Each plant needs an individual approach, but there are general rules, following which your work will be crowned with success, and the flowers will quickly take root and will delight with abundant flowering. Everything written here is tested on yourself, so you can safely use them in your life.
Select seedlings
Now many gardeners prefer to buy annual plants with seedlings. But there are a few nuances. When buying flower seeds, we must rely on the good faith of the manufacturer, who dried them well (the ideal humidity should be 4-8%), removed the weeds and stored them correctly. The shelf life of seeds of various types ranges from 1 to 6 years, so if they are overdue, the germination rate will be low or even zero. Seeds can also be infected with fungi and spores that are visually impossible to identify, unlike seedlings.
From practice, it follows that it is more expedient to buy seedlings with a closed root system (in small peat or plastic pots). There should be only one plant in each tank. It is very important that the root system is not overgrown, if the roots do not have enough space for natural growth and they are intertwined in a tangle – the benefits of such a flower will be small. That is why many gardeners are afraid to buy seedlings in cassettes with a minimum volume of cells.
Feel free to inspect each purchased copy, touch the moisture content of the substrate in the container with your finger (it should not be dry in any case!) and carefully inspect the plant for the presence of diseases and pests. Stems and leaves should be fresh, strong, natural for this type and variety of color, not have spots, plaque and damage. Do not take specimens with unnaturally bright color of the leaves and unusually thick stems, short internodes. Obviously, a huge amount of fertilizers and stimulants were used in the cultivation. After planting on a flower bed, without getting the usual diet, this plant will quickly lose its spectacular appearance and, most likely, will die.
Choose a seasoned seedling, so you will save yourself the need to temper it. There is one strikingly simple but sure way. Remember what spring looked like, the newly appeared foliage on the trees. They are pale green, almost transparent, with a shiny, smooth leaf surface. But if we look at them after two weeks, we will see that the color of the leaves has become dark, the surface has lost its varnish luster and has become more rough. This is the result of exposure to the sun, wind, and changes in day and night temperatures. So look for these characteristics in seedlings!
And one more necessary condition: to take into account the biological needs and characteristics of plants. Soil type, humidity and drainage, illumination, drought resistance, maximum air temperatures. If you buy several plants, planning to plant them in a group, do not forget about the strength of the growth of flowers. The rapidly and powerfully developing aboveground part and root system of the species will leave their more modest neighbors without food, without water, without light.
Protect seedlings
The day before, 2-3 days before planting, the seedlings are thoroughly sprayed with a solution. Don’t neglect it. It increases the rooting efficiency of planted seedlings, serves as an excellent protection against diseases, pests and strengthens weakened plants. You can spray it after landing, but not more than once every two weeks. During this period, the solution disintegrates in any part of the plant and it is often simply useless to use it. Please note that this solution should be stored in a dark place, in no case exceed the recommended dosage and dissolve the drug in clean water, as it is destroyed in an alkaline environment. Just in case, you can slightly acidify the water with vinegar, boric or citric acid. Or just buy distilled water. The prepared solution is used on the same day.
Soil preparation
A plot of land intended for planting flower seedlings should be prepared the day before. Dig to the depth of the bayonet with a shovel, carefully loosen, level with a rake.
Then carefully fill the excavated area so that the water does not remain on the surface of the ground. Wait until the next day, until the water is well soaked in the soil, during the day it will not be very warm and it will be easier for the plants to survive the adaptation period.
Prepare the holes for planting. The width and depth should be 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 inch) more than the volume of the container in which the plant is located.
The opinions of experts on the issue of fertilizing during planting are different: some tend to believe that during the rooting period (10-14 days) it is unnecessary to do their top dressing, it is better to do it after rooting. Others suggest adding a pinch of complex fertilizers to the bottom of the pit, covering it with earth (to avoid contact with the roots). As practice shows, plants planted with the addition of fertilizers during planting, go into growth and bloom 3-5 days earlier than those that are fertilized 2 weeks after planting.
Seedlings are plentifully planted in pots for 20-30 minutes before planting on the ground, the ball is well soaked with moisture and left on the roots. Hands squeeze the side walls of the pot from the bottom up, gently squeezing the plant.
Never pick up a single leaf or top of a plant. Place it in the hole and carefully cover it with earth, almost sealing it with a small pressure of the palms and water it from the watering can at the roots to avoid the formation of voids and ensure a tight fit of the soil to the roots.
Once the water is absorbed, fill the hole with dry earth or sand to avoid crusting. If you can not get the plant out of the pot together with a lump of earth, planting is carried out carefully, so that the roots fit freely into the hole, in no case bending up. Observe the recommended planting density for this plant to ensure the full development of the crown and root system, as well as abundant long-term flowering.
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