Schedule for Annuals and Vegetables in Hotbed

All annuals can be boosted into early growth in the hotbed. However, you should determine whether gardeners in your area are ready and willing to purchase them early, before you spend additional money starting them this way. Sow the seed in flats, pots, or directly into the hotbed. Fine seed such as petunia is sprinkled on top the soil or other growing media with but a light covering of sand sprinkled over it. Larger seeds daisy, castor bean, etc. are planted to inch deep.

In addition to the annuals mentioned in other sections of this book, these, too, are good sellers and easily grown in the hotbed: African daisy, angel trumpet, balloon vine, blue lace-flower (Didiscus), cardinal climber, cup-and-saucer vine, firecracker plant (Cuphea), flax, lupine, salpiglossis, and statice.

Vegetables in the Hotbed

Most small greenhouse operators do not find it profitable to grow and sell vegetable plants. But you should at least find out about the possible market for them in your area. If sources of supply are short, you may add considerably to your greenhouse earnings by selling vegetable plants grown in the hotbed. If you intend to grow the plants to marketable stage, be sure to keep them growing uniformly and as rapidly as possible without soft straggly growth. Careful watering and ventilation are among the greatest good-growth factors. If the plants appear to be growing too rapidly, decrease water and give them more ventilation.

Tomatoes

If you live in one of the warmer areas you can plant tomato seed from January to late February. In the North, seed planted in the hotbed in early March makes salable plants for late May.

Speed germination by having the soil temperature 70 to 75 degrees F. Once the seedlings appear, reduce the temperature 10 degrees. Germination takes place in less than a week. Given strong light and moderate watering, seedlings will grow stocky and are ready for transplanting to the cold frame 2 to 3 weeks after planting.

Approximately the same culture can be applied to several other popular vegetables eggplant, peppers, cabbage, cantaloupe, cucumbers, and summer squash. Check your local market for the possibilities of profit.

Keywords: Greenhouse Gardening, Landscaping, Plants, Pool, Gardener, Landscape, Trees

Tags: home greenhouse

Kindly consider linking to this article by just copying and pasting the code below on your website/blog ( press Ctrl+C to copy the entire code). The text link will look on your website like this: Schedule for Annuals and Vegetables in Hotbed

<a href="http://www.home-greenhouse-profits.com/schedule-for-annuals-and-vegetables-in-hotbed.html">Schedule for Annuals and Vegetables in Hotbed</a>