Start Flowers in the Garden Greenhouse

“The Earth laughs in flowers.”~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Getting flowers going in the garden greenhouse is always a fun addition to your usual greenhouse gardening activities. There’s just something special about watching those delicate green shoots emerge, knowing that they will produce beautiful, vibrant flower blossoms.

Flowers in the greenhouse add fragrance and color to your green workspace. The cheer and peacefulness they bring more than make up for the added effort of starting end nurturing a few extra seeds. Here are a few tips for getting flowers going in the garden greenhouse.

Tips for Getting Flowers Going in the Garden Greenhouse
• Start your seeds early. You can start your flower seeds in the greenhouse weeks before the last frost. This will still make transplanting them outdoors possible, but will provide you with hearty seedlings that are more likely to survive transplantation.

• Always read the planting guidelines on the flower seed packet. Different varieties of flowers call for different planting instructions. Even though one packet may look like the next, always flip over the package and double check the directions before planting.

• Always start your seeds in a sterile container and use sterilized soil to prevent the growth of bad bacteria and insects.

• Keep the greenhouse temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the germination process, or a seedling heat mat to warm the seeds from the bottom.

• When filling seed containers with soil, do not pack the dirt. Filling the container loosely will allow for better drainage and allow added room for the seed to spread forth its delicate roots. Firm the soil lightly with a soil tamper.

• Newly planted seeds need extra moisture and sunlight. If you are using a grow light, set your timer for up to 18 hours of exposure per day during the germination period. Covering your pots with plastic will help them retain adequate moisture levels by preventing evaporation.

• Wait to fertilize seedlings until they have grown 3-4 leaves to prevent burning the plants.

• Grow flowers that are your favorites, but try out a couple new flowers each season. This provides interest and variety to your greenhouse and you might just find a new favorite among your experimental flowers.

Getting flowers going in the greenhouse is a great way to provide a pick me up for those last lingering days of winter and spring. Flowers exude happiness for the greenhouse gardener and can jump start your growing season next spring.

“This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow’s happiness grow.”~ Margaret Lindsey

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