Our little seedlings started poking up through their little peat moss beds within two days! We have started flower seeds in one of these greenhouse boxes for several years now and it is always a welcome addition to our spring (or lack of it).
They are inexpensive and easy to do--just pour in the amount of water called for on the package and wait a few minutes for the pellets to swell up. Then, plant one to two seeds in each and put the plastic cover over the top. I leave the cover on until the plants reach the top. It doesn't take long! Water as needed as they grow.
The hardest part is finding places for all of these seedlings when they outgrow their homes and need to be transplanted. Then we have plastic cups and little pots in front of windows for a few weeks until it is warm enough to transplant outside. I have found it's best to wait until after the 15th of March to plant (in our area of South Dakota, anyway). Otherwise, I have had plants outgrowing their plastic cups, too.
Inevitably, a strong wind will come up and bend them over after we plant them outside in mid-late May, but the zinnias just bend back up toward the sun and keep on a growin'!
I still give local greenhouses plenty of business with other flowers and plants that I don't start from seeds (and because it's just so much fun going to greenhouses!), but growing my own 72 flower plants for about $10 really helps out!
In other botanical news, did you know that shamrock leaves fold up at night and open again in the morning?
We all do now!
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