Dream of summer colour? Sow flower seeds now! Even with a sunny windowsill, you can get a head start on beautiful blooms. Here are our 3 favourite February-sown flowers.
Sowing sweet peas
Sweet peas, with their fragrant blooms in a rainbow of colours, are a summer garden must-have. Sow them now in root trainers (long, thin plastic modules) or eco-friendly toilet roll tubes. These encourage deep root growth for healthy plants, ready to plant out after the last frost.
- To sow your sweet peas, fill the root trainers or toilet roll tubes with seed compost. Plant two seeds per container, ensuring they are approximately 1cm deep.
- Water the pots thoroughly and place them on a sunny windowsill. Once the seeds germinate, move the pots to a cooler spot to allow the seedlings to develop.
- Planting sweet pea seedlings in pairs (without untangling the roots) is the secret to getting double the blooms! If you used cardboard tubes, plant them as they are; the cardboard will break down in the soil.
Sowing snapdragons
Brighten your summer garden with cheerful antirrhinums, also known as snapdragons or dragon flowers. These easy-care blooms last for months, but require an early start from seed. Sow them now!
- To sow your seeds, fill the seed trays with a good quality multipurpose compost. Scatter the seeds across the surface and press them down lightly.
- Water the seed tray and then either place it in a propagator set to 20-25°C, or seal it inside a clear plastic bag and place it on a sunny windowsill.
- When your seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant each one into its own pot. Grow them on until after the last frost, at which point they can be planted outside in well-drained soil in full sun.
Sowing geraniums
Want beautiful geraniums (pelargoniums) blooming all summer? Sow them now!
- To sow your seeds, fill pots or seed trays with seed compost and moisten it slightly. Scatter the seeds across the surface, then cover them with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite.
- After sowing, place your pots or trays either in a propagator at 20-25°C or inside a clear plastic bag on a sunny windowsill. Water as needed to maintain moist compost.
- Once your seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant each one into its own pot. Grow them on until late spring, when you can plant them outside in beds, containers, or hanging baskets.
Get everything you need to start your dream garden at Carpenters Nursery! We have a fantastic selection of seeds, plus pots, compost, and more. Visit us today and get sowing!
