Albert Mondor

In addition, most commercial composts, or the one you are making yourself, contain large amounts of nutrients essential for plant growth. In fact, the compost provides all the nitrogen and the phosphorus needed by the majority of ornamental plants. Compost gradually releases nutrients it contains, avoiding leaching and therefore pollution. A regular addition of compost can feed and maintain a healthy flora and fauna of the soil, which reduces the frequency and severity of attacks of pests and diseases.

Most plants that grow in sunny flower beds, such as larkspur (Delphinium), peonies (Paeonia) and roses (Rosa), may receive each spring about 2.5 cm thick compost on a diameter equivalent to that of their crown of leaves. However, give much less to rockery plants, adapted to poor and sandy soils, such as lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and scabious (Scabiosa).

Angelonia Carita™ ‘Raspberry’
(Angelonia angustifolia Carita™ ‘Raspberry’)

Height: 40 cm
Width: 35 cm
Flowers: pink, blooming from June to October
Light exposure: sun, semi-shade
Soil type: light and moist but well-drained

The Angelonia Carita™ ‘Raspberry’ produces pretty pink flowers that last all summer. It tolerates hot and dry periods and resists insects and diseases.

New Star^® ‘Red’ Begonia
(Begonia New Star^® ‘Red’)

Height: 25 cm
Width: 20 cm
Flowers: red, blooming from June to October
Light exposure: sun, semi-shade, light shade, medium shade
Soil type: rich and moist but well-drained

The New Star^® ‘Red’ begonia produces many large red flowers that blossom until the first autumn frost. Arranged individually or in a group, in a container or in the ground, this superb begonia never goes unnoticed.

‘Gryphon’ Begonia
(Begonia ‘Gryphon’)

Height: 60 cm
Width: 70 cm
Foliage: dark green and grey palm leaves
Light exposure: semi-shade, light shade, medium shade
Soil type: rich and moist but well-drained

The ‘Gryphon’ begonia features magnificent dark green palm leaves variegated with grey, as well as purple veins. Arranged in a pot or planted in a shaded border, this noble begonia adds a touch of class and sophistication to any garden.

‘Mojito’ Colocasia
(Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’)

Height: 1.20 m
Width: 1 m
Foliage: green with black spots
Light exposure: sun, semi-shade, light shade
Soil type: rich and moist

Featuring enormous green leaves speckled with black spots, and reaching a length of up to 45 cm and a width of 25 cm, the ‘Mojito’ colocasia adds a lavish tropical touch to any garden.

‘Little Tut’ Papyrus
(Cyperus papyrus ‘Little Tut’)

Height: 75 cm
Width: 75 cm
Flowers: green
Light exposure: sun, semi-shade
Soil type: rich and moist

The ‘Little Tut’ papyrus has ruffled green inflorescences supported by solid stems as high as 75cm. This robust and vigorous plant is very resistant to insects and diseases.

‘PowWow Wild Berry’ Echinacea
(Echinacea ‘PowWow Wild Berry’)

Height: 55cm
Width: 45cm
Flowers: pink, blooming from July to September
Light exposure: sun, semi-shade
Soil type: adapts to various types of fresh but well-drained soils

This small echinacea is only 55cm tall and 45cm wide. Unlike other echinacea cultivars, the colour of the many flowers produced by the ‘PowWow Wild Berry’ barely changes over time. This perennial can also flower five to six months after being seeded.

GoldDust™ Mecardonia
(Mecardonia GoldDust™)

Height: 10cm
Width: 40cm
Flowers: yellow, blooming from May to September
Light exposure: sun
Soil type: adapts to various types of fresh but well-drained soils

The GoldDust™ mecardonia is a creeping annual that forms a dense cushion that becomes covered with a multitude of small yellow flowers from May to September.

‘Rhythm and Blues’ Petunia
(Petunia ‘Rhythm and Blues’)

Height: 20cm
Width: 35cm
Flowers: violet-blue and white, blooming from June to September
Light exposure: sun
Soil type: adapts to various types of fresh but well-drained soils

This lovely petunia features violet-blue flowers edged with white and blooms non-stop from late spring to September.

Sowing your seeds

A wide variety of vegetables and annuals may be sown indoors in containers in March and April. You may use seeds from your own plants; however, if this is your first experience with seedlings, or if you did not collect seeds last fall, you must buy seeds from a gardening store or reputable seed dealer. Select high quality Canada No. 1 seeds. Once the packet is open, the seeds begin to deteriorate – so use them as quickly as possible. However, you can seal the packet with tape and store it in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic container at temperatures between 1°C and 5°C. Most annual seeds remain viable for a little over a year. Plants from the pea family, known as pulses or legumes, may last even longer.

Soil

The soil to use for seedlings must be light, well aerated and able to retain water and nutrients. It must also be sterile in order to avoid fungal diseases which could develop and attack newly-germinated young plants. Never use soil from your garden, as it may carry pathogens and is generally too heavy and not aerated enough to yield good results. Instead, use a commercial substrate specially prepared for seedlings. You may prepare you own soil by mixing one part compost, one part sphagnum moss and one part perlite. Water soil well before use.

Containers

Once your soil is mixed and watered, pour it into a container and even out the surface with a small wooden stick. Rather than placing all your seedlings in one container, you may use a container divided into several smaller compartments; this will make transplating much easier. Some annuals do not tolerate transplanting. Sow these seeds in biodegradable peatmoss containers, or peat pots. Bachelor’s buttons (Centaurea cyanus), mallow (Lavatera trimestris), castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) are examples of plants whose roots must be disturbed as little as possible. Sow two to three seeds per compartment or peat pot. Identify your seedlings by name. Some seeds should not be buried into the substrate because they need light to germinate; others need to be covered by about 6 mm of soil because they need darkness to germinate. The table below lists some ornamental plant, vegetable and herb seeds that may be planted indoors in March or April. The table specifies whether the seeds need to be covered in soil, and the optimal germination temperature is provided.

Moisture and Light

Most seeds germinate properly if they receive constant, generous moisture, about 80%. In order to avoid constant watering, special transparent plastic domes are recommended. In addition to preventing water evaporation, these domes act like a greenhouse, maintaining a stable high temperature. Should water droplets form on the dome walls, it should be slightly opened for a few hours to let excess moisture evaporate.

For many plant species, light is not required at the start of the germination process, but all seedlings need light to grow and develop. As sunlight is not sufficient, seedlings must be placed under artificial light for up to sixteen hours per day. A system using a Gro-Lux type fluorescent and a Vita-Lite fluorescent is usually sufficient. This type of system can light a 1.20 m x 30 cm area. Fluorescents must be placed as close as possible to the plastic dome covering the seedlings. Metal halid light systems may also be used. For example, a 1,000 W bulb can light a 2.40 m x 2.40 m area. This type of lighting must be placed approximately 60 cm above seedlings.