January seems to go by quickly and the time for the first sowing is approaching to prepare you for spring gardening. The first vegetable plants will be sown next month so that they have enough time to grow large enough. Which plants can you prefer in February?
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Isn’t February a little early? Beginners ask themselves whether there is still too much time until the planting time (usually after the Ice Saints) and whether the plants will have a difficult time in the pot by then. No, because every plant develops at different speeds. So if you sow vegetables that grow slowly, they will be ready to plant at just the right time.
Which plants to prefer in February: The popular classics and other varieties
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Do you keep thinking about tomatoes? They are definitely one of the most popular vegetables and are a must for many hobby gardeners. However, these are usually brought forward from March. However, in milder areas, some begin growing as early as the end of January. Which vegetables and flowers can you buy seeds for?
Prepare these vegetables now while they are warm
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Slow-growing, heat-loving plants are not only ideal for growing indoors. They also need this environment to grow (heated greenhouses are also suitable).
Artichoke cauliflower chili celeriac kohlrabi leek pepper parsley red cabbage lettuce celery thyme white cabbage Savoy cabbage
What can you prefer in February? You can follow this plan:
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When will something be sown?
Design: Deavita/Canva This is important for successful cultivation
It’s not just the seeds that you should get in good time. You will also need other things if you want to pre-germinate seeds:
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As you know, plants need enough hours of sunshine to thrive even in their early stages. This is also the reason why the cultivation pots should always be placed on a bright windowsill (without direct sunlight). Nevertheless, the days in February are still quite short and the hours of sunshine may not be enough for some plants. A cultivation lamp is therefore recommended to compensate for the deficiency.
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Prepare seed pots
The potties should be neither too small nor too big. Special growing pots are available commercially and are usually reminiscent of egg cartons. You can also make nursery pots yourself. Find out how and from what here.
Of course you want to give your young plants everything they need. What some beginners do wrong, however, is to use nutrient-rich soil with the idea of providing the young vegetable plants well from the start. But the roots are still too tender and sensitive and are damaged by the excess nutrients. The seeds contain everything you need for the first few weeks.
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You are welcome to make the right soil yourself. Here’s how.
Check the temperature
What was the reason again for you to pre-germinate the vegetable plants? Exactly, they like it warm and wouldn’t germinate that early outdoors. But also check whether the growing room is at the right temperature.
Practical tip on planting depth
Not sure how deep you should plant the seeds? In general you can choose according to your size. The depth should therefore correspond to the size of the seed/core.
What can you sow in February?
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There are actually vegetables that are not only robust enough to be planted directly into the bed in February. They even benefit from the cold and become tastier. These are:
Peas Broad beans Early carrots Early radishes Spinach
Before you start sowing, the beds should be prepared. You may have already loosened up in the fall. If not, do it now to oxygenate the soil. Have you applied mulch everywhere? Then now is the right time to rake this away. This will allow the ground to warm up more quickly now that it is getting warmer and sunnier outside.
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If you’ve thought of it, Wintergemüse If you prefer, you can plant it directly into the bed in February. If not, that’s not a big deal because you can start now. This includes:
root vegetable: parsnip, beetroot, salsify, turnip, Jerusalem artichoke
Leafy vegetables: chicory, endive, lamb’s lettuce, winter cress, winter purslane
Types of cabbage: Kale, red cabbage or white cabbage
What flowers can you plant or sow in February?
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You can bring forward some balcony classics as early as February so that you have enough flowers right at the start of the season. What can you sow in February?
Busy Lieschen Snapdragon Men’s Faithful Petunias
It is best to start growing these flowers in mid-February at the earliest to provide them with the necessary light conditions. Alternatively, you could of course simply use a cultivation lamp.