HINTS ON FLOWER SEED SOWING 
Below we give suggestions for starting flower seeds without the aid of a greenhouse. 
Under each heading of flowers which we list, is given a “key number” referring to the 
following instructions. While the information given is fairly complete, we suggest that 
additional study be spent on all available gardening books and magazines, for it is only 
by a true understanding of the requirements of plants, that the keenest pleasures of 
gardening may be realized. 
The soil best adapted to the greater variety of garden flowers is a deep rich loam. If the 
soil is too adhesive, it may be loosened by the addition of sand or sifted coal ashes. When 
preparing to seed, be sure to have the soil very well pulverized, and as level as possible. 
I Sow in the place where the plants are to 
stand. Be sure that soil where seeds are to 
be sown is thoroughly loosened to a depth of 
several inches, and well leveled. The average seed 
should be covered about twice its own greatest 
thickness, though very small seeds like Petunia 
should not be covered at all, but merely pressed 
into the earth with a board, and then covered with 
newspaper. Watering should be done through the 
newspaper, to prevent washing out the seed, but 
after sprouts appear in reasonable numbers, the 
paper should be removed, so that the young seedlings 
may have light and air. Watering should be done 
carefully, and the soil should not be allowed to dry 
out, but on the other hand, excessive water may rot 
the unsprouted seeds, and cause “damping-off” of 
seedlings. After plants have grown their second pair 
of leaves, they should be thinned out to avoid 
crowding. Distance between being governed by the 
ultimate size of the plant. Extra plants can usually 
be transplanted to other situations. 
2 Start in open air seed bed and transplant. 
The surface of the seed bed should be raised 
slightly above the adjoining ground, so that 
during storms washing-out will not occur. It 
might be well to place bricks or boards in the form 
of a curbing around the plot to further assist. A 
sunny situation is best for the seed bed, though 
after the young sprouts appear, during very hot 
days it may be necessary to shade them with a 
cloth spread over short sticks. Sowing and watering 
are to be done as suggested in 1 above. 
Sow in flats or pots or pans in open air or 
in a cold frame. This procedure is best 
followed with slow-germinating subjects, such 
as various wildings and rock plants, some of which 
may take from six months to a year or more to 
germinate. Use an earthenware flower pot or pan, 
or a low shallow box known as a “flat.” Ample 
drainage should be provided, but drainage holes 
should be covered with broken pottery or stones. 
The receptacle should then be filled with a good 
potting soil composed of approximately half sharp 
sand and half black loam. Potting soil can usually 
be obtained cheaply from your neighborhood 
florist. Place your container in a shaded spot, and 
during Spring, Summer and Fall water well enough 
to keep soil from drying out. Mulching with peat¬ 
moss will assist in this. When Winter comes, sink 
container in the ground and cover with leaves or 
litter. Do not become discouraged with slow 
germinating subjects, for any live seed will eventu¬ 
ally germinate provided conditions are right, and 
if given time enough. When seedlings appear, 
transplant to nursery-row or permanent location. 
4 Plant indoors in flat, pot or pan. This 
method is effective when there is a sunporch 
or window facing South, so that there is sun¬ 
light most of the day. Use an earthenware flower 
pot or pan, or a low shallow box known as a “flat”. 
Into this put a potting soil such as described in 3, 
firm the soil, and plant the seed in rows, being sure 
to mark each row for easy identification. When 
watering, set the container in water, allowing it to 
soak up sufficient from the bottom to thoroughly 
moisten the soil. Container should be put in a 
dark place, and covered with wet newspaper until 
seeds sprout, when it should be brought into the 
light. Do not allow soil to dry out. This can best 
be accomplished by covering container with glass 
to stop evaporation. When moisture collects on the 
glass, lift glass to allow air to circulate during the 
sunny part of the day. A temperature range of 
50 degrees at night and 70 degrees during the day 
is best. After seedlings have made their second 
pair of leaves, they should be transplanted to other 
containers to avoid crowding, or if weather is warm 
enough, they could be moved outdoors. 
Start in hot bed or cold frame. It is best 
to sow flower seeds (because of their small size) 
in flats to be placed in the frame, rather than 
directly in the frame itself. If a hot bed, care 
should be taken that the temperature has dropped 
to at least 90 degrees before sowing. Soil should 
not be allowed to dry out, and on a warm sunny 
day, the sash should be raised to allow ventilation, 
for overheating causes a thin, leggy growth. After 
plants have made their second pair of leaves, they 
should be shifted to other flats and spaced about 
2 inches apart each way, to allow adequate root 
systems to develop. If the season has advanced 
far enough, they can be planted directly outside. 
As a general rule, plants of all kinds are best transplanted from the seed-bed and into 
their permanent locations during wet rainy weather. Most failures with flowers are 
caused by either too deep planting of the seed, or careless transplanting at the time of 
moving to permanent beds. 
48 
