Bedding Plants and Tips for Growing

Growing bedding plants can be a very interesting and enjoyable hobby for the home gardener. Bedding plants are fast growing and will bring plenty of color change with each season to your backyard garden or front yard landscaping. In order to achieve some admirable results a few good tips may help you along.

When purchasing the bedding plants for your yard always select the plants that are the strongest and healthiest looking. If you find any for sale at a reduced price chances are they are not very healthy; plants that have not been care for properly will most likely not come back to be a healthy plant. Pests and diseases will usually attack these plants that are under stress. You can find bedding plants in plastic trays or flats that have six to twelve plants grouped together. You can also find larger seedlings grouped together in a tray of four. You will also see that the smaller the grouping is the larger the plant will be, but these will be more expensive. As long as the larger trays or flats have strong, healthy plants you should not have any problems.

One of the most important things to do before you do any planting is to prepare your soil. You need to turn the soil over with a spade and loosen it up with a garden fork and for best results mix in some organic material or compost. If you want your plants to continuously thrive you can apply additional organic material through the season. Compost is quite rich in nitrogen; it replenishes the soil and adds more nutrients. This preparation needs to be completed before you bring your plants home from the garden center or nursery.

When you get ready to do your planting make sure the plants and your soil are moist. If your soil is dry it will pull the moisture away from the tiny root ball of the plant and kill the root hairs of your plants. Remove about 10 plants from the original container and place them on the soil where you are going to plant them. If you purchased your plants in a flat you will need to gently pull them apart from each other because the roots will be bound together. Separate them as best as possible being careful not to break up the small mound of soil containing the individual roots. As long as your soil is loose and moist, digging your holes will become easy. Place the plants in the holes making sure the soil surrounding the root ball is even with ground soil. Gently pat the soil around the root ball so there is good contact between them. This will help the plants begin growth easier.  

The first time you water the plants is very important. Water the bedding plants thoroughly right after you plant them to a depth of roughly 12 inches or more. This means you will probably be watering for a good thirty to forty-five minutes. Watering in this manner you will be guaranteed of getting good contact with the soil and root ball allowing water to get into the root ball. This will also allow the soil to stay moist and you may not need to water again for a number of days, but it is a good idea to check the moisture around the root ball daily. During dry spells in the summer you may need to water the plants more often and they are best if watered at ground level. An excellent way of keeping the soil moist is to use mulch around the plants.

Placing one to two inches of mulch will help control weeds and keep the roots cooler for better growth. It is wise to use a good quality, organic mulch on the soil, whenever you plant bedding plants, particularly if these plants will be replacing other bedding plants. If the soil appears to still have plenty of organic matter from last season, adding new mulch will replenish and increase the beneficial micro-organisms, which are so very important in maintaining a resistance to plant disease. A well mulched bed will need less fertilizer and become more resistant to damage by insects, since they are attracted to plants that are under stress.  

Secured plantings will need fertilizing every so often throughout the growing season. Organic fertilizers, such as compost and fish emulsion, are slow-release and low-yield sources of the vital nutrients plants need and can be applied every couple weeks. Plants that have yellowing leaves or flowers that are dwindling generally mean they need more nitrogen. You should always water completely after fertilizing. Always read the package label instructions carefully for safe application. If you follow these simple guidelines you should have a beautiful garden or landscape of colorful bedding plants.