Plug Plants

The fun and easy way to create fabulous garden colour. Plug Plants

Growing plants from seed can be tricky, you wonder whether they will germinate, then you need to prick out the tiniest of seedlings and hope that they grow. It can be timeconsuming and labour intensive.

Why not let the professionals do the hard work and opt for Plug Plants instead!

Plug plants are young plants that have been planted by professional growers in trays or small cells. They act like a stepping stone between seeds and fully-grown plants.

Our nursery and garden centre look great at this time of year, packed with row upon row of pretty plug plants, all being carefully nurtured through their early growth stages. These small plants are perfect for making your own containers, hanging baskets and window boxes.

Think of geranium, petunia, fuchsia, verbena, nemesia and so many more beautiful bedding plants. In addition to flowering bedding plants, you will also be able to find vegetable plants in plug form, ready to pot on and grow in your greenhouse, or even directly outside depending on the variety. This takes much of the pressure off and definitely speeds up the process! from your local garden centre or from an online seller, it is important to care for them properly in order to get the best results later in the season.

When you first get them home keep them either in a heated greenhouse or indoors. If they feel a little dry stand them in shallow water for a couple of minutes to allow the plants to soak up the water.

The sooner you can plant up your plugs into small pots the better as it gives the roots room to develop. Small 9cm pots are ideal for this, you can recycle old pots of course, but make sure they have been cleaned first.

Be careful not to pack the compost down too much when you repot your plugs. Water them well but be careful not to overwater, this can be very damaging to young plants.

You can even arrange your plug plants directly into your hanging basket or container, but be sure to allow enough space for growth so don’t overcrowd your baskets or tubs. It is a good idea to mix some water-retaining crystals and slow release plant food into the compost to set them up well.

Keep your newly potted plants, baskets and containers in a warm well-lit area, such as your heated greenhouse, conservatory or windowsill, but keep them out of direct sunlight. After 2-3 weeks, you can start feeding them with a good general multi-purpose fertiliser. But do not put them outside until all risk of frost has passed.

When you are ready to put your plants outside, harden them off first to get them used to the night-time temperatures. Put them outside during the day and bring them in at night, just for a couple of weeks.

In no time at all you will see your plug plants growing into mature plants which will create an explosion of colour throughout the whole summer.

Choosing plug plants definitely takes the effort out of growing your own summer bedding, so you will have more time to enjoy the garden and create beautiful baskets, boxes, beds and borders! n

Botany Bay Nurseries, Garden Centre & Café Edgioake Lane, Astwood Bank, Redditch. B96 6BG 01527 893885 www.botany-bay.co.uk Find us on Facebook & Instagram