What to plant for seedlings in December 2024: what flowers, seeds, favorable days

Gardeners usually plan to plant seedlings in December for slow-growing flowers. Plants develop more luxuriously if sown in accordance with favorable periods of the lunar calendar. Early seedlings require special care.

Verbena is sown in December to get beautiful bushes in early summer

Lunar calendar for December 2024 for seedlings

Flower growers ensure the garden is lush and colorful if they plant the seeds of their favorite crops according to the lunar calendar in December, and also consult it for caring for the sprouts. The shoots appear together, the plants are strong, with a powerful impulse for the development of inflorescences.

Favorable days in December for planting seedlings

The periods are calculated by astrologers, who take into account the phases of the Moon and the time of its passage through the zodiac circle.Productive December dates for sowing flowers: 3-5, 8-10, 14-15, 17-23, afternoon 27 to 9 o'clock on the 28th. In December, hard-to-germinate seeds of berries, flowers, stone fruits and pome crops are also laid for stratification.

Pros and cons of planting seedlings in December

Gardeners know that they need to sow slow-growing crops in December to get flowering plants in June. Due to the weather conditions in the middle zone, additional care is required.

Positive factors for growing seedlings from December:

central heating radiators are a good source of heat for germinating hard-to-germinate seeds;
in apartment conditions, an uninsulated balcony is used to stratify and strengthen the sprouts;
Flower crops develop well in the warmth and by the end of spring, beginning of summer, they lay buds, ready for sale on the market or decorating a flower bed.

The costs of winter growing seedlings include:

installation of phytolamps is required to ensure long daylight hours;
seedlings standing on window sills require protection from the cold;
providing air humidification during central heating operation.

Is it possible to sow vegetables for seedlings in December?

Before the new year, seedlings of peppers and tomatoes are sown if they are grown in heated greenhouses. You can plant the seeds of these crops as seedlings in December for other purposes - growing on a kitchen windowsill, no more than 2-3 copies. Lettuce, arugula, basil, dill, and parsley are also sown for growing in a greenhouse or on a windowsill in large containers.

It is popular to grow crops without soil only until the initial phase of development, 1-2 leaves, called “microgreen”.Moistened paper napkins or hydrogel are placed at the bottom of a wide and low container and seeds are laid out on this substrate, which hatch in the warmth after a few days. The greens are illuminated, after 2 weeks the small sprouts are cut off and vitamin products in microdoses are added to the diet. For microgreens, watercress, any varieties of cabbage and lettuce, mustard, beets, and chard are sown in December.

Warning! Seedlings sown in December must be given additional light.

Is it possible to plant berries for seedlings in December?

At the beginning of winter, small-fruited strawberries, large-fruited strawberries, and raspberries are sown, which require stratification. Seeds can be sown for seedlings in December on a substrate of fertile soil, covered with snow. The container in the bag is placed in the refrigerator or under the snow for 1.5-2 months. Then they are removed from the cold and moved to a room where sprouts appear after 3-4 weeks. The development of plants until the formation of buds lasts at least 4-6 months.

What flowers to sow for seedlings in December

There are many beautiful plants that take more than 140-180 days to develop. It is necessary to plant seedlings in December such flowers as cyclamens, gloxinias, fuchsias, passion flowers, impatiens and many others.

Gaillardia

In the conditions of the southern regions, drought-resistant and multi-colored gaillardia always helps out. The plant is unpretentious and grows well in border cultivation in full sun. To get good seedlings, gaillardia seeds are sown in a common bowl or in separate containers, lightly pressing into the ground, without sprinkling soil on top.

Gaillardia does without fertile soil; it prefers to have a large amount of sand in the substrate.

Lobelia Erinus

Sky blue, lilac, white or light burgundy lobelias are sown as seedlings in December. When sowing, small grains are mixed with sand and scattered on the soil. In a warm room, seedlings appear after 15-17 days. Lobelia takes 3 months to grow into buds.

Great plants for pots are placed in semi-shaded areas and watered regularly.

Planting eustoma seedlings in December 2024

The development of the exquisite eustoma, which is also called the Irish rose, continues the longest among beautiful annuals. The crop is sown in December in order to obtain developed seedlings by the beginning of summer. Sow on the surface of the substrate, sprinkle with sand on top. If the seeds are placed in already swollen peat tablets, they are lightly pressed into the substrate.

It takes at least 150 days for eustoma to develop.

Important! At the beginning of winter, crops with a long development cycle, up to 150-190 days, are sown, as well as those whose seeds germinate within 30-40 days.

Snapdragon

In December, it is customary to plant snapdragons or antirrinum, a favorite in the gardens of the middle zone, as seedlings. To ensure that plants that prefer slightly alkaline soils initially develop well, wood ash or dolomite flour is added to the substrate. The growth of seedlings is long and slow, so the crop is sown in early or mid-winter.

