Growing summer bedding from plugs

If you want to save time and money growing your own bedding plants, plugs are ideal. Starting life in a nursery with a very controlled environment the grower is in a much better position to germinate and grow on the young plants.
What to look for when purchasing bedding plugs!

1. Make sure the young plants look healthy, look closely to spot any moulds or dead leaves. Next look at the general appearance of the plants Making sure they are not to leggy and that the leaves and stems are healthy ( yellow leave often indicate that the plant is running out of food and is well past its sell by date )
2. Look for plugs with a good root system, as this will help the plant take up new nutrients in the potting compost.

Potting them on!
Once you are ready to pot them into the final pot stage before bedding out you should follow 3 simple steps to help you succeed.

1. Water the young plug plants well before you start. They need to be soaked with a watering can 3 or 4 times.
2. Try not to touch the stem then pot them on this can cause damage, which the plant will not recover from.
3. Use a liquid feed to water the plants into the final pots.
4. Final look after the young plants making sure they are not "checked" by a sudden change in temperate or the compost being allowed to try out.

Once your new plants are potted on they should grow quickly. Keep feeding them and remove any flower buds that form in the first two weeks.
Ideal bedding plants to grow from plugs are geraniums, bizzie Lizzies, and Begonias.