The nuances of growing nasturtium seeds

In this article we will tell you how to grow nasturtium from seeds and when to plant it on seedlings. But first, a few words about the plant itself.

Nasturtium is a beautiful herbaceous perennial plant, often grown as an annual. About 90 species of flower have been bred; there are stunted bushes from 25 to 50 cm tall and ampelous varieties; lianas grow to 3.5-4 meters. 5-petal flowers resembling a hood last up to a week.

Varieties with yellow, orange, salmon, red, yellow-red, orange-yellow petals are bred. Bushes or creepers look very decorative, nasturtiums are used in garden design and landscape design.

Growing Nasturtium from Seeds

Sowing seeds is carried out in open ground or seedlings. Nasturtium or capuchin blooms 7-8 weeks after planting, pleases with abundant flowering. Florists choose the form of growing plants depending on the climatic conditions of the region.

Seed boxes of nasturtium are large, they are easy to plant at the required distance. They germinate from 4 to 10 days. The roots of capuchins are very delicate and fragile, the sprouts do not like frequent transplants. They dive with great care. When transplanting, it is important not to damage the tip, this is especially true for liana species.

Nasturtium planting dates by region

When planting, adhere to the terms of possible return frosts.

For growing capuchins on glazed loggias, balconies, sowing begins in the second decade of March.

Lunar calendar 2019

Many are guided by the lunar calendar, it is advisable to sow seeds and plant seedlings in open ground on favorable days for flower crops in 2019, unfavorable days are indicated in brackets:

• March 10, 12, 15 (not possible from 21 to 31);
• April 7, 11, 18 (undesirable from 1 to 5, from 20 to 30);
• May 9, 10, 15, 17 (do not recommend from 1 to 5, from 19 to 31).

Growing seedlings of nasturtium

The agricultural technology of capuchin cultivation is simple, the future flowering is largely determined by the quality of seedlings. It should have a powerful root system, a dense stem. Too long, stunted plant will be sick for a long time, flowering will be delayed until a week. For seedlings, a soil mixture is prepared from turf land, sand, peat in a ratio of 1: 1. You can buy ready-made universal or for tomatoes. For prevention, the soil is shed with a solution of manganese.

Preparing seeds for sowing

Seeds collected independently are pre-sorted, purchased are ready for planting. Some people prefer to germinate them on a damp cloth, while others close it up in a moist soil dry. For disinfection, the seed material is soaked in a pink solution of manganese or wood ash (3 tablespoons are taken per liter of water). You can hold the seeds for 2-3 hours in growth stimulants prepared at home:

• Aloe or Kalanchoe juice is diluted in 5 volumes of water, previously cut leaves are kept in the refrigerator for a week;
• a teaspoon of honey is dissolved in a glass of warm water, trace elements, amino acids contained in the solution are absorbed into the skin.

The selection and preparation of containers for sowing

Nasturtiums are planted in peat tablets, bio-containers (compressed humus) or pots; for balcony plantings, large pots, boxes or flowerpots are used. Two seeds are sown in each planting tank for guarantee. To save planting material, egg lattices are used. The recesses are filled with a soil mixture. After emergence, the earthen lump is taken out with a spoon, transferred to another landing container.

It is convenient to use paper cups: old newspapers are folded in 4 layers, a bottle of the desired diameter is wrapped in the resulting strip. The upper edge of the paper is fixed with a paper clip, they are installed in a high container tightly to each other, after which they are filled with soil mixture.

Some useful tips:

• when using tablets or bio-containers, they are pre-soaked in water, the reinforcing mesh is not removed, the soil swells within 2-3 hours;
• before planting, egg cartons are spilled with boiling water, then dried, the plastic containers are well washed;
• It is advisable to lay drainage on the bottom of peat pots and paper cups so that water does not stagnate in them.

Seeding for seedlings

To grow flowers on the balcony, in the loggia, nasturtiums are immediately sown in containers in which they will be during the growth period.

For planting in open ground take small pots or peat tablets. In each place two dry or one sprouted seed, which was in a growth stimulator. In tablets, it is advisable to plant 2 seeds. They are deepened into the soil by 2-3 cm, the ground is watered from a watering can or soaked with a spray gun. Such irrigation does not erode the soil, planting material remains in place. Place them in a large container.

When plants are planted in large containers, cardboard partitions are used, they will not allow the roots to get mixed up during seedling growth. For growing plants, choose the sunny side of the apartment.

Seedling Care

In the first two weeks, plants need heat, planting containers are placed on window sills, where the temperature is not lower than +22 ° C. After two weeks, nasturtium begins to adapt to conditions of temperate latitudes, lowering the temperature to + 18 ° C.

Nasturtium is lightened up so that it does not stretch much, in the dark, extend the daylight hours to 12-15 hours. It is necessary to provide regular moderate watering, every three days. In the evening, shoots are sprayed once a week.

It is convenient to grow seedlings in pallets: water is poured into it so that it gets directly to the roots. Extra shoots are removed after a week of growth, leaving the strongest shoot in each pot or tablet. To stimulate growth in water for irrigation add universal fertilizers for home flowers, take, of the required amount. Top dressing is made no more than once a week.

