Garden Creation: How to Grow Plants from Seeds and Bulbs
When creating your own garden, you basically have two choices. First, you can buy already grown plants and transfer them to your garden. Second, you can create your own by growing plants from seeds and bulbs. The latter may require some effort, but, of course, it often proves to be the more satisfying and rewarding option, especially when you’re able to grow them successfully. Just like having a newborn baby!
If you decide to take on the challenge of creating your own garden or landscaping, then you should get to know the basics of how to grow plants from seeds and bulbs. So here are the basics to help you out with this labor of love.
Seeds And Bulbs: Know The Difference
First, you should know the difference between bulbs and seeds. Basically, seeds usually grow plants that are annuals or biennials. Annuals are plants that directly grow from the seeds. They undergo the cycle of growing, blooming and then dying all in one season. They are also the ones that create their own seeds.
On the other hand, bulbs are planted during fall and remain dormant beneath the soil until spring comes. When the weather start to warm up, bulbs start to grow green leaves that eventually grows flowers as well. Bulb flowers usually live for a couple of weeks and then die back. Soon after, the leaves die too. Then the bulb lies dormant again, waiting for next spring to arrive, so they can bloom again.
Before you start planting you should make sure that your soil is ready. See to it that the site is already level, and your watering system is in the right place; then you can start planting.
Spreading Your Creation
First you have to spread your new creation in the soil wherever your garden or landscaping design calls for it. For bulbs, you should know the right depth that is appropriate for the kind of bulb you are using. The number of inches that your bulb should be buried varies greatly and is of great significance. You should also ensure that you put your bulb the right side up. Try asking your local plant nursery for information regarding this.
For seeds, other than the seeds of the plant you want to grow, you should also have the right grass seeds at hand. Choosing grass seeds will depend highly on the season you are planting. Once you have the right grass seeds, you can combine them with your plant seeds.
What you do is scatter the seeds in your planting area. Make sure that you cover the whole area, and be able to spread the seeds evenly. You should also use starter fertilizers, which are high in phosphorus that is vital for seedlings.
Top-dressing And Rolling
Next, you should ensure the moisture of your soil by top-dressing it with peat, which is an organic matter that helps add moisture to your soil. This should be done only for seeds, since bulbs are already beneath the soil, unlike seeds that are just scattered on top.
After you apply peat, roll the surface with just enough pressure to evenly mix the peat with the soil. Don’t roll too hard or your seeds will end up being pushed too deep into the soil.
Watering
When watering seeds, you should be able to water the soil so that it is soaked to about six to eight inches. Be sure to apply water gently to avoid making puddles and washing out your seeds. In the case of bulbs, you should plant them in well-drained soil, because they can rot in over-wet and soggy grounds.
Protect
Lastly, you should protect your creation. Make sure that kids, dogs, or other people won’t step on the area where you planted your seeds and bulbs. You can put markers for warning if people are your problem. If dogs or other creatures are your problem, you can surround your area with a fence to keep them away.
And there you go. With these basic steps, you can bring life to your very own garden and landscape ideas and bear the fruits of your effort in no time!
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