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Growing Wild Flowers from seed |
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Planting small seeds: |
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1. Stratify the seeds as described above. After 2 weeks, they should be ready to plant. |
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2. Use a moist seed-starting mix to fill your containers. |
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3. Sprinkle the small seeds on top of the soil. (Like you would sprinkle salt or pepper on something.) |
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4. Use your fingers to gently firm the seeds into the surface of the soil. (You don't need to totally bury small seeds.) |
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5. Keep the soil moist until you see new seedlings start to sprout. Some people cover their containers with plastic to make a little greenhouse for this step. |
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6. Once the new green seedlings start to grow, take off the plastic and give them as much light as possible. |
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7. When they are about 2-3 inches high, you can thin them out so they have enough room to produce good roots... see transplanting directions below. |
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Planting big seeds: |
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1. Follow the same steps as described above, but plant fewer big seeds in each container and plant them deeper than the small seeds. |
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2. For example, instead of sprinkling many small seeds on top of the soil, you should place only 5 to 6 big seeds on the top. |
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(<------ In the picture to the left, you can see two large seeds by the tip of my finger.) |
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3. Push them into the soil about 1/2 inch. |
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4. Pat down the soil firmly over the seeds. |
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5. Keep moist as described above and transplant when overcrowded. |
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Separate crowded seedlings: |
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1. If all of your seeds sprout, your container will be crowded with seeds like this ------------> |
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2. Eventually, they will compete too much for nutrients and prevent each other from growing well. |
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3. Tap the root ball out of the container and gently separate the tangled roots into smaller groups. This is easier if the soil is moist, but not totally wet. |
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4. After separated, these smaller groups can be repotted into their own container where they will have more room to grow. |
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Transplanting seedlings: |
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1. Prepare new containers for your seedlings by filling them to the top with soil mix and poking a hole into the middle of each one with your finger. |
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2. Gently take 1 or 2 seedlings that you separated and place their roots in the hole that you prepared for them. |
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3. Be sure to handle the little seedlings by the leaves, NOT the stems. (They are too fragile) |
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4. Put some new soil mix on top of the roots and firm it up all around the stem. |
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5. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings adjust to their new surroundings. |
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6. Eventually, you should thin them down to one strong seedling per pot. |
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Home |
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Restoration work at Swallow Cliff Woods, |
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G.Kerkstra school garden |
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How to start a school garden |
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Earth Day presentation at the Field Museum |
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Free Seeds |
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Environmentally friendly crafts |
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Favorite Links |