Planting seedlings in the ground

If the seedlings began to stretch, and the frosts continue, its pots are taken out to temporary shelters, where it is cooler than at home. Landing of nasturtium in the open ground is carried out after the warm nights, when the temperature is not lower than +8 ° C.

The root system is not damaged during transhipment. A peat or paper pot is torn without damaging the earthen coma.

Wells are made 2-3 cm deeper than planting containers, seedlings can be sprinkled with earth to the first leaves, additional roots are formed from the stem. The distance between the bushes is from 20 to 50 cm, depending on the variety of nasturtium. Flowers quickly adapt to new conditions. From the scorching sun they are shaded in the first three days. The soil in the landing pits is recommended to be shed with a solution of manganese or phytosporin. This is the prevention of fungal diseases. Landings are well shed with warm water.

Planting nasturtium seeds in open ground

Many gardeners consider nasturtium as an autumn garden decoration. Seeds are planted next to early flowering bulbous and bush perennials, with an interval of 30-40 cm. With this planting, nasturtium will not interfere with resting daffodils, irises.

Seeds are recommended to be immediately planted in the ground, it is not necessary to spend time and effort on growing seedlings.

Advantages and disadvantages of sowing nasturtium seeds in open ground

Plants grow well in soil saturated with melt water, adapt more easily to cool nights, and are not stressed.

Sheltering plantings at night, you can protect them from return frosts. An ideal planting option is to sow seed boxes in temporary film shelters, and cover material or film is pulled on the arches. Disadvantages of landing in open ground:

• In risky areas, seedlings can die from a small freeze.
• With a large amount of rainfall, young roots can rot, the plant will begin to bloom later.
• Young shoots need nutritious loose soil, it is not always possible to create ideal conditions for the sprouts on the plot.

Each grower independently decides how to plant nasturtium, a lot depends on the climatic characteristics of the region, the composition of the soil.

Step-by-step instructions for sowing seeds in open ground

Nasturtium pleases with flowers to severe frosts. For autumn flowering, it is planted in open ground. The step-by-step process looks like this:

1. On a bed or flowerbed, the earth is well loosened, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are added to scarce soil, and sand is added to heavy soil.
2. Furrows or holes are made at a distance of 20-30 cm 3 cm deep, planting pits shed with water. Ampelic varieties are planted closer to each other, bush varieties are planted away.
3. Seeds in a row are laid out at a distance of 10 cm, two seed boxes are thrown into each hole.
   Planting pits are covered with loose soil or humus.
4. Landings are shed, tightened with a film. It is necessary to ensure that the seedlings do not overheat, the optimum heating is +25 ° C.
5. After 4 days, the film is removed, planted watered, loosen, especially if the soil is clay. At night, it is recommended to warm the plantings with covering material. On cool days it can be left during the day.
6. Shoots in the open ground appear after a couple of weeks, the first buds - after 40-45 days.

Mr. Dachnik recommends: methods of planting nasturtium seeds for seedlings

In addition to the traditional method of planting seeds for seedlings, there are others that are economical and convenient. Soaking and germinating nasturtium in sawdust accelerates the emergence of seedlings.

Landing in sawdust

As a planting mixture using sawdust of deciduous trees. In conifers, a high resin content.

They are well dried, ventilated. Then wetted with water. For home growing seedlings, it is convenient to use granular pressed sawdust poured into a cat's toilet. They retain moisture well, have passed the cleaning procedure.

The granules are poured with boiling water, let them swell. You should not pour too much water; the planting mixture should be loose. It is poured into a container with a thickness of not more than 3.5 cm. The sides should remain at least 5 cm. This is enough for nasturtium seeds. They are not presoaked beforehand, laid out on sawdust dry at a distance of 4 to 6 cm. Cover with a centimeter layer. After that, the container is tightly tightened with a film and cleaned in a warm place for 4-5 days - create tropical conditions. Sunlight is not needed for seeds; they germinate well in a dark place. Main factors: high humidity and temperature. Under such conditions, sowing sprouts appear on average within five days. The film is removed, the shoots are moisturized, transferred to a bright place. After the appearance of the third full leaf, they, without damaging the roots, are transferred to pots with earth. The young plant quickly adapts to new conditions. In loose sawdust, the roots are not damaged, seedlings are easily removed.

Landing in the "snail"

For the germination of large seeds often use a dense plastic film and toilet paper. It will take a strip 10 cm wide, the length of the planting "snail" depends on the number of seeds. It is necessary to lay a strip of 3-layer toilet paper on the film (you can take ordinary napkins). For wetting, an epin solution is used, only 3 drops are added per liter of water, the concentration should be low. Along the entire strip, departing from the edge of 1, 5 cm, dry seed boxes of nasturtium are laid out at a distance of 4-5 cm. It is necessary to leave up to 15 cm of free space at the end of the strip. It remains to gently twist the strip so that the seeds do not move much. The roll is fixed with an elastic band or thread. The finished "snail" is vertically installed in a container with a small amount of water. Then all this is put in a package to create the "tropics". After the appearance of greenery, the film is removed, the sprouts are placed in a bright place. A sprout with 3 leaves is transplanted into a constant container. After the deployment of the "snail" the seeds do not need to be divided, all the roots remain intact.

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