Snapdragon sprouts after a week, but grows slowly

Phloxes

In containers, phlox seeds are carefully laid out on the surface, sprinkled with snow or sand. Containers with seed material are placed under snow or in the refrigerator for stratification. Frost-resistant seedlings are brought into the garden as early as possible.

If December is warm, phlox in the southern regions is sown directly into the garden bed

Gentian

Gentian is sown in December in a container, which is placed in a cold place for stratification for several weeks.The sprouts emerge in 20-22 days and develop slowly. In the spring, the seedlings are transplanted, but the gentian will bloom only next year.

The rich blue small corollas of gentian are one of the most beautiful primroses.

Bluebell Carpathian

Delicate flowers are planted as seedlings in December. For good development, the culture requires a loose nutrient substrate with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction. Seeds are sown on the surface, not sprinkled with soil or pressed, but only covered with film.

Carpathian bellflower is demanding on soils

Lavender

This culture is one of the slowest to germinate. The seed must be stratified by placing it in a soil substrate, on cotton pads or a damp cloth in the refrigerator for 1.5-2 months. Then the container is transferred to room temperature, and shoots appear after 10 days.

Lavender seedlings are grown at a temperature of 15-20 ° C

Delphinium hybrid

Tall plants with flowers in all shades of blue, white or purple are slow to develop, so they are sown in December. To give the sprouts a powerful boost, the seed material is soaked in a growth stimulator. After the seedlings begin to form 3 leaves, the seedlings are picked and placed in separate pots.

The container with delphinium seeds is covered with a dark film until germination.

Begonia

The culture loves light and loose fertile soil with a slightly acidic pH. The smallest begonia seeds are sown with sand. Fragile seedlings appear after 7-8 days. A spray bottle is used to water the seedlings.

It takes 5 months from begonia shoots to buds.

Primrose

Plants take a long time to emerge and grow slowly. Small primrose grains are sown on the surface of the substrate and lightly pressed into the soil.The container is transferred to a cold place and the seed is stratified for 30-40 days. When returning to warm temperatures of 15-20 °C, seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks.

When sown in December, primrose blooms in May

Viola

The crop is grown on moisture-absorbing and loose soil. This is a prerequisite for the lush flowering of touching pansies. Small grains are sown on a fertile substrate and lightly sprinkled with sand, a layer less than 1 mm. Shoots are visible after 10-20 days. Plants love diffused light.

Viola is sown in December to get summer flowering

Carnation Shabo

The graceful flower is grown from December so that the slowly growing crop will form buds by summer. Sow Shabot cloves in separate pots or in a common container, followed by picking. Shabot carnation seedlings definitely require additional lighting so that the stems are strong and durable.

Shabot carnation flowers bloom only six months after germination

Verbena hybrid

Back in December, the seeds of a slow-growing crop are planted. The seed material is first treated with growth stimulants according to the instructions, sown in a bowl, which is placed in the refrigerator for up to 45-60 days for stratification. When sowing, small verbena grains are not covered with anything; they just place the container in a plastic bag. After cold treatment in heat, seedlings are visible after 3-4 weeks.

Beautiful openwork verbena inflorescences develop on plants that germinated 90-100 days ago

Pelargonium

Nutritious soil is prepared for the seedlings so that strong, strong, stocky stems are formed. Large seeds of the crop are placed in the ground and sprinkled with substrate on top. Pelargonium sprouts quickly, after 5-10 days. Sprouts require mandatory additional lighting.

The gloomy days of December are a good time for sowing pelargonium in order to get lush blooms as early as next June

What other flowers can be sown in December?

In the southern regions, pre-winter December sowing is practiced, during which natural stratification occurs, and the plants are strong and hardened. More often, flowers are planted for seedlings in December in a container, which is also placed in the cold, but so that the ground does not freeze completely. After all the worries, petunia, saxifrage, evening primrose, hellenium, aquilegia, and decorative onions will delight you with early flowering.

Comment! They sow on the site during the thaw, making sure to mark the boundaries.

Advice from professionals

Before growing any flowers, it is better to study the conditions for their sowing and development. Planting in December requires the following rules:

moderate watering;
installation of air humidifiers;
additional lighting for a total of 13-15 light hours per day;
shoots sprout immediately after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves;
when picking, some sprouts are deepened further so that they do not stretch out;
the temperature is maintained within 18-22 °C.

Conclusion

Planting flowers for seedlings in December means getting developed plants, some already with buds, by May, for selling or decorating your gardens. Additional care will delight your flowerbeds or flower pots with lush blooms.