|
How impatient
are you? Come on, be brutally honest now! The way we garden and
how much time we spend doing it really depends on our lifestyle
but when those ever-so innovative nurserymen decided to market part-grown
seedlings and cuttings just a few years ago, they were on to a winner
from day one. Because, let’s be frank here, when it comes to germination,
our patience can be stretched to the extreme!
Right
: …Flower
Pouch power!
Cascades of colour within weeks of planting Below
: …Best varieties Are now offered as plugs
|
|
 |
Please don’t
get me wrong I still grow plants from seed, but guaranteed results,
especially with bedding plants, is what we want these days. That
explains why major seedsmen offer supplements to their catalogues
extolling the virtues of plugs in all their variety.
Plugs and pots
of seedlings offer instant results, so follow our guide on how to
get the best from them…
|
 |
Left
:…The best start
Grow them on the windowsill
For small
quantities of geraniums, the windowsill provides a perfect home
Right :…The next
big move
You’ll get masses of plants from each pot
Invest in narrow windowsill trays to make the best use of
your space
|
 |
|
GI’s
10 tips to plug success…
- Don’t buy
too early if you do not have the space to grow on your plants
under heated conditions. The counter-balance is, if you leave
it too late, the retailer might well sell out!
- If you
can’t plant them up straight away grow them on a bright windowsill,
spacing the plants out.
- The mesh
pots can dry out very quickly indeed. The best way is to sit them
in a tray of water for a few minutes so they take moisture from
the base upwards.
- Seedling
pots have a short shelf life and cannot hang around too long before
they need moving on.
- The compost
you opt for is important. Consider using a multi-purpose potting
compost (Levington, Westland, Bower’s and diy own brands), making
sure it is fresh. Plants susceptible to vine weevil (fuchsias)
and sap-sucking aphids may benefit from potting into Levington
Plant Protection Compost. One of the major suppliers of young
plants, KinderGarden Plants grow many of their plants in this
compost, so you can continue with the plants protection by potting
into this special compost at home.
- Carefully
water the seedlings and allow them to drain for half an hour.
You must keep the compost damp, watering when the top surface
starts to feel dry. It’s worth noting that more seedlings die
through drowning in misplaced kindness.
- Seedlings
benefit from being moved into individual compartment trays so
they can be moved without disturbance.
- Mesh pots
need to be moved into individual 9cm (31¼2in) pots if you are
not planting straight into baskets or similar planters. Hanging
basket plants like trailing verbenas and fuchsias
may need pinching to encourage a branching plant.
- Most compost
contains sufficient food to last around six weeks. Commence a
liquid feed (liquid or soluble-based) after potting. You may need
to adjust the regularity of weekly feeds if a slow-release food
has been incorporated into the compost.
- Keep a note
of the plants you’ve grown from seedlings, seed and mesh pots
for future reference. See how they perform and make sure you check
out new varieties to keep you one-step ahead in the bedding plant
display stakes!
|
Above:
…Larger
plugs
Slip easily into all sorts of planters
Give your plants frost protection
|
|
