From our perspective, everything begins with the soil. We are tiny and vulnerable, and we require a very specific environment to break our dormancy. Please provide us with a sterile, soilless seed-starting mix. This is crucial, as common garden soil is far too dense for our delicate roots to penetrate and often contains fungi that can overwhelm us. The medium should be fine, lightweight, and able to hold moisture without becoming waterlogged. Gently press us into this moistened bed; we need light to germinate, so do not bury us deeply. A mere dusting of vermiculite is sufficient to hold us in place and maintain the humidity we crave.
To coax us from our slumber, we demand consistent warmth and moisture. Our ideal germination temperature is a steady 70-75°F (21-24°C). A propagation mat is the best way to provide this, as room temperature air is often too cool, especially at night. Cover our container with a clear plastic dome or plastic wrap to create a miniature greenhouse. This traps humidity around us, preventing our tiny seed coats from drying out, which would be a death sentence. Place us in a bright location, but out of direct, scorching sunlight for now. Under these perfect conditions, you should see the first sign of us—tiny green cotyledons—within 7 to 10 days.
Once we have emerged, our needs change immediately. Remove the plastic cover to allow for air circulation and prevent damping-off, a fatal fungal disease that thrives in stagnant, wet conditions. We now require abundant light to grow strong and not become leggy and weak. A south-facing window might suffice, but for the best start, we greatly prefer 12-16 hours under fluorescent or LED grow lights, positioned just a few inches above our leaves. Keep our growing medium consistently moist, but not soggy; water from the bottom to avoid disturbing our fragile stems and roots.
When we develop our second or third set of true leaves (which look different from our initial rounded cotyledons), we are ready for more space. Gently transplant us into individual small pots. This encourages a robust, well-branched root system. At this stage, we begin our rapid vegetative growth. You can feed us with a very diluted, balanced liquid fertilizer to support this growth. To ensure we grow bushy and full, not tall and spindly, it is beneficial to pinch off the very top set of leaves when we have about six leaves. This might seem counterintuitive, but it signals us to redirect our energy to sprouting new branches from the leaf nodes below, creating a much denser, flower-producing plant.
We have been nurtured in a protected, controlled environment. The outside world of wind, full sun, and fluctuating temperatures is a shock to our systems. You must harden us off. This is a non-negotiable process. Over 7-10 days, gradually expose us to outdoor conditions. Start with a sheltered, shady spot for just an hour or two, gradually increasing the time and introducing us to direct morning sun. Always bring us back inside at night. This process slowly toughens our foliage and strengthens our stems, preparing us for permanent life in your garden, where we will reward your care with a prolific display of flowers.
