Sowing seeds for seedlings in February. Growing seedlings: terms, conditions

Now almost everything can be bought in stores: from seedlings of varying degrees of maturity to ready-made vegetables, fruits and herbs. But from year to year closer to February, all inveterate gardeners begin a “fever” in the good sense of the word, their hands are drawn to the coveted bags. It is time to sow seeds for seedlings. Experienced gardeners know absolutely everything about this, but for beginners we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the information on how, when and how to plant, because all vegetable, berry and flower crops are completely different. They need different temperature conditions and soil mixtures, and the care of seedlings is significantly different.

We suggest you start with planning, for this it is best to have your own landing calendar. To deal with approximate dates, a table for sowing seeds for seedlings will help you.

The main vegetable crops: planting dates

It is necessary to focus on how old the seedlings should be at the time of their planting in the ground. It is different for all cultures. If you are a happy owner of a good greenhouse with heating, then you can start sowing seeds for seedlings in February or even at the end of January. It is also relevant for cold regions, when the summer is not very long, and you really want to indulge yourself with vegetables and herbs.

Sowing tomato seeds for seedlings

You can grow this culture both on the sunny side and on the shady side, the main factor is the sun at least 3-4 hours a day. The choice of varieties and hybrids is important. The first thing to do is to soak the seeds in a nutrient solution. We give several options for its preparation:

• 2 g of the preparation for growth "Bud" per liter of water;
• 1 tsp nitrofoski, Agricola-Start or Ideal products per liter of water;
• 1 tbsp. l "Barrier" or wood ash per liter of water.

In any of the solutions, lower the seeds, previously laid out in cloth bags, for one day. Then take it out and put them in a plastic bag, put in the refrigerator for a couple of days for hardening.

Experts recommend a soil mixture, which in equal parts includes turf soil, good humus, peat (1: 1: 1). The soil must be moist and have room temperature. Sow tomato seeds for seedlings in small plates measuring approximately 8 by 8 cm, to a depth not exceeding 1 cm, leave a distance of 1.5-2 cm. After that, put on a plastic cap and place the containers in a warm and, importantly, bright place . For germination, the temperature needs 20-25 ° C. Water the seedlings no more than 1 time in eight or ten days. Use for this purpose water of the room temperature which has been defended. The optimal mode for tomato seedlings is 18-22 ° C during the day, and at night 15-16 ° C.

The first feeding of young plants must be carried out after the first true leaf appears. Use Agricola Forward (1 tsp. Per 2 liters of water). After growing 2 or 3 true leaves, you need to dive the seedlings into separate cups measuring 7-10 cm. Water them a little more often - once a week 1 time, until the earthen coma is completely wet. When the daily temperature is kept at 12 ° C and above, you can begin hardening seedlings. To do this, take it, for example, to the balcony for a couple of hours for several days.

Sowing seeds for seedlings in February is too early for tomatoes, it is best to do this on March 10-20. On the plant by the time of its planting in open ground or greenhouse should be from 8 to 12 healthy and well-developed leaves, one or two inflorescences.

Bell pepper and eggplant: seedlings

Seeds are soaked in solutions, as is the case with tomatoes. Then they must be kept at 25 ° C for a day or two, after which seeds of sweet pepper are sown in prepared boxes with earth . Eggplant seedlings are obtained in a similar way. The soil mixture is recommended in the following formulations:

• turf land with humus (1: 2);
• humus, peat, small wood chips (2: 2: 1);
• peat and humus (2: 2);
• turf land with good humus without fresh organic matter (2: 3).

Boxes should be about 10 cm deep. Pepper and eggplant seeds are sown in grooves to a depth of about 1 cm and leave a distance of 2 cm between them. Top them with earth and lightly compact. Germination temperature - 24-26 ° . As soon as the shoots appear, the boxes must be put in the sunniest place for 6-7 days, so the seedlings will not stretch. After 2 leaves (real) grow, plants should be dived into separate pots (10 by 10 cm). When planting, it is necessary to deepen to cotyledon leaves. A couple of hours before a dive, you must definitely water the plants. Fill the pots with soil and lightly sprinkle with a nutrient solution (Agricola Forward, Ideal, wood ash, humate or potassium sulfate).

The first days of dive seedlings must be closed from the direct sun. Watering should be regular, every 6 days, it is desirable to combine it with top dressing. Hardening of plants should begin a month before planting in the ground. By that time, plants should have at least eight leaves.

It is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in February, on the 10th-25th dates, not later. In this case, grown plants can be planted in the tenth of May, and in the open ground already in early June. In the second option, it is necessary to use a film shelter.

Sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings

Initially, it is necessary to prevent possible diseases. To do this, the seeds are soaked in hot water (40-50 ° C) for 15 minutes. Then it is dipped in cold water, after which it is again soaked, but already in a solution with nutrients (per 1 liter of water, 1 tsp. Nitrophoski) for 12 hours.

Sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings begin in the first decade of March (8-10). This is optimal for early varieties. After soaking, the seeds should be slightly dried. Prepare the soil mixture from equal proportions of sand and peat, turf land. Mix everything thoroughly, put it in boxes and pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Seeds are sown in shallow (1 cm) grooves, between which a distance of 3 cm must be left. As soon as the seedlings appear, it is necessary to transfer the boxes to a room with a temperature of 7-8 ° C. Pickling seedlings is required after 9-10 days in small glasses, for example from yogurt. By the time of planting, good seedlings should form 2-3 real leaves.

All the information presented concerns varieties of white cabbage, other species (kohlrabi, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Peking cabbage) require a slightly different planting technique. Let us dwell only on two.

Brussels sprouts - a more demanding crop, it should be grown only in seedlings, as it has a very long growing season - 150-180 days. Sowing dates - March (first and second half). Planting seedlings in the ground, as a rule, from May 1 to 20. Brussels sprouts cannot stand fresh organics. Compost is best. When the plants reach about 70 cm in height, the tip must be nipped.

Cauliflower is very popular. There are many varieties, late and early. Sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings begin in mid-March and continue until early April. Small boxes are used, the distance between the rows should be left at 10 cm, and between the individual plants - about 5 cm. At the stage of formation of 2-3 leaves (real), top dressing should be done. To do this, use the "Ideal", sodium humate or urea (1 tbsp. Per 10 liters of water). The flow rate of the solution is 5 liters per 1 square meter. When 4 real leaves appear near the cauliflower seedlings, they are planted in the ground in a permanent place.

Seedlings of cucumbers: terms and basic rules

Most varieties of this vegetable will feel good in the open ground, but to get the crop early, they often use greenhouses. Sowing seeds of cucumbers for seedlings is carried out a month before planting in the ground (all of April). Use the soil of the following composition: humus, peat, small sawdust (2: 2: 1). It is advisable to add nitrophosk and ash to it (1 and 2 tbsp. L., Respectively). Seeds are sown in cups (8 by 8 cm), one at a depth of about 1.5 cm. It is preferable to soak them for a couple of days before hatching. Weak and pale seedlings are fed with fertilizers every 10 days. You can use complex preparations, such as “breadwinner”, “Fertility”, “Ideal”, etc.

Sowing seeds of cucumbers for seedlings will allow you to get the crop as soon as possible, in addition, there are special varieties suitable for growing on window sills and balconies.

Zucchini, pumpkins and squash: seedlings

The seeds of all three crops can be sown immediately into the ground. But in order to get an early harvest, it is best to use the seedling method.

Zucchini seeds must first be soaked in a jar with a nutrient solution for one day. For 1 liter of water, use 1 g of "Bud" or 1 tsp. "Ideal." Seedlings can be grown on the balcony, in the greenhouse or on the windowsill. Sowing is carried out in the 10th-25th of April or in the first days of May (1-10). Use small pots measuring 10 by 10 cm (e.g. peat pots). The depth to which the seeds are sown is 2-3 cm, the germination temperature is 18-22 ° C. Plants ready for planting in open ground or a greenhouse should be 25-30 days old.

Seedlings of squash and pumpkin are grown in a similar way, only the time of soaking the seeds increases to two or three days.

Leek: growing seedlings

Its most common varieties are Mercury, Karatan and Bulgarian late ripe. In the conditions of a short summer, it is necessary to sow onion seeds for seedlings. Dates - mid-March (15-20 numbers). First you need to soak the seeds wrapped in cloth for 5-7 days. It is best to sow in small plates to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. After about 1.5-2 months, the seedlings will be ready. Before planting, the plants need to shorten the leaves and roots by 1/3 of the length. Leek prefers loose and organic-rich soils. Leave a distance of 20 cm between the plants.

