Get Those Seedlings Started!

Marigolds, Cosmos, Impatiens, Petunias -- and all those other annuals that add those bright splashes of color to a garden.

Waterwise Garden Care
Item # 99690 		Waterwise Garden Care: Your Practical Guide

Each $14.95
  • Topic: Planting Techniques
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: annuals, seeds, seedlings, hardy, light, shade, Planting Techniques
  • Date: March 2003

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Marigolds, Cosmos, Impatiens, Petunias—and all those other annuals that add those bright splashes of color to a garden. Stuck here and there among the perennials and your garden, these and other annuals let your garden take on a whole new look. But what’s really rewarding is growing these annuals from seed. And it’s really not all that hard. It just takes a little bit of forethought, and if you’re going to give it a try this year, now is the time to begin.

Some of the more hardy annuals such as the marigolds can be sown directly into the ground. But many of the others need a bit more tender care to get them started. Raising plants from seed is the simplest form of propagation if some of the basic conditions are met.

When buying seeds, check the packets for specifics. Some seeds need to be covered with soil, some don’t. Some need a deeper covering than others. Also further information such as planting depth, spacing and thinning is given. Be sure seeds are fresh; they tend to lose viability after a year.

Loosely fill trays or pots with potting soil, leveling off about an inch from the top. Sow the seeds thinly and evenly. Next, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil if their directions call for soil. If you’re growing Petunias, you don’t cover them at all. To water, spray lightly or if the tray has holes, set in a container so the water will be absorbed then let it drain. If you need to create or maintain a warm temperature, cover the tray with glass or plastic. But keep out of direct sunlight.

Some seeds (Impatiens, Begonia, Petunia) need light to germinate. Other seeds need darkness. If so, cover the tray with newspaper.

Most seeds will germinate within 5 to 15 days. The seedlings then need to be thinned, which means some of the newly sprouted plants plucked from the soil to keep the crop from being cramped. Then it’s best to “harden off” seedlings before planting outside. This means acclimating them to the outside so they don’t go into shock. About six weeks before transplanting them outside, move them to gradually cooler places so they will get used to the weather. After 2 or 3 weeks, the plants should be ready for the garden.

The following flowers are easily started from seed. Because there is differing opinions about light for some, “experiment with light” is indicated where you might want to try it both ways.

Alyssum—scatter, barely cover, needs light, germinates 10-15 days Bachelor Button—plant 1/4”, experiment with light, germinates 5-10 days Black-eyed Susan Vine—plant 1/8”, experiment with light, germinates 15-20 days Cosmos—plant 1/4”, cover from light, germinates 5-10 days Marigolds—plant 1/4”, needs light, germinates 5-10 days Nastrutium—plant 1”, cover from light, germinates 5-10 days Petunia—scatter, barely cover, needs light, germinates 8-10 days Phlox—plant 1/8”, cover from light, germinates 10-15 days Zinnia—plant 1/4”, cover from light, germinates 5-10 days

When spring is in the air, it’s so tempting to help it along by planting seeds. And it’s really fun to grow your own. Then again, it’s so much easier to go buy a few pots of Lobelia. Either way, your garden will sprout with color and be all the richer for it.