How to Grow Lisianthus From Seedlings
- 1). Punch two or three small holes in the bottom of a small container such as an 8-oz. Styrofoam cup. The holes will allow excess water to drain out of the soil. Fill the cup with potting soil.
- 2). Pour water onto the soil until it's moist. Place four or five seeds on top of the soil. You don't need to press them in or cover them with dirt---simply place them on the dirt.
- 3). Cover the top of the cup with clear plastic wrap to keep the environment humid and moist. Place the cup in a north-facing windowsill with no direct sun, which is too hot for the seeds and can cause them to dry out.
- 4). Water the soil when it starts to look dry or cracked. Mist the soil with water or place one drop of water at a time until the soil looks moist. If you pour water on the cup, you can disturb the seeds and prevent growth.
- 5). Remove the plastic covering during the day when you start to see growth, typically around the ninth day of germination. Allow the seedlings about an hour of sun at this point; continue to keep the soil moist. Cover them back up with plastic at night. Stop covering them when they're too tall to be covered and reach over the top of the cup.
- 6). Separate the seedlings if more than two or three come up, by gently pulling on the seedling you wish to eliminate until it's out of the dirt. Having more than two or three seedlings in a pot will stunt their growth, as they won't have enough room to fully develop.
- 7). House your seedlings inside until it's warm enough to place them outside, usually in the spring after the threat of frost is gone. Transplant your lisianthus into a larger pot before moving them outside, or when it seems the flowers are getting too large for the tiny cup. Pour new soil into the bigger container, then place the old soil and the seedlings from the cup on top of the new soil. If you're going to plant the lisianthus into the ground, place the cup or pot outside during the daytime for a few days before planting so it acclimates.
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