Flower Gardening

...to Flower Gardening!

Question: What combines excitement, color, exercise and cheerfulness all in one activity?

Answer: Flower Gardening! Many people enjoy one aspect or another of flower gardening.

Flower gardening is one of my favorite facets of gardening. I like to start my own flowers from seed. Growing your own flower plants from seed has many "ups" to it. For one thing, it's not too complicated to poke a seed in the dirt! Seeds are also easy to find. Of course, they are easier to find in season and can be found in most grocery stores, at your local nursery, in seed catalogs, at Wal-Mart, K-Mart or Pamida and even on the internet!

God programmed seeds to grow, and all they need are a few basic elements ~ water, heat and light. You can start your own seeds nearly anywhere they will get the above components; the top of the refrigerator is a good place for germinating seeds. A sunny south window is perfect for seedlings to grow until they can be planted outside. If you want to put more effort into it, you can buy a regular shop light and hang or set that above your plants. Very little equipment is needed to grow your own flowers from seed; all you need is seeds, soil, water, planting pots and a sunny south window. You can use supplies from around your house, like clean yogurt containers with plastic wrap over for germination. Rolled newspaper tubes make great biodegradable planting pots.

You also get more for your money. Growing your own flower plants from seed costs less then buying already-grown plants from a nursery. Also, you get a wider selection of different types of plants then you normally would in a nursery. Seed catalogs offer a very wide selection of seeds. When you grow your own flowers from seed, you can experience the satisfaction of cutting a bouquet of flowers from the garden, set it as a center piece on your table, and be able to say, "I grew these beautiful flowers from just a tiny seed!"

Growing your own plants from seed also can be a rewarding family experience. It will help bring your family closer together by spending time with each other. Also, growing plants from seed (you can also grow your own vegetables) helps you to become more self-sufficient by growing your own produce. You can grow hard-to-find varieties and heirloom plants that you wouldn't be able to easily find in a grocery store or nursery. If you've decided you want to grow your own flowers from seed, pick up a packet of seeds the next time you see them. You won't regret it, and the rewards will be great! Grow your vegetables and flowers from seed for a fun and enjoyable way to save money!

More to come....