So, if you're interested in growing stock from seed at home, want to see photos, and make sure it's right for you, our tips will help. Choose your favorite variety, and let's get planting.
Take a look Lunar sowing calendar for 2016 for Siberia.
How to plant stocks
Of course, you can sow the seeds directly into garden soil in an open area without much fuss, but then they won't bloom until August. If you want an earlier bloom, around June, you'll need to put in a little effort and sow the seeds early, usually in March, for seedlings. You can also do this: grow some as seedlings, others directly into the ground, choose different varieties, and your flowerbeds will bloom with just stocks all summer long.
Growing from seedlings
Prepare the boxes with a mixture of 2 parts sod and 1 part sand, then sprinkle with hot potassium permanganate. Let the soil sit for 2-3 days to dry. Then scatter the seeds, sprinkle lightly with sand, cover, and keep in a warm place until germination occurs. Don't water immediately; wait a bit. Then, very carefully, using spot watering, moisten the seeds.
As soon as the sprouts emerge, move them immediately into the light and to a cooler room. This will ensure the seedlings are strong and won't be daunted by sudden cold spells. However, it's important to understand that stock seedlings are so delicate that transplanting them into the garden won't be easy. Therefore, it's best to plant them individually in cups, such as peat ones, or place them in a bottomless container, then transfer them directly to the soil, cup and all.
Also check out: Planting eggplant seedlings in 2016.
Diseases
To prevent stocks from getting sick, you only need to know a few things: don't plant too densely, water the bed with phytosporin, don't overwater, and be sure to loosen the soil when you do water it, so the water doesn't stagnate. Also, stocks prefer sunny spots, so keep this in mind when choosing their location.
Planting in the ground
Transplant on cloudy days, around mid-May, into loose, mineral-rich soil with moderate moisture; super-sandy soil is especially good. Make holes, water them with warm water, and simply transfer the seedlings into this muddy slurry; this will help them take root. Pay attention to the distance between plants: low-growing ones should be at least 15 cm apart, medium-sized ones need 25 cm, and tall, branched ones require at least 35 cm. Otherwise, if the soil becomes too dense, the plants will develop poorly, the flowers will be small and unattractive, and they may even develop black stems.
Types and varieties
• Many types of stock have been bred, among which the most popular is the purple Victoria, which represents a group of low-growing stocks.
• Rosetta and Rabinrot represent a group of medium-sized stocks.
• Tall beauties include Diana, Czartrosa and the delightful Rhineweiss.
• And of course, matthiola, a permanent resident of gardens, its extraordinary aroma, which appears especially in the evening, enchants gardeners, and they willingly plant matthiola on their plots, especially closer to home, to enjoy the wonderful aroma on summer evenings.
And considering how many different color shades of matthiola have now been developed by breeders, it’s absolutely worth bringing this fragrant beauty into your home for the pleasure of contemplating and inhaling its aromas.
Read: When to plant cucumber seedlings in 2016.