Nothing beats summer bedding for creating a splash of vibrant colour that lasts for months. You can buy bedding plants ready grown in late spring, but it’s much more satisfying and fun to grow bedding from seed – you’ll get a bigger choice of flowers and even save money. Most bedding varieties can be started off in a propagator in January or February in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill – the earlier you sow the seeds, the better, because bedding takes a few months to get to the flowering stage.
The secret of germinating summer bedding seeds is a good supply of warmth and light. Most seeds need a steady heat of 18-21°C to germinate, so consider investing in a heated propagator to maintain a constant temperature. You may benefit from using a grow lamp, particularly if you’re sowing in January.
Learn how to grow summer bedding from seed, below.
You Will Need
- Peat-free seed compost
- 10cm pots
- Summer bedding seeds
- Vermiculite
Step 1
Fill pots with seed compost, tap to settle, and lightly press the surface with the base of a pot. Space your seeds evenly over the compost.
Step 2
Cover seeds thinly with fine, sieved compost, or use a layer of vermiculite, a sterile material perfect for covering seeds.
Step 3
Make a label that will last until autumn and insert it into each pot. Water well.
Step 4
Place the pots in a heated propagator to arm the compost ready for germination. Open occasionally to release condensation.
Step 5
Prick out the biggest seedlings and pot them on into individul pots, where they can grow without competition.
Water seedlings regularly in order to avoid compost drying out and after 4-6 weeks add a weekly liquid feed using a general fertiliser to promote strong and healthy growth.
