Annuals & Perennial Tips from Schmeg.com

  

Seed starting in containers
Direct seeding can be risky. A sudden cold spell, a torrential rain, or hot drying winds can reduce germination or wipe out little plants. Starting seeds in containers and growing them under controlled conditions into robust seedlings avoids these problems. All of the materials can be purchased at a nursery or garden center.

Sow seeds in 4-inch plastic containers filled nearly to the top with moist potting soil. Wet the sown seeds with a household spray bottle and set the pots in a warm part of the house out of direct sunlight. Keep seeds moist by spraying or by enclosing the containers in plastic bags. When the seeds have germinated, place the containers under lights for at least 12 hours a day. Whenever the potting soil dries out, set the containers in a shallow tray filled with water so the soil absorbs water from the bottom, which encourages deep rooting. (Remember to remove the containers and allow them to drain). Feed the plants once a week with a soluble fertilizer diluted to one half or one quarter the ordinary rate. Raise the lights as the plants grow to keep the fluorescent tubes about 2 inches above the top leaves.

After the plants have developed their first true leaves, transplant the seedlings to individual containers. Four- or six-cell plastic packs work well for small plants; use 4-inch pots for plants that quickly grow large. Fill the cells or pots with fresh, moistened potting soil. Holding a seedling gently by a leaf, prick it out of its pot with a sharpened pencil, taking care to disturb its roots and attached soil as little as possible. Poke a hole in the soil of the new cell or container, insert the seedling, and fill around it to bury the roots. Larger seedlings can be suspended in an empty cell while you add potting soil around the roots. Place the cell packs or individual containers under lights again, watering and feeding as before.

When the seedlings are large enough to put in the garden (after the last frost for tender plants), they need to be acclimated to conditions outdoors. Begin with a few hours in a spot protected from direct sunlight and wind, increasing to full exposure over several days.

TRANSPLANTING OUTDOORS-
The procedure for setting container-grown plants in the garden is the same for plants you've grown from seeds or for those you purchase. Space the plants according to their mature size. Closely spaced perennials will fill in more quickly, but they can become ungainly or unhealthy as mature plants become crowded. A mulch of compost, bark chips, or grass clippings helps conserve moisture, improves the soil, and keeps weeds down while young plants are small. Where you're planting large, slow-growing perennials, consider planting annuals between them for several seasons.

Before transplanting, water the container and let it drain until the soil is moist but not soggy. Try to disturb the root ball as little as possible as you slide it from the cell or pot. Gently loosen congested roots on the bottom and lower sides of the root ball; unwrap any that encircle the ball. Place the plant into a hole in the prepared bed slightly larger than the root ball and deep enough to position the top of the root ball at soil level. Fill the hole about halfway with soil, then soak the root ball with water, let it drain, and then add the remaining soil, firming it gently around the stem. Water is crucial for new plants; if nature doesn't oblige, provide 1 inch per week for the growing season-even for drought-tolerant plants. Annuals and perennials that are adapted to the conditions of your region and site should, once they're established, require minimal care.

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