Florist tips: how to sow delphinium seedlings in January

Usually I sow delphinium seeds in late December-early January, but this year I was a little late with sowing. But even now it is not too late to do this business, you can sow delphinium all January.

In the first year, this flower culture builds up a good green mass and root system, produces single inflorescences. Abundant flowering occurs the following year.

What is the distinguishing feature of delphinium sowing?

Delphinium seeds quickly lose their germination. Therefore, in the store, it is necessary to select only fresh seed and put it immediately in the package on the refrigerator shelf.

Double varieties of pink and red color do not tolerate freezing, otherwise the color will turn out to be normal (blue or blue).

How to sow delphinium correctly

Delphinium grows well in the dark, not in the light. At the bottom of the container, you need to put vermiculite or perlite, that is, a material that absorbs moisture and then gives it back if necessary.

Next, you need to pour the soil mixture into the container (light, airy, moisture and breathable). You need to add sand, or perlite or vermiculite to it. The thickness of the soil should be approximately 5 cm.

The soil mixture needs to be compacted a little.

Seed treatment before sowing

Seeds from the packaging must be poured onto a cotton pad, covered with the same disc on top and moistened with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. In the solution, the seeds should be no more than half an hour.

Next, they need to be rinsed in water and dried on a napkin so that the sowing material becomes free-flowing again.

Grooves should be made on the surface of the soil and seeds should be sown. Sprinkle a little earth on top. The soil should not be acidic.

On top, you need to put snow in a layer of 2 cm. The soil should be moistened only before sowing if you have no snow.

Next, the seeds must be covered with a lid and the container must be set for stratification. This process will take no more than 2-3 weeks. The stratification temperature is + 2- + 3 degrees.

After the first shoots appear, the container should be brought into more comfortable conditions (into the room). The container with sprouts must be placed on a cool windowsill or loggia so that the temperatures do not exceed +16 degrees.

In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, picking of seedlings is carried out. The first feeding is carried out after the plants are transplanted in separate cups.