Content
It is necessary to plant coreopsis seedlings in late March or early April. Seedlings are grown at normal room temperature, observing the watering and lighting regime. Seedlings can be obtained either in the traditional way (sowing seeds in common containers) or using peat tablets, which eliminates the need for diving.
What do coreopsis seeds look like?
Perennial coreopsis can be propagated vegetatively (for example, by dividing a bush) or grown from seeds. They can be purchased at the store or assembled yourself. If it is a hybrid, many of its characteristics may turn out to be degenerate, and flowers may not even appear, so it is better to purchase planting material and not take risks.
Coreopsis seeds appear as small black grains with two brown lobes (left and right). On one side the core is slightly swollen, and on the other, on the contrary, there is a depression.
Coreopsis seeds have an unusual shape
They are small in size - like anise grains, but not too small. Therefore, it is quite possible to pick them up with your fingers and not with a toothpick.
If you grow perennial coreopsis from seeds through seedlings, it will bloom in the same season
When to plant coreopsis seedlings
Coreopsis seeds can be sown 1.5-2 months before the planned transfer of seedlings to open ground. The specific period depends on climatic conditions:
- in the Moscow region and other regions of the middle zone - the end of March;
- in the south – the first days of spring;
- in the Urals and Siberia - early April.
It is better to prepare for planting in advance: purchase soil, disinfect it, and prepare the necessary containers.
Sowing Coreopsis for seedlings at home
Growing annual and perennial coreopsis from seeds is carried out according to a standard algorithm. You first need to prepare containers - these can be wooden boxes or plastic containers, wide enough and at the same time not very deep (up to 15 cm). They should have several drainage holes at the bottom to drain water.
The containers can be pre-washed and disinfected by keeping them in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide for several hours. Then the surface is washed again with water and wiped dry.
You can purchase the soil mixture in the store (universal soil for flower seedlings is suitable) or make it yourself
For example, you can mix 2 parts of garden soil with humus, peat and sawdust or with coarse sand (1 part each).
These components will make the soil not only nutritious, but also porous, which is exactly what coreopsis needs. Another option is to mix turf soil with humus and compost in a ratio of 2:1:1. Or take peat and garden soil in equal quantities and add a few pinches of sand and wood ash.
The soil for planting coreopsis seeds is also pre-treated. You can do this in several ways:
- Soak in a solution of potassium permanganate (1%) or hydrogen peroxide (3%), then pour with running water.
- Place in the freezer for a week, then take out to thaw and crush all the lumps.
- Heat for 15 minutes in the oven at 130°C and cool.
The algorithm for planting coreopsis seeds is as follows:
- A layer of pebbles or other small stones is placed at the bottom of the boxes.
- Then the soil is filled without compacting it, maintaining maximum porosity and “lightness.”
- The seeds are planted at intervals of 4-5 cm, and there is no need to bury them - just lightly press them into the ground.
- Sprinkle the top with a mixture of earth and sand.
- Water generously (preferably with a spray bottle).
- Cover the container with film with holes or a glass lid.
- Place in a relatively warm place (standard room temperature 20-22 °C).
An alternative way to plant coreopsis seeds is in peat tablets. This approach avoids picking and thinning. The instructions are simple:
- Place a white napkin on a flat tray.
- Pour a little growth stimulator solution.
- Place the seeds on a napkin and cover with a lid.
- After 1-2 days, the tablets are soaked in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide.
- When they swell, place a few coreopsis seeds in the very center and press a little.
- The tablets are placed in transparent containers and covered with a lid.Next, coreopsis seedlings are grown in exactly the same way, but without transplanting (picking), which greatly simplifies the whole process.
Several coreopsis seeds are planted in each peat tablet.
Growing and care
The first shoots of coreopsis appear after 10-12 days. At this moment, the shelter is completely removed. Further plant care is standard:
- If there is clearly not enough light, it is advisable to illuminate the seedlings (from the very first day of sowing) with a phytolamp, bringing the total duration of daylight to 15-16 hours (for example, turn it on for 4 hours in the morning and for the same time in the evening).
- Water regularly - do not allow the soil or peat tablets to dry out.
- If seedlings are grown in a common container, then after 2-3 true leaves appear, coreopsis seedlings are planted in small pots or ordinary plastic glasses (several drainage holes are first made at the bottom to drain water).
- A week after transplantation (i.e., about 2-3 weeks after planting coreopsis seeds), it is recommended to feed the seedlings with liquid complex fertilizer.
- 2 weeks before transferring to the ground, the plants begin to harden. To do this, every day they are taken out onto the balcony or into a cool room (temperature 15-16 °C). First they do this for 15 minutes, then for 30 minutes, etc. (hardening time can be increased by 10-15 minutes per day, resulting in up to 3-4 hours).
When growing coreopsis in seedlings, it will produce the first flowers in the same summer
Signs of improper care
Caring for seedlings is not difficult, but in some cases, novice gardeners may encounter problems.To avoid them, you need to know in advance the signs indicating improper care.
Signs | Solution methods |
The seedlings are stretched | Reduce watering, install a phytolamp, thin out crops or carry out a pick |
Seedlings are lagging behind in development | Feed with complex mineral fertilizers, observing the dosage. Ensure normal watering and temperature conditions |
Leaves turn yellow and wither | Feed with nitrogen fertilizer |
There is a brown coating on the root collar | The seedling should be quickly removed and destroyed. Significantly reduce watering. Treat with any fungicide |
When to plant in open ground
Coreopsis seedlings are transferred to open ground at the end of spring, when the threat of return frosts is no longer present:
- in the middle zone - in early May;
- in the south - at the end of April;
- in the Urals and Siberia - in the last ten days of May.
Attention! You should focus on weather conditions: sometimes May is too cold, so the transplant date is shifted to the end of the month or even to the beginning of June.
Night temperature should not fall below 10-12 °C. In some cases, gardeners transplant coreopsis into a greenhouse. This can be done 7-10 days earlier than the standard deadline - for example, not in mid-May, but at the beginning of the month.
Conclusion
Planting coreopsis seedlings at home is quite simple. The basic rule is to carefully prepare the soil, monitor watering and lighting. You should not allow the soil to become waterlogged, but at the same time, watering should be regular.
