Terrific Tips For Preparing Flower Seedlings For Your Garden

As the waning days of summer approach, you can tell that your flower garden has become tired and is getting ready to enter its resting period for the year. Unless you have flowers that are specifically grown to bloom during fall, you will notice that more and more plants are spent, and soon you will need to cut back the perennials and remove the annuals. Flowerbeds may look dark green and also approach some brown hues as the leaves dry up. This is your clue that in a few short months it will be time to prepare the seedlings that will be your flower garden for the next year.

Of course, there is more to planting flower seeds than just digging some holes and dropping some seeds. As a matter of fact, this method may actually backfire if you attempt it! To get ready for another fabulous flower garden, here are some terrific tips for preparing flower seedlings for your garden.

Purchase some containers. You will need small containers in which you can drop the seeds and keep them moist. If you are planning on reusing containers you will need to thoroughly clean them and you may even wish to consider disinfecting them, since fungi have a way of remaining alive in even small bits of soil, and may negatively affect your flower garden before it has even begun growing.

Determine which kinds of flowers you want grow. While the stores are filled to the brim with seed packages, it is important that you keep in mind the needs of the flowers. If you are looking for flowers that will do well in shady spots of your garden, do not give in to the temptation of only planting sunflowers which need a lot of sun.

Find a good location to start your seedlings. A busy room with fluctuating temperatures is usually not such a good idea. Similarly, if you do not have a reliable light source, you will need to move the seedling containers until you can offer them that reliable light. Generally speaking, your seedlings – upon emergence from the soil – will require about 15 hours of light per day! Last but not least, make sure that the seedlings will not have to be moved around often because they are in the way. Find a spot where they can stay put without many disturbances.

Use some good potting mix to start your seedlings. Do not give in to the temptation of just digging up a few clumps of garden dirt.  Inside that dirt may be fungi, dormant insects, and a variety of pests that may munch on your seedlings before you even plant them. Instead it is a good idea to purchase a mix that is specifically formulated for seed starting.

Be sure to water your seedlings regularly but do not over water them! Keep them moist, but not dripping wet.

At this point you will have strong seedlings that are strapping and look like they are just ready to be planted outside and take over your flowerbed. Resist the urge to take them outside! This is quite possibly the number one mistake novice gardeners make, and more often than not they experience the frustration of seeing their entire crop of seedlings die off. The reason lies in the fact that the seedlings were moved from a warm, protected environment to the harsh reality that is a spring day.

Temperatures fluctuate and wind dries out the soil. You need to prepare your seedlings for this portion of the outdoor experience by gradually decreasing the amount of light they receive from your lamps. Additionally, take the containers outside during the daylight hours, but remember to bring them back in during the evening hours. Give the plants more and more time outside until you notice that they are still growing nicely. This is your clue that they may now be planted into your flowerbeds without the risk of getting shocked.