Content
Growing primrose from seeds is a long and laborious process. For a successful result, careful preparation of planting material and soil, competent care for seedlings is required. Tips for growing primrose from seeds will help eliminate mistakes common among novice growers. Compliance with the recommendations will allow you to get a beautiful and healthy ornamental plant.
Features of growing primrose from seeds
Such a plant is popularly called primrose, which is associated with early flowering. It can come in late March or early April. Some varieties bloom in spring and summer.
Usually, it is recommended to plant primrose seeds for seedlings in cases where it is impossible to obtain other planting material. Most often, the flower is propagated by dividing into sockets, each of which is planted separately. But this method is relevant only if there is a mother plant. For the cultivation and reproduction of a new variety, pre-harvested seeds will be required.
Primrose also grows well outdoors.
When growing seedlings, you should not expect early flowering. It will come no earlier than 5 months after germination. Crops require specific care. It includes a wide range of activities.
How to plant primrose seeds at home
The growing method depends on several factors. The main one is the source of planting material. For the cultivation of primroses, seeds are used, collected independently, or purchased in gardening stores.
When to sow primrose seedlings
If the seeds were purchased from a store, they must be planted within the time specified in the attached instructions. For most primrose varieties, seedlings are grown in February.
Germination of seeds in different species of primroses is different.
Experienced gardeners sow seeds as early as January. According to the lunar calendar, auspicious days are 5-9, 12, 21, 22. In February, planting primrose seeds for seedlings is best done on the 11-18th.
Preparation of containers
For growing primroses, do not use any convenient container. This requires a container 5-7 cm high. A prerequisite is the presence of drainage holes.
Suitable for sowing and cultivation:
- flower pots;
- small plastic glasses;
- separate containers;
- seedling cassettes;
- peat tablets.
You can plant seeds in a common box or small flower pot
Cropped plastic bottles, dairy containers, or plastic bags are not suitable for growing primrose seeds. The use of containers made of such materials reduces germination due to a negative effect on soil quality.
Soil preparation
The quality of the soil mixture is the most important factor affecting the germination of the planting material. Growing a primrose from seeds requires fertile garden soil. The soil should be loose and moderately moist.
When planting, you can use a ready-made substrate for indoor plants.It is also made independently from several components.
You will need:
- leaf humus;
- sod land;
- river sand.
For planting seeds, you can buy ready-made soil in a specialized store.
Self-made soil mixture for growing is recommended to be sterilized. Due to this, the risk of ingress of fungi and bacteria that can harm the plant is eliminated. The easiest way to sterilize the soil is in the oven. The substrate is poured onto a baking sheet in a layer of no more than 1.5 cm and left at a temperature of 120 degrees for 45 minutes.
Preparing primrose seeds for sowing
The planting material needs to be disinfected. Before sowing primrose seeds, they are dipped in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. For disinfection, 20 minutes is enough. The seeds should then be spread out on a clean cloth or sheet of paper. So they are left for 30-40 minutes to dry.
How to stratify primrose seeds
For most varieties, this procedure is mandatory. Seeds may not germinate without preliminary stratification. The procedure provides for the creation of climatic conditions corresponding to the beginning of the growing season, that is, early spring. Thus, the seeds are exposed to low temperatures so as not to disrupt the biological rhythm of the plant.
Stratification of primrose seeds at home can be done in different ways. The classical technology provides for short-term storage of planting material in the room and further temperature reduction.
Instructions:
- Disinfected seeds are kept for 2-3 days in an open container on the windowsill.
- The planting material is placed in a container with moist soil and refrigerated.
- Keep container in a cool place for 2-3 weeks.
- Move the container to the balcony or outside, if the temperature is not lower than 0 degrees.
The container can be stored in the snow. This will ensure the optimum temperature and humidity.
Stratification should be done prior to planting by placing ripe seeds in the cold.
When stratification is complete, the seeds should be placed in an area that is well lit during the day. It is best to leave the container on the windowsill. During this period, you need to constantly keep the soil moist, but do not water it, but use a spray bottle.