Root celery seedlings

It is appreciated for its peculiar taste and specific smell. There are several varieties: petiole, leaf and root. Celery has a fairly long vegetative period (170-180 days). Therefore, it is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in February (5-10 numbers). It is grown in shallow boxes, which are filled with a mixture of humus and sod land in equal quantities and with the addition of river sand. A layer of soil is required with a thickness of 3-4 cm. The seeds are not buried, only slightly sprinkled with a thin layer of earth on top (0.2 cm). If the seedlings are very dense, then it is necessary to thin them, so the seedlings will be stronger, not elongated. The best temperature for growth is 15-18 ° C. Dive plants should be at the stage of 1-2 leaves in very small pots (6 by 6 cm). 10 days after this, you should feed the seedlings with a complex mineral fertilizer. Plants are planted on a permanent place in early May.

Sowing celery seeds for seedlings is the best way to get a full-fledged crop on time, and this is possible even in the conditions of a cool summer.

Petunia: sowing dates

These flowers are loved by many gardeners due to the abundance of colors and shapes, as well as high survival rate. Sowing petunia seeds for seedlings is necessary, since in the open ground it is likely to be lost. To do this, you will need small plates with loose earth, or use peat tablets. Seeds are very small, they do not need to be covered with soil mixture from above, just lightly press. Sometimes snow is used for this - just lay it on the surface. Gradually melting, it will slightly deepen the seeds. It’s better to close them with glass. Seedlings necessarily dive, as soon as two leaves (real) grow. Petunia seeds are sown for seedlings in mid-March, and adult plants are planted in the ground at the end of May. During the summer season, they need to be fed 2-3 times, the intermediate interval is twenty days. For example, use the preparations “breadwinner”, “Rainbow”, “Ideal”.

Astra: growing seedlings

This is a flowering, spectacular annual plant, having many of the most diverse varieties, differing in the shape of the flower, its color, and the size of the bush. Aster seeds are sown for seedlings in March-April. Prepare low drawers or cups for this. It is recommended to include peat, turf soil and sand (2: 1: 0.5) in the soil mixture. It is also advisable to add dolomite flour (2-3 tablespoons) or wood ash (0.5 cups). Water the soil with a weak solution of manganese. It is recommended to mix aster seeds before sowing with any dry antifungal drug. For example, use Fundazole. You do not need to deepen the seeds when planting, just sprinkle with earth or washed with dry sand. Germination temperature - 15 ° C. Young plants dive three or four weeks after emergence. Asters are planted in a permanent place in May. They need loose earth rich in nutrients. Remember that for two years in a row asters do not plant in one place, as this contributes to the occurrence of fusarium.

Sowing aster seeds for seedlings can not be done. Sometimes they germinate well in open ground. Choose a permanent place immediately. Sowing does not need to be carried out too densely when the seedlings grow up, select the strongest and healthiest ones, pinch the rest so that they do not interfere with each other.

Strawberries and strawberries: sowing seeds for seedlings

The first thing to say: there is a fundamental difference between these species. Strawberries are forest and garden, large, varietal (pictured below). Strawberries are what we used to call wild berries. It can be propagated by seeds or layering. The second method is easier, but with the first one you can get the best varieties.

Sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings should be done in March. Buy several varieties; nowadays, repair species are very popular, they require less maintenance. For sowing, use a soil mixture that includes turf soil and coarse sand (2: 1). Prepare small containers and film to cover them. Seeds are not buried or covered with soil. It is necessary to put snow on top, tighten with foil and refrigerate for 2 weeks. The process is called stratification. After this, the container with the seeds should be placed on the windowsill. Shoots usually appear after a couple of weeks. You don’t need to remove the film right away, pierce holes in it and gradually accustom the plants to new conditions. If the sprouts of strawberries are too thick, then it is better to thin them, so they will not stretch. You need to dive seedlings after the appearance of a pair of real leaves.

Sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings is not an easy task, but if you succeed, you will get excellent varietal bushes of fragrant berries. What matters is the choice of a place in the garden. The gentle slopes from the south-west side are best suited. The place must be protected from winds and accumulations of cold air. Strawberries can be grown in one place for no more than 4 years, after which you need to change it.

Sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings occurs in a similar way. Planting material can be prepared independently. To do this, select the healthiest bush with large berries. Seeds take from the middle or those closer to the base. Cut a layer of pulp and put on a napkin, let dry. Rub the finished seeds in the palm of your hand, freeing from the husk. It is best to store them in a glass bowl.

Breeding seedlings is a fascinating and interesting thing, and in some regions it is simply necessary. The main thing is to do everything on time. If the time has not come yet, but you already want to plant something or just do gardening, then start by preparing the soil for seedlings, tools, cups, boxes and in general all the equipment that you may need. Or, for example, plant a garden on the windowsill, plant aromatic herbs, onions, herbs.