Every year you plan that THIS will be the year you have pots and pots of lush plants on your balcony or deck. Then you visit your local nursery in the spring and reality hits -? the cost for your fantasy is just outrageous! Sound familiar?
But you can have the planters of your dreams at a fraction of the cost and with a choice of varieties far beyond what the local garden center offers. How? Start your own flower seeds now.
If you've never grown from seeds indoors before, it's best to begin with just a few types. Easy starters: Trailing lobelia and petunias make a bright and simple garden for sunny spots. Licorice plant and dwarf nasturtiums are also attractive.
Once you've decided on your plants, you must know two things to determine when the seeds should be started: the last frost date for your area, and the time required before transplanting.
Licorice plants and geraniums need 12 weeks to sprout from seed. So if my last frost date is May 15th, I'll want to start them around the last week of February. Petunias, impatiens and lobelia require 10-12 weeks, so I would start them around the first of March. Morning glories, which make a beautiful privacy fence from a plain piece of latticework, need six weeks from start to transplant, but can't be put outside until two weeks after the last frost date. This would mean starting them indoors about mid-April. I'd start nasturtiums and zinnias about then too.
Your goal is to promote germination (with heat and water) and seedling growth (with light) while preventing your seedlings' chief enemy, "damping-off" (with air circulation and proper drainage). Here are some tips for successful seed growing.
Follow these steps and you'll have a bounty of young, strong plants to fill your hanging baskets and pots. This year, you'll have the planters of your dreams!
About The Author
Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on "Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space". Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com
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