Do you know how to plant flower seeds? If you have doubts about it, then I will explain step by step how to do it so that as many as possible germinate. And it is that planting is something that can be really rewarding, since it helps to better understand how plants begin their lives. In addition, it is also a very interesting task to do with children, since it is a way for them to get closer to gardening and, therefore, to grow up feeling respect for plants and nature.
For these reasons, since JardineriaOn I encourage you to buy some envelopes of flower seeds, the ones you like the most, and read what I am going to tell you now.
When are the flowers planted?
It is very, very important that we ask ourselves this question first, before even thinking about what we have to buy to sow our flower seeds. And it is that the time in which they are sown, can stimulate germination or, on the contrary, delay it, depending on the temperatures there are.
Therefore, and based on the fact that we would like them to sprout as soon as possible, it is necessary to know that the time in which most flowering plants are usually sown is in spring. And I say "most" and not "all" because there are always exceptions. For example, pansies and other plants such as primrose or cyclamen, which flower in winter or early spring, can be sown in autumn. Also, if we have an electric sprouter we can take advantage of it and sow them in autumn or even in winter.
What is needed to sow?
The sowing of seeds is a task that, a priori, is not complicated, but it is true that you have to have on hand everything that is really going to be used, and it is also convenient to know how to do it. To start, I will tell you what is going to be needed, which is:
- Hotbed: as a seedbed, you can start a conventional pot that has holes, a planter -with holes in its base as well-, or a seedbed tray such as this.
- Substratum: the most suitable soil is one that retains moisture for a while, but without "drowning" the seeds. For example: coconut fiber (you can buy it here) is perfect, although any specific substrate for seedbeds will also work (such as this) that are already sold ready to use.
- Watering can with water: this is basic. Without water, the seeds will not germinate and will not be able to grow.
- (OPTIONAL): Glass with a little water: If you want to know exactly how many seeds can germinate, I recommend you put them in a glass of water. The ones that sink will be the ones that will probably germinate. That doesn't mean you have to discard the ones that float; In fact, I do not recommend it because if you sow them -in a separate seedbed- you may be pleasantly surprised.
How are the flowers planted?
Now let's move on to the most interesting part: we are going to sow the flower seeds so that they come out as soon as possible. How do you do this? Following this step by step:
Fill the seedbed with substrate
The first step is to fill the seedbed. You have to add substrate until it is practically full, not completely but almost. It is important that the surface of the substrate is slightly below the edge of the seedbed. In fact, it is best to leave half a centimeter or one centimeter below so that when it is watered, the water is not lost.
Do not forget to go pressing the earth, because if you don't, when you water it you could see that you have added less amount of substrate than necessary.
Water
Now what you have to do is water. The substrate must be completely wet. If you are sowing the seeds in a seed tray, I recommend that you put another tray that does not have holes under it and fill the latter with water. And if you are going to plant them in a pot, the same thing: put a plate under it.
Sow the seeds in the seedbed
The next step is to take a few seeds and proceed to place them on the surface of the substrate. Here it is important to keep a couple of things in mind: the first is that it is better to sow one or very few in the same seedbed; and the second is that In case of sowing several, they do not have to pile up or be very close together.
And finally, you have to put a little substrate on top of the seeds, since they cannot be exposed to the sun so directly.
OPTIONAL: Apply fungicide
Fungi are the main enemies of the seeds. From experience, I can say that the flower seeds I have planted have not usually had problems, but applying fungicide to the seedbeds is something I recommend. For this reason, after sowing them, it is interesting to apply a little of this product (for sale here).
How long do flower seeds take to germinate?
It will depend on when they were sown and how fresh the seeds are. But usually it takes from 5 days to a month. Also, I insist: it depends. If, for example, you sow sunflower seeds in winter, surely they will not come out until spring, since they need heat to do so.
That is why it is so important to know what is the best time to sow each of the flowers that we like, since that is the best time for each of them.
Have a good floral planting.