Portulaca/Moss Rose

How to Sow and Plant: Portulaca may be grown from seed sown early indoors and transplanted outside after frost, or sown directly in the garden after frost. Sowing Seed Indoors: – Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost in spring using a seed starting kit – Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep in seed starting formula – Keep the soil moist at 70-75 degrees F – Seedlings emerge in 10-14 days – As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours. – Thin to one seedling per cell when they have two sets of leaves. – Seedlings do not need much fertilizer, feed when they are 3-4 weeks old using a starter solution (half strength of a complete indoor houseplant food) according to manufacturer’s directions. – Before planting in the garden, seedling plants need to be “hardened off”. Accustom young plants to outdoor conditions by moving them to a sheltered place outside for a week. Be sure to protect them from wind and hot sun at first. If frost threatens at night, cover or bring containers indoors, then take them out again in the morning. This hardening off process toughens the plant’s cell structure and reduces transplant shock and scalding. Sowing Directly in the Garden: – Direct sow seeds in average soil in full sun after all danger of frost. – Choose a location in full sun with very well-drained soil. – Prepare the soil by removing weeds and working organic matter into the top 6-8 inches of soil; then level and smooth. – Most plants respond well to soils amended with organic matter. Compost is a wonderful form of organic matter with a good balance of nutrients and an ideal pH level, it can be added to your planting area at any time. If compost is not available, top dress the soil after planting with 1-2 inches of organic mulch, which will begin to breakdown into compost. After the growing season, a soil test will indicate what soil amendments are needed for the following season. – Sow seeds thinly and evenly and cover with 1/8 inch of fine soil. – Firm soil lightly with your hand, water and keep evenly moist. – Seedlings will emerge in 10-14 days. – Portulaca may be grown closely together and usually does not need to be thinned. How to Grow: – Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating. – Portulaca is drought tolerant, but plants need about 1 inch of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated. – Until plants become established, some protection from extreme winds and direct, hot sunlight may be necessary. Good air movement is also important. – After new growth appears, a light fertilizer may be applied. Keep granular fertilizers away from the plant crown and foliage to avoid burn injury. Use low rates of a slow release fertilizer such as Flower-tone, as higher rates may encourage root rots. Growing Tips: – Portulaca is ideal for containers. Take care not to overcrowd them or the flowers may be significantly smaller than they should be and the plants may be taller. Always use a commercial potting mix, do not use garden soil, and make sure the containers have adequate drainage. – Container grown plants will require extra water and fertilizer, look for signs of wilt or a nutrient deficiency. – Portulaca is perfect for rock gardens and for beds and borders in drought-prone areas. It grows nicely between paving stones. – The plants have a spreading habit, so they cascade gracefully from hanging baskets and window boxes. – They also make a great annual groundcover. – Portulaca often will self-sow. If you want it to do so, allow some seed to ripen on the plant at the end of the season.

Approximately ~ 40 seeds/package