Hardy Hibiscus Seed Starting

Seed Starting can be fun and very rewarding these Hardy Hibiscus of the Luna series are great to start from seeds. The Luna Hibiscus seeds are great to start we use a 200 cell tray to start these in as we have a vacuum seeder because the volume of trays we grow in our nursery and for other garden centers and cut flower farmers local. We like to use Pro Mix FPX it is a great light seed starting mix we do add vermiculite to it that way it aerates it well and has good water retention. We like to place seeds in center of each cell and then we cover with soil they will be about 1/8" to 1/4" deep works best be sure they are in center that way they will sprout in the center and have plenty of room to root and then the roots will have even growth. We water these well and we place a dome over them. They will need a soil temperature of about 68f to 75f to germinate. These Hibiscus should germinate about 75% in 6 days and then we take the dome off the seedlings. After we take the dome off we will lower the heat to about 70f and keep it about there for 2 weeks. After this we will fertilize for one week and then place out in the greenhouse for them to grow more. When these Hibiscus are rooted well we will plant them up in 2 gallon pots. At the end of the first season in the fall we cut back all the way down. In out area about mid may they start to have new growth after this we don't cut back anymore. These are hardy to -20f and have very large blooms about 6" to 8" blooms on them in July and August. This is just one of many perennial shrubs we like to grow.