How to Plant Hibiscus Seeds in October
Hibiscus is a tropical plant that grows outdoors in warm climates. To start them from seed in the month of October is not difficult. They have certain requirements for planting. The seeds may look hardy, but they are quite delicate, so take special care when planting them. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hibiscus seeds
- Tray
- Pots, 2 inches high
- Potting soil or peat pots
- Sharp knife
- Water mister
Instructions
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1
Place the 2-inches-high pots in a sturdy plastic tray. This will catch the excess water and make carrying the pots easier. You can also use peat pots, or improvise with plastic containers from sour cream, butter or yogurt. Just remember to punch some drainage holes at the bottom.
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2
Fill the pots with potting soil. This can be your own premixed potting soil or some you bought at a garden center. If you use peat pots, soak them in water first. They will swell and rise for sowing the hibiscus seeds.
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3
Nick each seed before you plant them. To nick them, cut a tiny part off the seed. This helps it to absorb the moisture better. You don't have to do this step, but you will save time later. By nicking the seeds, you expose a little piece of the white seed meat. If you don't see any white seed meat, then your seed is not viable.
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Poke four holes into the soil, each for one seed. For peat pots, generally plant one seed per pot. Pick up a seed with a pair of tweezers and drop it into a hole. Make sure the nicked part is toward the bottom. Fill the hole with soil. Gently water the pots. Set the seed tray in a warm sunny place, where the temperature remains around 80 to 85 degrees F. A heat mat will help keep the temperature constant. Mist three or four times a day, but do not allow the soil to become soggy, or the seeds will rot.
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Some people put a piece of plastic over the tops of their pots to keep in moisture and warmth. If you do this, you will need to check your pots several times a day. If you see mold growing on top of the soil, remove the plastic for several hours to help dry it out.
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Usually one can put the trays in a sunny curtained window, but in the month of October, the days become shorter and cloudier. This is when the use of grow lights becomes essential. When the seeds germinate and have their first pair of leaves, you can begin to lift the plastic off them.
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Tips & Warnings
Keeping a careful watch on your soil is vital. If the soil is kept too moist, the seeds will rot. If the soil dries out, the seeds will die for lack of moisture. Nicked seeds will germinate in eight to 10 days. If you don't nick them, it will take three to four weeks. Not all seeds will germinate.
If you use grow lights, watch your soil so it doesn't become too hot. You can tell by looking at the soil. Is it always dry? If the plants have leaves, they will turn yellow and begin to die.
When the seedlings have five adult leaves, you can transplant them to a bigger container. Adult leaves come after the first two seedling leaves.
