Watching the miraculous progress of seeds growing to plants is a sure cure for winter doldrums. Most seeds can be sown between March and April, with some as early as February. Recommended dates to start seed indoors are printed on the back of the seed packet. Following these dates will avoid spindly plants struggling for light, water and fertilizer before it is time to put them in the garden.
Garden centres and hardware stores stock many different seed-starting kits. There are cell packs, trays or flats with plastic dome lids. Try compressed peat pellets that expand by absorbing warm water. Spread two or three seeds over the surface, pressing gently into the peat. Later, the strongest seedlings can be planted in individual pots. Recycle plastic and stryrofoam containers from previous purchases at the garden centres. Be sure to wash containers in a warm, soapy solution that includes b;each (1 pt. bleach to 9 pts. water).
The back of the seed packets will tell you how deep to plant the seeds and whether thy need darkness or light to germinate. Label your flats or pots with waterprook markers to avoid confusion later on. Most seeds do well between 18 and 21 degrees C. Sow in a properly moistened medium. Cover with plastic or dome and check daily for germination. Remove the covers when the seeds have sprouted to prevent disease due to excess humidity. Do not overwater or allow seed to dry out. (I use a bottom-watering system with a mat that absorbs water and gradually wicks it up to the plants through the medium. Flats or pots will also absorb moisture by being set in another container with 2" of warm water. Remove when top is moist).
To thrive, seedlings may need more than a windowsill. An easy setup would be to use two 48-inch flourescent grow tubes in standard hanging fixtures hung over a table in a heated room. The lights hang from chains so you can adjust the height. Plug the lights into a timer set to run for 18 hours beginnng at 6 a.m. As the seedlings grow, adjust the lights. Keep tubes 7.5 centimetres above to prevent plants from stretching and weakening.
When the plants begin to crowd each other it is time to move them to a larger pot. This is a delicate operation. Don't despair if you lose a few. Transplant a few extra to mae up for loss. Use a potting soil to maintain vigorous growth. You will want to keep them out of the light for several hours or up to a day to help them adjust. There are some varieties that don't like to be transplanted. Read packet directions carefully.
Plants grown indoors need time to adjust to the outdoor climate. Before transferring to the garden, set flats or pots outside in the shade for a few hours at a time gradually increasing the time and their sun exposure for a week. Bring inside at night for the first few days or cover with a tent of blankets.
A few seeds in a packet started early inside can go a long way in making a beautiful statement in your garden this summer. Shorten the winter and go garden!
Potscaping is a word coined by horticulturalist Marjorie Mason Hogue to dress up the art of container gardening. My motivations for potscaping are the many times I have moved and the desire to camouflage the cement around my present home. When I move, I pop pieces of my favorite plants into pots and bring them along. One summer an American Beauty Rose flourished until I could find the right spot for it in the garden. It gave me all summer to decide where I wanted it to go.
After attending Marjorie's class at Canada Blooms, I decided that I would throw myself into decorating with pots. I seeded myself into oblivion with pot-friendly annuals such as Swan River Daisies, Dwarf Celosia, Verbena, Thumbergia,& Brachycome-Purple Splendour. I mixed them with purchased flats of Alyssum, Pansies, Impatiens, Dwarf Dahlias, Calla Lily bulbs ( a gift) Canna Lilies & geraniums that I started in the house. I think my project is quite complete with a blooming back patio that is a beautiful compliment to the gardens!
Potscaping is for everyone. No matter whether you have an apartment balcony or a large estate, are a seasoned or beginning gardener. It is a great alternative to weeding. Be creative and use pots to decorate an area for entertaining. Move them around to create an everchanging landscape. Make a portrait using different sizes of plants, colour of bloomsor colour and texture of leaves. As one stops flowering you can trim it back and move something else forward.
BE CREATIVE
Have fun choosing unique containers. Galvanized tubs, antique watering cans, wheelbarrows, birdcages and even rubber boots will add a touch of nostalgia to your garden. They might even tell a story. Of course, there are the typical clay and plastic pots available everywhere. I purchased pots this year that look like sandstone and clay but are light as a feather foam. They are super easy to move around and keep moisture in.
MOISTURE PRESERVATION
Potscaping is a commitment to maintenance. Plants need to be watered every day, sometimes twice if it is very hot. You will need a sprayer wand that has a fine mist so as not to wash away the potting mixture. If you have been away a whole day and you come home to drooping plants and the potting mixture is severely dried out, soak the whole container in "lukewarm" water up and over the rim. Leave it there until you are certain that it has been thoroughly watered. You may want to keep it out of the hot sun until the plants have revived.
SOIL PREPARATION
If you have a favorite mixture that has been successful for you don't change it. I purchased a bale of potting mix suitable to seedlings and pots. It's not a good idea to use garden soil as it is too heavy and weedy. A slow release fertilizer of 14-14-14 mixed in at potting time will nourish your arrangement all summer long. Top it up with a liquid 20-20-20 every couple of weeks.
TRANSPLANTING
We all want happy, healthy plants like those we purchase at garden centres, right? Have you ever purchased one of their plants with stones in the bottom of the pot? No? Then why waste time gathering stones and precious root space, by filling the bottom of the pots? The drainage holes will keep the roots from becoming soggy. Save the space for happier roots! When you are removing the plants from cellpacks or flats and the roots are compacted, open up the root mass before planting. This will encourage new growth. For a voluptuous looking container, it should look full when finished with tall plants and bulbs being underplanted to overflow the sides.
PERENNIALS IN POTS
It is becoming increasingly common to pot up perennials. They can be preserved for the next season. They will die back like they do in the garden at the end of the summer. You can remove them from their containers and plant them in the garden or place containers in an "unheated" garage or shed where it is cold and dark so they will go dormant. They need to stay frozen and in the spring they can be placed in a sunny spot to revive. You'll be able to watch their transformation up close.
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