Planting Seedlings In January: Questions And Answers

The January holidays passed in a bright, noisy succession. Summer residents dismantled the Christmas trees, took their grandchildren to the city and … got bored! Nature sleeps. The snow-covered cottage is very beautiful, quiet and calm. By the middle of winter, the true gardener’s longing for planting and weeding reaches a critical level! Stop being sad, you can already sow in January!

Today we are only talking about seedlings for open ground. If we pick up the theme of the garden on the windowsill and heated greenhouses, there will be no end to the article)

1. What crops are sown for seedlings in January?

First, let’s remember-what is the meaning of early crops? I’ll list it by item, and if I miss anything, add it to me, okay?

1. First, in winter, sow plants that do not differ in rapid development: from sowing to the first flower, it will take 130-180 days.
2. Secondly, this way you can get the flowering of perennials in the year of sowing.
3. Third, just to save time. In the hot season of sowing the main garden crops, it is not always possible to carve out an hour or two for flowers, and sometimes they are completely forgotten!

So, for the most part, flowers fall on January crops:

• Dianthus caryophyllus var schabaud;
• Lobelia erinus;
• Begonia semperflorens;
• Primula;
• Petunia;
• Eustoma;
• Spewage cruenta;
• Lavandula;
• Verbena;
• Antirrhinum;
• Gaillardia aristata;
• Helenium autumnale;
• Delphinium hybridum;

• Calceolaria;
• Meconopsis sheldonii;
• Euphorbia epithymoides and others.

From berries: Fragaria ananassa.

From vegetables: Allium porrum, Celeriac.

2. What happens if you sow Petunia on January 15, but without lighting?

Opinions of summer residents and experts on this issue differed.

The first claim that it is not the first generation of their family to successfully grow the seedlings to a bright window (without supplementary lighting).

The second recommend either to finish lighting, or to sow later (the end of January — the beginning of February). Well, if you still sowed in mid-January and do not finish lighting, it is advised to pinch the stretched ones (and if there is a lack of light, they will definitely stretch!) shoots to stimulate lateral growth.

3. Can I sow pepper on seedlings in December-January?

Can. But you will definitely have to finish lighting up 12-14 hours a day. According to summer residents, it is advisable to sow only late-maturing varieties so early, or if you want to get your own crop as early as possible.

What happens if you sow in these terms and grow without lighting:

• seedlings will be pulled out;
• pepper in the first 1-1. 5 months and so does not develop very soon, and in the dark and does not just stand.

But the early harvest can still be removed without the December sowing campaign:

• select early-maturing varieties or hybrids;
• grow without picking (after it peppers for 10-14 days “stop” on the spot);
• several times, transfer the seedlings in a larger container, so that by the time of planting in the open ground, the root system is as powerful and stronger as possible.

4. Is it true that strawberry seeds need to be planted before January 10?

No, it’s not true. Our experts are unanimous in their recommendations: strawberries are best sown in late February or March. So don’t worry, you will still have time to choose varieties, buy seeds, and sow them on time!

5. How much earlier can you do seedlings if you organize additional lighting?

Illumination is not the only condition that is necessary for normal growth of seedlings. If you comply with all other requirements of the crop (soil composition, temperature and humidity, nutrition), you can grow seedlings at any time of the year. Basically. Why you should be in such a hurry is another question.

Overgrown seedlings are not an achievement, but a cottager’s headache: first you will have to restrain its growth (inhibitor drugs, transplantation, lowering the temperature), and then resuscitate them after landing in the open ground — overgrown seedlings take longer to adapt to changing conditions, they take root worse. I really like the practical approach to growing seedlings of a familiar experienced summer resident:

• do not rush with sowing;
• choose early-maturing varieties;
• send the seedlings to the greenhouse as soon as possible.

Plant youth easily transfers “moving”, if it freezes, so for a day or two. But then it grows by leaps and bounds, not afraid of the wind or the sun.

What happens in the end: at a time when the pampered and overgrown seedling is struggling to adapt to life under the sun, dropping leaves and buds, hardened greenhouse babies have long caught up and overtaken them, have safely bloomed and are tying the fruit. Whether it is necessary to say that the yield of early and late seedlings will differ significantly, and clearly not in favor of the first.

6. Is it possible to sow the seeds of overdue?

The choice is always yours, but I wouldn’t risk it. Especially if we are talking about the main vegetable crops. However, you can always check for germination! According to the results, everything will be clear) at the Same time, I will Express my opinion on stimulating such seeds: it makes sense to use all possible ways to “revive” them, only if they are insanely expensive or unimaginably rare plants. In all other cases, it is easier to buy fresh ones. Expired seeds are not cognac, they only get worse over time.

You can finally clarify the question of the sowing period in a simple way: calculate the optimal date for each variety of a particular crop individually.

I hope that now it will be easier for you to determine the optimal sowing period for a particular crop. If you voice your opinion or share the experience of January crops-great. If you do not agree with something, also write-we will search for the truth together.

Related posts:

Seedlings in February: What Time to Sow? Seedlings Stretched. What to Do? (Part 1) Seedlings Stretched. What to Do? (Part 2) Eight Questions About Planting Tomatoes And Peppers