What plants are sown for seedlings in December: a selection for experienced gardeners

If you think that December is a dormant season for gardeners, you are deeply mistaken. It is in the first winter month that slow-growing crops are sown for seedlings. It is worth considering the ripening time - some flowers take more than 6 months from the beginning of sowing to flowering.

OBOZ.UA tells what plants can be sown for seedlings in December. It is worth noting that when planting early, it is better to take care of additional illumination with a phytolamp.

Begonias

Home begonias reproduce in several ways: by seeds, vegetatively (cuttings or dividing a bush or tuber).To grow from seeds, it is necessary to fill small containers with soil in late February or early March, cover with foil or glass and place in a well-lit, warm place. It is better not to water the seeds, but to spray them lightly.

Shabo carnations

This is a beautiful perennial with a variety of blooms. The flowers can be simple, double, semi-double, curved, corrugated, dissected, and folded.

This variety begins to bloom 150 days after sowing, but sometimes the time is delayed by almost a month. Therefore, sowing seeds begins in December, having previously equipped a greenhouse or created appropriate conditions. Seedlings can be transplanted outdoors in May.

Eustoma

Eustoma blooms 4-5 months after germination, so sowing begins in early December and continues until the end of January. For seedlings, it is better to choose small plastic cups and a light, loose substrate with the addition of sand for better oxygen aeration.

Sowing is done superficially; 2-3 seeds are enough for each cup, which should be easily pressed into the soil. It is better to cover the top with a plastic bag or glass until germination. Plants need additional lighting. When the height reaches 1.5-2 cm, you should dive. By mid-May, the eustoma should form 4-8 true leaves.

Verbena

Verbena is propagated by seeds and vegetatively. It is better to add a little organic fertilizer to the prepared soil beforehand, and sow the seeds to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. Verbena blooms from late July to late September.

Pelargonium

When sowing pelargoniums early, additional lighting is a must. It is a fairly hardy plant that can easily withstand dry periods. In spring, pelargoniums can be planted on terraces or balconies in hanging pots. Gardeners say that the optimum temperature should be 20-25 ° C, but even on hotter days with good watering, the bushes will not stop blooming.

Helenium

Helenium is an unpretentious perennial that blooms from July to October. The flowers are propagated by dividing the bush or cuttings. The division is carried out in the spring, carefully digging up the remains of the old rhizome and planting separate rosettes of young plants.

The distance should be left depending on the size of the growth of a particular variety. The seeds germinate within a few weeks in a bright and moderately warm (18 degrees on average) place. After the third pair of leaves appears, the seedlings should be dived. Planting outdoors is done in May. Please note that young flowers will bloom only next year.

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