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Choosing the Right Vinca Seeds
Vincas are a fabulous flower for the summer garden, flowering all summer long and well into the fall season and long after marigolds and zinnias have faded. They are an excellent plant for hanging baskets, borders and patio planting. Because of this, you can fill your planters with a glorious combination of colors which need not cost you much if you buy vinca seeds and grow yourself. As they are so popular, growers have enjoyed creating a number of varieties and vinca seeds are available from a lot of sources, you can even save money by choosing vinca seeds bulk buys from the Internet.
Types of vinca seeds
Summer flowering vinca seeds are called Catharanthus and are often confused with the two main winter flowering periwinkle varieties bought under the names vinca minor and major. They are propagated from cuttings, so you cannot buy vinca minor seeds, or vinca major seeds. These are lovely plants in their own right, blue and white flowers, evergreen and trailing, but they are not the vinca flower seeds that most want to brighten up their hanging baskets. The original pink colored Catharanthus that botanists confused with vincas were named vinca rosea seeds of which they then mixed with others to produce the hybrids that most people buy in the garden centers today. So popular are vinca seeds bulk buying is now available on the Internet of the most popular varieties. The vinca with variegated leaves that are green and white with periwinkle blossoms produced from early march is the vinca vine seeds of which need to be planted as soon as the first frosts have passed if growing outdoors, earlier if starting them off indoors in warm conditions.
Growing Vinca Seeds
It is easiest to grow vinca seeds in a seed-starting mix in cells, about 2-3 seeds per cell, moistened but not waterlogged. Cover the seeds with about 1/4 inch of mix, spray with water and press down lightly. Vinca seeds will not germinate in any sort of light; cover them with a black plastic sheet and allow them to germinate in total darkness. The vinca seeds need warmth, so a heating mat is ideal as they need temperatures around 25 degrees C or 77 degrees F. The vinca seeds will germinate in two weeks, then they will need light and warmth, a fluorescent-light garden is best. Avoid over watering, they are drought tolerant, so it is better to under water, keeping the soil mix damp. Feed them with a water soluble fertilizer, low in phosphorous about 10 days after they have germinated. At about 2 inches tall, transplant the strongest plants to a tray, then to individual pots when about 3 inches tall. Vincas need high light levels, and can be moved outside once the temperature is consistently above 65 degrees F. Growing vinca seeds takes care but is not difficult and you will be rewarded with a glorious show of flowers all summer long.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about seeds and organic gardening at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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