom earlier. Astra and verbena have a long period of development from sowing to flowering, which begins too late if you do not grow seedlings. The beginning of flowering of arctotis, godess, sweet pea, lion, snapdragon and annual chrysanthemum species also

can be accelerated for 3-4 weeks due to seedlings. All seedling flower cultures are light-loving, only the seedlings of marigolds, petunias and fragrant tobacco can be grown monotonously 50 cm from the window when illuminated. The closest thing to the glasses is to put a lefkut, clove Shabo, sweet peas, lobulyariyu, portolak. Substrates for sowing seeds for seedlings can be of different compositions, but with one indispensable condition - for growing seedlings they must be fresh, that is not used for the cultivation of any plants before. In addition, they should contain a moderate amount of nutrients and good water flow during irrigation. For crops that suffer heavily from the black leg( agera-tum, asters, gillyflowers, lobelia, lobularia, lion's pharynx, petunia, and tobacco), do not add humus( compost) to the soil mixtures, they must include turfy soil, peatand sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1 - Sand is better to use a large river, if there is not any - any, but we have to weed out stones and small fractions and rinse it to the transparency of water and then dry it. Sand is also used for calcination.

It is interesting to note that sometimes in a number of species and plant varieties, instead of two, 3-4 cotyledons develop, and in some cases the cotyledon plate has teeth.

Shoots having deviations, it is better to set them off and observe them before flowering and collecting seeds. Often such seedlings subsequently give rise to plants with new valuable decorative qualities, for example, the swallowtail, the original structure of the flower or inflorescence, the unusual size and color of the flower.

Seeds of cultures strongly affected by a black peduncle at seedlings are etched before 0.166M solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, followed by washing in water.7-12 hours treatment of seeds with a solution of a mixture of salts of microelements( sulphate salts of zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt, molybdenum-ammonium ammonium - by 0.03 and boric acid by 0.01 g, also contributes to disinfection, germination and germination energy.for 1 liter of water).After processing, the seeds must be dried and sown.

Shovels sprouts must be moved to a room with a temperature of 10-12 ° C for the selection of plants with double flowers. Their cotyledons are larger and more pale than those of plants with simple flowers.

Increasing the cold resistance of plants contributes to the treatment of seeds with variable temperatures. Soaked for 12 hours at a temperature of 18-20 ° C, the seeds should be rearranged in a refrigerator with a temperature of 0-2 ° C, also for 12 hours, repeat this before the time of pecking, then sow the seeds( asters, clove Shabo, sweet peas,gillyflowers).

Duration of sowing in open ground of some annuals

Plant Sowing time

( month / decade)

Arctotis large May I

Akroklinium pink May I

Alyssum Marine May I, II

Amaranth tailed May I, II, III

Astra Chinese April III, May I, II

Marigolds thin-leafed May I, II

Marigolds erect May II

Marigolds rejected May I

Vasilek blue April III, May I,

October I

Verbena April III, May I,

October I

Carnation bearded July, September

Carnation Chinese maI

Gypsophila graceful May I

Godetsiya charming April III, May I

sweet peas May I, II

zawadzkii orange April III

Iberis umbrella April III, May I,

October I

Iberis bitter April III, May I,

October I

Ipomea purple May I

Clarkia graceful May I, II

Cosmos April III, May I

Kohia May I

Lavatera MayI

Lion one-year-old May I, AND

Lion cavern May II, III

Nasturtium large May I, II

Nigella Damascus April III

Calendula April III, May I

Petunia hybrid May II, III

Reseda fragrant May I, II

ScabiosaApril III, May I

Phlox Drummond April III

Chrysanthemum, one-year-old April III, May I

Eschholzia April III, May I,

September III

Most of the seedling flower crops produce friendly shoots at a temperature of 18-20 ° C.But the seeds of the lion's pharyngeal arise at 8-12 ° C, an ageratum, a year of gentation, a sweet pea, and also lobularia - at 12-15 ° C, asters and gillyflowers - at 15-16 ° C.After the emergence of shoots for heat-loving plants( aga-tumus amaranth, arctotis marigolds, verbena,

dahlia, lobelia, petunia, portulak, tobacco, cesium, zinnia, sage), growth requires a daytime temperature above 20 ° C, night - not lower than 15 ° C.When the temperature is lowered, the seedlings of these crops stop growing and often fall ill with a black leg. More cold-resistant crops grow at lower temperatures: astra and lewka - at 15-16 ° C, year, sweet peas, lobularia - at 12-15 ° C, lion's ears - at 8-12 ° C.At the same time it is allowed to drop night temperatures to 8 ° C, daylight temperatures to 25 ° C.The air temperature is regulated by airing. Strong aeration( especially in frost-free days), but without drafts, require aster, clove, godet, peas, lobularia, snapdragon, phlox, chrysanthemum, cautious - dahlias, petunia, zinnia, sage. The rest of the culture is a moderate airing.