Sowing primrose seeds for seedlings
The planting method is very simple if you follow the step-by-step instructions. Also for this purpose, a video about sowing primrose for seedlings can help:
The main stages of planting:
- Fill the container with the substrate.
- Make shallow holes.
- Place the seeds in the hole.
- Spray the soil with a spray bottle.
- Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap.
It is not necessary to cover the sown seeds with soil, otherwise they will not germinate. The described planting method is relevant regardless of whether stratification is carried out or not.
How to grow primrose seedlings from seeds
In order for the planting material to sprout after sowing, proper care is needed. Ancillary procedures are also required in order for primrose seedlings at home to be resistant to adverse factors and insensitive to diseases.
Microclimate
The optimum temperature for germination is 16-18 degrees. Hybrid primrose varieties need good lighting. Seed containers are placed in a bright place. This requires light scattering screens to protect the seedlings from direct sunlight. Small-toothed primrose seedlings should be kept in the shade.
Some varieties of primrose need diffused light and a temperature of +18 degrees
Another important trick of sowing primrose seeds for seedlings is that the container must be regularly ventilated.Before the first shoots appear, the container is opened for 30 minutes. When the first shoots appear, the ventilation period is gradually increased. You can completely remove the cover or film after 12-14 days.
Picking
When growing primrose from seeds at home, this procedure is carried out when 2-3 leaves appear on the seedlings. During this period, the root system is actively developing and needs space. Therefore, the sprouts are carefully removed from the substrate and transferred to another container with nutrient soil.
Pick scheme:
- 1 hour before the procedure, the seedlings are watered.
- Drainage is placed at the bottom of the new container, filled with soil.
- Squeeze a shallow hole in the soil.
- Pour some warm water into it.
- Remove the sprout with a wooden spatula or plastic spoon.
- Place the seedling in the hole.
- Spray from a spray bottle.
After the procedure, the container is placed in partial shade for 1 week. The pick is carried out 2-3 times before landing in the ground.
Watering and feeding
Before the emergence of shoots, the soil is sprayed from a spray bottle. In the future, periodic moderate watering is required. The soil should not be too wet or dry.
You can spray from a fine spray
For feeding, mineral fertilizers for indoor plants are used. Diluted low-concentrated liquid solutions are used. Top dressing is carried out once a week before transplanting into open soil.
Hardening
Primrose is a plant that is well adapted to low temperatures. Therefore, there is no need to harden the crops. They can be taken outside if the temperature is above 10 degrees. Then the seedlings quickly adapt to external conditions and better tolerate planting.
Transfer to the ground
Planting seedlings in open soil is carried out in spring or autumn. The first option is considered optimal, as it allows the plant to adapt to climatic characteristics. Autumn planting is recommended if the seedlings are grown from seeds obtained from their own plants in the summer.
The transplant should be carried out when there is no longer a threat of night frost
Primroses are planted in areas with fertile soil, protected from direct sunlight. The distance between the bushes is 20-30 cm. After planting, abundant watering is needed, which is reduced when the plants resume active growth.
When the seed-grown primrose blooms
The flowering period depends on the characteristics of the variety and the method of planting. Typically, primroses bloom 5-6 months after sowing. This period is increased if the transplant into open ground was carried out in the fall. After wintering, the plants bloom in March-April, subject to the onset of persistent warming.
How to collect primrose seeds
You can collect planting material with your own hands at the end of July or at the beginning of August. During this period, bolls ripen on the plants, which contain a large number of seeds. They should be collected in a small container or paper envelope and placed in a cool place.
For long-term storage, the planting material must be regularly ventilated. It must be protected from direct sunlight and moisture.
Conclusion
Tips for growing a primrose from seed will be useful for both beginners and experienced flower growers. This is important as sowing and caring for seedlings can be difficult. Therefore, the cultivation of primroses by seeds should be carried out in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of specialists.
