Growing levkoy from seeds - we break a fragrant flower bed under the window

Tell us, does the cultivation of levkoi from seeds have any peculiarities? I remember how, in my distant childhood, my grandmother planted marigolds and simple leaves, not terry, under the window every year. The first smelled fragrant during the day, and the second - from evening to morning. Previously, my husband and I lived in an apartment, and there was no opportunity to do gardening. Now we have moved to a private house, and my dream to have a large flower bed is slowly coming true. The turn came to the Levkoy, however, bought seeds of terry varieties. Can they also be planted immediately on a flower bed?

If you are not familiar with the word "levkoy", then you should definitely know about mattiola. Every gardener dreams of having these fragrant flowers, and the easiest way to get them is to grow levkoi from seeds. Despite the rather small size of the planting material, the seeds sprout well. And the bushes themselves develop quickly enough. But the main attraction of the plant is its rich aroma, like an expensive perfume. It appears in the late afternoon and hangs over the flowerbed until the early morning. In addition, varietal varieties will also delight with stuffed peduncles with large double flowers of bright color.

Among the people matthiola most often called disheveled bushes of gray levkoy with small dark pink flowers. But large-flowered terry varieties are known, in fact, as levkoi. Some people think they are different plants. In fact - one and the same culture, just different types.

Growing levkoes from seeds - planting methods

Seed propagation is the most affordable method to start a fragrant garden. As already noted, seeds are highly germinating and always give good results. Seedlings appear together, almost simultaneously, besides, the bushes tolerate transplantation well. You can either grow seedlings first or sow Matthiola in the open field right away.

When to sow seeds for seedlings

The seedling method justifies itself when growing especially valuable varieties of levkoy. Usually there are not so many seeds in a bag, and they cost decently. So that the flowers will surely sprout and not get lost in the garden, it is better to sow them on seedlings. Do not forget that in this way you can bring the flowering of bushes closer.

It is better to start sowing not earlier than mid-March, or even at the end of the month, so as not to overexpose the seedlings in the house. Seeds must be prepared in advance:

• soak in water for a day;
• put the swollen seeds in the refrigerator for 2 days.

The soil should be light and moisture permeable. A mixture of sand and turf in a 3: 1 ratio is suitable. You can sow in a common container or directly into small cups. With general sowing, the pick should be carried out 2 weeks after germination. Seedlings are planted in open ground when frosts pass (from the second half of May).

Late flowering varieties of levkoy are best dived directly into the flower bed.

The subtleties of sowing seeds in open ground

If there is no opportunity and place in the house for seedlings, you can sow matthiola and immediately to the garden. If the seeds are their own, gardeners usually do so. Sowing can be done at the end of April, generously scattering seeds along the groove "with a margin". If all sprout, the thickened plantings will simply need to be thinned out. And winter levkoy is completely permissible to sow in the ground before winter. Then it will rise in early spring and in May will delight you with fragrant flowering.

Sowing levkoes for seedlings - video