The earliest seedlings are grown in February, which is planted in the last month of winter by experienced truck farmers distributed in advance, they prepare planting stock, boxes and other devices. Only in this case you will be able to get the first crop of vegetables or grow in a cold climate plants with a long period of vegetation.
Seedling in the winter on the windowsill
Growing vegetables on a home bed helps significantly save the family budget, as much as possible to reduce costs when planting your own material. The question what to sow in seedlings in February is relevant for people who want to harvest super-early varieties that ripen at the time of the highest prices for tomatoes, peppers and other products. Working with your own seeds and seedlings, you insure yourself against re-sorting or buying sick and improperly grown plants.
The main conditions for obtaining quality seedlings:
- The presence of a warm, well-lit and wide window sill.
- In the issue of obtaining seedlings in February, what to plant is the most important item for the responsible vegetable grower. Take care in advance for the purchase of quality seeds, or prepare the necessary number of them in the previous season.
- Regardless of the cultivated crop, you will have to deal with additional illumination of the seedlings with electrical appliances. Buy lamps and lights in advance.
- More natural light is obtained by plants on southern windows.
- Prepare pallets and containers for sprouting the required volume with drainage holes.
- Since autumn, type a nutrient substrate, buy fertilizers and growth stimulants.
- It is desirable to have quality thermometers for temperature control.
- Growing different cultures in the same container is not always convenient, for example, the optimum growth temperature for cabbage and tomatoes differs by 5 ° C. Nursery and cruciferous plants should be planted on separate windows.
Than to highlight seedlings in the winter?
Additional lighting is needed for vegetables and flowers in the evening, in the morning and on cloudy days. The task, which lamps to highlight the seedlings in winter, can be solved with the help of various modern instruments. The most uneconomical and inefficient are considered obsolete incandescent lamps, which emit more heat than useful light. Saplings under them often stretch and even get unwanted burns.
Varieties of lamas for highlighting seedlings in February:
- Sodium lamps - for the home the 70-100 W devices with mirror reflectors that enhance the useful radiation are suitable.
- Photoluminescent lamps - 2 x 18 watt or one 30 W per watt are required per 1 m of the window sill.
- Fluorescent lamps - have lower radiation power, requires up to 2 40 W devices for a 1 m long sill.
- LED lamps - have an excellent efficiency, durable, the cost of them gradually decreases. In the first phase of growth, the ratio of blue and red LEDs is 2: 1, after the picking, the ratio is changed in the ratio 1: 1.
What kind of seedlings should be planted in February?
Practical and experienced vegetable growers are still concerned with the issue on "Seedlings in February - what to plant?" In the winter months, varieties with the longest vegetation period are required to be sown. This method should be used by residents of the North, the middle zone of Russia, other regions with a relatively short and cool summer. February seedlings allow in the hotbeds to harvest for a month and a half earlier, it will perfectly provide your family with vitamins after a long winter, and surpluses of early products are always in demand in the market.
What vegetables are planted in seedlings in February:
- all varieties of sweet pepper;
- eggplant;
- tall and late varieties of tomatoes;
- celery;
- onion seedling;
- leek;
- strawberry from seeds .
Seeding of peppers for seedlings in February
To begin with, the seeds are soaked in a 3% salt solution, the surfaced are discarded, and the heavy 30 minutes are treated in manganese. Then they are washed with clean water and dried. Plant it in a warm and moist soil to a depth of about 2 cm. It is recommended to cover the containers with a film to create the required soil moisture. Seed germination occurs after 2 weeks. On average, the first shoots appear after 20 days, so planting peppers on seedlings in February is a prerequisite for obtaining a good crop of this crop.
Eggplants for seedlings in February
The duration of the vegetative period of the eggplant is approximately 90-150 days, depending on the variety. In the issue of planting seedlings in February, for residents of most regions the answer for this culture is unambiguous - it needs early planting dates. In the boxes you can pour a light mixture of 2 parts of peat turf, 2 parts of leaf soil and 1 part of river sand. Eggplants do not like transplantation, it is better to grow them in glasses or cassettes 8x8 cm. Shoots in good conditions appear in a half to two weeks.
Seedlings tomato in winter
In debates on the topic of "Seedling in February - what to plant?" Always talking about the advisability of early sowing of tomato seeds . In solving the problem, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the climate in your region. It is recommended to plant 45-55 days plants in the ground, but under the conditions of a greenhouse with a high-quality illumination it is easy to extend this period to two months. Sown through a distance of 3-4 cm seedlings in February, requires a pike , plant seedlings need 20 days after emergence, the approximate diameter of an individual cup 10 cm.
Seeding of strawberry seedlings in February
The task of planting seedlings in February can be solved both for vegetables and flowers, and for berry crops. Strawberries are sown in separate containers or cups after a preliminary 2-week stratification and soaking. Plant the seeds better in warmed and disinfected by roasting in the oven ground. To create the optimal microclimate, cover the container with a lid with holes until emergence. Picks are produced after the appearance of 3 real leaflets.
What flowers are sown in February for seedlings?
All flowering plants can be sorted into two main groups - with a short and long vegetation period. The first varieties should be sown at the end of winter or early March. Flowers from the second group are allowed to sow in April or plant directly into the ground. An important condition is always to check the expiration dates on the packages and take into account the percentage of germination. If the last indicator fluctuates within a risky range of 25% -50%, then it is recommended to sow the seeds thicker.
What flowers to plant in February for seedlings:
- begonia;
- petunia;
- lobelyu;
- gatsaniyu;
- Clove Shabo;
- pansies;
- daisies;
- begonia;
- primrose;
- salvia;
- delphinium;
- cynic;
- lupine;
- Korean chrysanthemum.
Grassing on seedlings in winter
Solving the problem that can be sown in February for seedlings, many summer residents always recall a beautiful gatsanii with spectacular orange, yellow or red flowers. Planting seeds directly in the soil is rational in the southern regions, but in temperate climates it is preferable to use early sowing in February or early spring, because from the appearance of sprouts to flowering it can take up to 4 months. Sowing gatsaniyu it is desirable in containers through 5 sm slightly utaplivaja in soil. Seedlings appear after 14 days, picking in a separate container is carried out after a month and a half.
Petunia - when to plant on seedlings in February?
Petunia strikes an abundance of colors and forms of a gentle-looking flower, so it is present in almost every dacha section. Planting seedlings of flowers in February has some features, tiny seeds are forbidden to bury in the ground, they should be laid out on the surface of moistened soil. An interesting and proven method of obtaining seedlings is the sowing of petunias on the snow.
How to plant a petunia on the snow:
- Pour the prepared soil into the container.
- We lay out a thin layer of snow on top (thickness up to 1.5 cm) and slightly compact it.
- We distribute seeds on a white snow cover.
- If the seeds fell heavily, then we loosen the snow with a stick or toothpick.
- Cover the container with a film or glass and put it in a warm place.
- Seeds are gradually drawn into the soil during the melting of snow.
- When emergence occurs, twice a day ventilation is necessary.
- Large seedlings can be planted in separate cups, slightly pinching long roots.