Planting Flowers from Seed is Economical

Starting flowers from seed is economical and easy to do. Just follow the simple steps in this segment to fill your flowerbeds with color.

Produced by the Department of Communications at Kansas State University. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.kansasgreenyards.org

Transcript:
Planting Flowers from Seed is Economical

We can save a lot of money by starting plants from seed, and a lot of people have been doing that this year due to the economy, and also just getting back to nature. I want to show a method of how to grow a lot of plants from a single seed packet. This one was ninety-nine cents.

I’m going to start with some marigolds. Start by making a row with your hoe. I’m planting the whole package – way too close together. As soon as these come up and start growing, then we’re going to dig them up and transplant them. Now, we’ll cover the row up and firm the soil down.

Those plants are going to come up and be as thick as this row of arugula that was planted a few weeks ago. When it gets to this stage, they’ll be dug up and planted into the garden. Use the same spacing that you would plant transplants if you were buying them at the store.

A transplant at a store may be in a four-pack for two dollars. So, you can save a lot of money doing it this way. Let’s take a look at that. First, dig up a small portion. With the garden soil that’s nice and loose, dig the holes about a foot apart. Then, set one plant in each hole. Next, fill the hole and press the plants into place.

Right now, we’re here in this zinnia bed, and the entire planting was planted just as I had shown with the marigolds. All of these were planted in a single row, and then transplanted one foot apart. We have lots of great varieties. Here’s Zowie, an All American Selection a few years ago. When you buy them as plants, it’s about two dollars for four plants. But, from a packet of seed, one packet of seed may grow fifty plants for two dollars. Look at that – isn’t that awesome?

This feature story prepared with Bob Neier, retired Kansas State University Research and Extension Horticulture Agent, Sedgwick County. For more information, visit your local county extension office or visit our website at KansasGreenYards.org.