Only true city dwellers can consider that in the winter in the life of a gardener the silence and calm reign. In fact, the winter rest period is very short and in February it's time for the first seedlings to be planted. We can talk about the fact that we can sow seedlings in February today.
What seedlings are planted in February?
Of course, the last winter month can not be called ideal for growing anything at all - there is still too little sunlight outside the window, and it is still difficult to achieve the necessary combination of humidity and temperature in the room. But when possible difficulties stopped our man? Therefore, in the second half of February, there is a peak of preparatory-trucking cases, including the sowing of seeds. So, what kind of seedlings are we preparing in February? If we talk about garden crops, then at the end of winter it is necessary to attend seeding seedlings of thermophilic crops with a long period of development (vegetation), which will not have time to grow in a relatively short summer and give a full yield:
- Bulgarian pepper . This very whimsical and heat-loving plant can be planted on the bed not earlier than 80 days after pecking the seeds. Therefore, the ideal period for its sowing will be the decade from 11 to 20 February.
- Tomatoes . By sowing seedlings of these distant relatives of Bulgarian pepper can also proceed without waiting for the arrival of calendar spring - in the second decade of February.
- Eggplant . Seedlings so beloved by many blue people should be planted in a greenhouse not earlier than two months old. Add to this 10 days for the emergence of seedlings and get a period from 18 to 27 February.
- Celery . Time for transplanting celery from seedling pots to a garden bed falls on the second half of May, when the danger of nocturnal frosts finally passes. We will take into account that till this moment celery should grow no less than 70-80 days and we will find that good days for planting its seedlings fall on the middle of February.
- Onions . In late February, you can safely sow the seeds of leeks and onions, turnips, so that by the beginning of May they have reached the required maturity for transplanting into the open ground.
In addition to vegetable crops in the midst of February frosts, it is worthwhile to think about planting floral crops:
- Annual plants with a long period of vegetation. Some flyers have such a long period of development that it is practically impossible to grow them in a non-sown way. One of these plants is the clove of Shabo, from sowing seeds to the appearance of flowers on which must pass at least six months. Also eustoma is slowly developing.
- Annual and perennial plants for early flowering . Cultivated from the seedlings planted in February petunia and lobelia already in the beginning of summer will be able to decorate the balcony or terrace with bright lush colors. Similarly, the February sowing on seedlings of some perennials helps to achieve from them flowering for the first year already. For example, this practice shows itself remarkably with salvia and delphinium.
- Tuberous plants are perennials . Many similar
plants, the relationship between the seeding period and the quality of the tubers formed is quite clearly seen. A striking example is the tuber begonia . Seeded in seedlings in February, it blooms 5 months after planting and by September it forms healthy full-bodied tubers fully suitable for further reproduction. - Flowers, the seeds of which need stratification . These plants include alpine bells, perennial violets, lavender, aquilegia, primula and most bulbous plants.