KinderGarden Plants - Windowsill Gardening

	Growing Instructions

Growing on KinderGarden Plants could not be easier simply follow these step by step instructions to ensure success.

Getting the best from KinderGarden Seedlings

Once purchased your seedlings should be ‘pricked out’ as soon as possible. All seedlings are tender and must be handled with care and protected from the cold at all times.

You will need:

Growing trays: Seed trays, ideally with dividers that effectively form individual cells or plug trays inserts which can be used on their own or in combination with a seed tray.

Growing Compost: A good quality compost, the best you can afford, will ensure your plants get off to a good start, look for one that provides plant protection with an in-built insecticide.

A dibber or pencil: You will need to make a hole in each cell to accommodate the seedling roots.

What to do:

Water the seedlings then leave to drain for ½ hour.
Fill the trays with compost, lightly firming the surface and ‘dib’ a hole in the centre of each cell or plug.
Take hold of the seedling pot and gently squeeze opposite corners, carefully tip out the seedlings. Take hold of a seedling by the leaf (not the stem) and tease it away keeping its root intact.
Lower the seedling into the hole ensuring that all the roots are in the hole and that the seedling is at a similar depth in the compost as it was in the seedling pot. Using the dibber or pencil gently firm the compost around the stem. Note: Lobelia seedlings are usually pricked out in small clumps of 4 or 5 seedlings.
Once the whole tray has been completed carefully water the seedlings in. Keep the compost damp - but NOT WET, most seedling losses are caused by over watering.
Place in a warm well-lit place to grow on, try to avoid temperatures below 15°C and remember it can get quite cold on a windowsill at night, particularly behind a heavy curtain.

Growing on: When the seedlings have matured into plug plants they can be potted on into single pots or directly into containers. See Plug Plants for directions.

Getting the best from KinderGarden Net Pot Plants

Net Pot Plants are supplied at just the right stage for planting up in to baskets and containers of all types. The net pot system provides easy transplanting and minimal root disturbance ensuring the plants establish quickly. When making your plant selection note the habit of each plant, make sure you have sufficient upright, trailing and spreading plants to fill your containers.

You will need:

Baskets, pots, containers and pouches: In fact almost any container will do as long as it can hold a reasonable amount of compost and is free draining. For individual specimen plants, pot on into 7 – 9cm (3-4in) pots, one plant per pot.

Growing Compost: A good quality compost, the best you can afford, will ensure your plants get off to a good start, look for one that provides plant protection with an in-built insecticide. A slow release fertiliser can also be added to the compost, which will benefit the plants automatically throughout the summer.

What to do:

Gently water the net pot and leave to drain for ½ hour.
Fill your chosen container with compost and firm lightly.
Make a hole in the compost with your fingers and plant the net pot plant (pot and all). Set the plant so that the top of the net pot is level with the compost, gently firm in each plant.
Continue to plant placing trailing varieties to the edge, upright items centrally and filling in between with spreading subjects. As a guide use 10 plants to a 30cm (12in) container or basket and 18 plants to a 45cm (18in) one.
Carefully water in the plants. Ensure the plants do not dry out but avoid over wet conditions.
Place the container in a warm, well-lit place where the plants can establish. Protect from frost at all times.

Growing On: After six weeks commence feeding with a liquid fertiliser as per the manufacturers recommendation. Gradually acclimatise the plants to outside conditions, as the weather improves.