Caring for your seedlings

Your seedlings started off indoors in a controlled environment therefore they are more fragile than plants that were started from seed directly in the ground. At this point your seedlings have been hardened off and introduced to changing temperatures and levels of sunlight.

They have been taken from their small seed starting trays and "bumped up" into larger pots where their roots can grow stronger.

Your seedlings have also been "pinched" which is a technique used to cause plants to branch out and increase flower production. Once your seedling has three to four sets of leaves, you "pinch" or cut the top layer. Instead of sending all the energy to that one stem, the energy is sent to the side shoots.

If you can't plant your seedlings right away, store them on a sunny spot on your porch and water as soil dries out.

Some things to think about before planting:

Before planting, layer your bed with a fresh layer of compost. Compost builds healthy soil and improves soil structure. This allows roots to soak up nutrients and water. Compost also feeds earthworms and microbial.

Make sure you know the proper spacing for each plant. The average spacing for plants like, Cosmos, Snapdragons, Zinnias and Scabiosa is 9 inches. Some plants like Sunflowers require larger spacing from 12 to 24 inches. Consider the height of your plants when planning the placement. Cosmos can reach up to 48 inches in height yet Scabiosa averages 24 inches. All of our seedlings require full sun.

Once you are ready to harvest all you will need is a pair of clippers and a bucket.

Cosmos

Snapdragons

Zinnias

Celosia

Sunflowers

Scabiosa (front)

Marigolds