How to plant flower seeds? A step-by-step guide to correct sowing

Many flowers nowadays are bought from flower markets, but growing them yourself from seed is rather difficult, and this is mainly caused by improper seed treatment. So, how do you plant flower seeds?

1. Seed treatment is not done properly. Different flower seeds should be treated in different ways. Seeds that germinate easily can be soaked: for example, scarlet sage seeds can be soaked in warm water at 40°C for a full day and night, then rinsed clean and sown. For hard seeds, such as asparagus fern, tree peony, orange jasmine, crape myrtle and winter daphne, first soak them in hot water at 40°C for about 48 hours, then sow them in potting soil; after 20 to 30 days they will sprout and grow. For species with a short dormancy period that germinate easily, such as pearl bush and redbud, soaking the seeds in warm water at 40°C-60°C for 24-48 hours allows direct sowing. Some flower seeds need a period of cold treatment to promote after-ripening and break the dormancy of the seed embryo so they can germinate, such as lilac, wintersweet and some herbaceous flowers sown in autumn. Some flowers have the characteristic of double dormancy of the radicle and hypocotyl, meaning their radicles must go through 1 to 2 months or longer at a high temperature of 25°C-32°C to break dormancy, such as the seeds of fringetree, viburnum and Chinese peony.

2. Ignoring the optimum germination temperature. Apart from adequate moisture, dry seeds also need a certain optimum temperature to germinate. For example, sweet alyssum of the Brassicaceae family must germinate at an optimum temperature of 5°C-20°C, Gerbera daisy must germinate at an optimum temperature of 20°C-25°C, and primrose must germinate at an optimum temperature within the range of 15°C-18°C. Too high or too low a temperature will affect the seedling emergence rate of flowers and may even cause seeds to rot, greatly reducing the germination rate and the seedling survival rate.

3. The sowing period is unreasonable. Seeds that are large, have a hard outer coat or contain oil, such as the seeds of Chinese rose, rose, pomegranate, kumquat and southern magnolia, are suitable for sowing in autumn. Seeds that are smaller with a loose, thin coat, such as chrysanthemum, asparagus fern, garden balsam, crape myrtle and Chinese trumpet creeper, are suitable for sowing in late spring. Seeds that need high temperatures to germinate should be sown promptly after they mature; for example, cyclamen, cineraria and amaryllis should be sown in early summer.

4. There are problems with sowing quality. Flower sowing has two forms, open-field sowing and pot sowing; either way, the soil is required to be loose and airy, with fine particles and good drainage. It is better to use fertile soil rich in humus nutrients with moderate acidity and alkalinity, which helps the seeds emerge. The specific sowing methods include broadcast sowing, row sowing and hole sowing. Before sowing, water thoroughly, and after sowing cover with plastic (10760255.002.43%) film to prevent the soil from becoming too dry, which would affect seed germination and seedling emergence. The sowing depth is generally best at 2.5 times the diameter of the flower seed.