The following seedlings require a dry cultivation regime: agera-tum, arctotis, aster, marigold, verbena, clove, lemon, lobularia, snapdragon, petunia, porphyry, phlox, chrysanthemum and zinnia. They tolerate some drying of the soil and dry air. Watering them can be rare, only with the drying of the top layer, in the morning on sunny days with soaking the entire layer of the earth. More wet cultivation - both soil and air - requires amaranth, dahlias, godets, sweet peas, lobelia, mirabilis, nasturtium, sweet-scented tobacco, sage. The drying up of the earth and the dry air act on them fatal. On hot days, the increase in air humidity is facilitated by spraying plants, hanging wet cloth, putting water from the cans. All watering is recommended to use a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Seedlings of cultures with a long period of cultivation - cloves of Shabo and Salvia - it is recommended to feed 3 times. The first top dressing infusion Mullein, diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 20, a glass of 8-10 plants, is carried out a week after the first pick. The second - 2 weeks after the first feeding with the same mullein, adding 1.5 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate and 3 g of superphosphate and 1 l of water, consuming 1 glass of liquid for 4-5 plants. Superphosphate should be filled with water a day before. The third feeding is carried out a week after the second picking with the same solutions.

It is recommended to top dressing, as well as watering, in the morning, on sunny days. After these plants, watered, moistening the leaves to wash away solutions to avoid burns.

At the time of the full development of the first real leaf, the seedlings of the March crops begin to picket. Small plants are planted at a distance of 2.5-3 cm, larger - 5-6 cm thick. The thickened picking can lead to stretching the seedlings and the appearance of diseases. Seedlings are removed from the sowing tanks, the roots are shortened by a third, so that they are better branched. When picking, almost all the flowers, except cloves, can be slightly buried, but do not cover the cotyledons with soil. Under plants of crops strongly affected by a black foot, it is recommended to pour the calcined sand with a layer 0.5-1 cm thick. Wooden boxes, peat pots, paper cups are suitable for pickled plants. All flower crops are best dived in isolated containers, then when planting less damage to the roots. This is especially important for plants with rod( levka), weakly branched( sweet pea) or underdeveloped root system( petunia).Before landing in the open ground, starting from the first of May, the seedlings of the heat-loving annuals are seasoned: amaranth, marigold, petunia, zinnia and sage. If they grow in hotbeds, they open the frame first and then completely remove the frames, but they should be closed in cold nights( with air temperature below 10 ° C).If the seedlings are in the room or on the verandah, on warm days it is carried to the balconies or to the porch, slightly shading from the direct sun.

Thermophilic annuals

Ageratum, amaranth, antirrinum, arctotis, balm, marigold, verbena, gazaniya, carnation, helich-rhizome, annual dahl, gomfrena, lemon, nasturtium, petunia, salvia, ornamental bean, Drummond phlox, cesium, zinnia.

Cold-resistant annuals

Ammobium, aster, cornflower, gaylard, gypsophila, yearlings, fragrant peas, dimorphoteka, ibé-rice, calendula, clarkey, coreopsis, cosmos, xerothemum, lavatera, lobelia, lobularia, malopee, matthiola, nemesia, nigella, reseda, statics, chrysanthemum, schizanthus, eschsolcia.

As soon as the soil warms up, from the seedlings, the sweet pea is first planted in the open ground, the Shabo and clove in a leaven. These cultures carry frosts to -5 ° C.In the holes for seedlings are introduced nitroammophosco - for 3-4 g. Under the plant. All cultures;planted in 20-25 cm in a row, a little more deeply( 1-2 cm), except for the carnation, which reacts poorly to this. In dry, warm weather, the seedlings are planted with gravy, that is, filling the prepared pit with water, and the seedlings are lowered into the slurry from the water to the ground. The survival rate of it in this case is almost one hundred percent. After planting, watering is not needed. Above, the hole is sprinkled with dry earth. If the weather is hot and dry, which is often observed in May, the next watering of the seedlings is carried out in 2-4 days.

Terms of sowing of annuals for seedlings

January - carnations of Shabo. February - Salvia, lobelia. March - the majority of annuals: astra, agera-tum, godets, lion, lobularia, snapdragon, petunia, fragrant tobacco, etc.

April - marigolds, zinnia, sweet peas, nasturtium.

After June 5-10, when the danger of late frosts passes, seedlings of thermophilic annuals are planted in the open ground: aheeratum, marigolds, fragrant tobacco, petunia, zinnia and salvia( sage).They should be timely, not less than 2 weeks before disembarkation, to temper - to accustom to open air.

Otherwise, during planting, burns and even plant death are unavoidable. The technique of landing is the same as in May. The distance between tobacco plants is 70 cm, for other crops - 20-30 cm. The soil in the areas planned for annuals can be prepared from autumn, dig and fertilize. Then in the spring, under the planting of seedlings, it will only be necessary to loosen it and apply mineral fertilizers.