Welcome to The Happy Box.
Yay! You've received a Happy Box! Before we get started with the good stuff, did you smell you flowers and put them in water? We sent you some instructions on how to care for your fresh flower bouquet, but if you've lost them, visit our flower care page for the full rundown. Here's the link: https://www.hhfshop.com/pages/fresh-flower-care
The Happy Box was created to keep everyday people of all ages from going bananas during quarantine. As our world begins to resume some normalcy (that deserves another YAY!), we realized that pandemic or not, humans crave nature. Just because you may not live on a flower farm, doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to enjoy the amazing things that happen when you get a little dirt under your fingernails.
Included in your Happy Box is everything you need to grow some stunning flowers at home. This includes a biodegradable planting tray, soil, seeds, and a plant label. You also have the basic instructions for planting your seeds, which we've elaborated on a bit below.
While we've provided our recommended growing method, you should refer to the back of your seed packet for specific care information.
Let's dig in, shall we?
READY, SET, PLANT!
Step 1: Get started by filling your growing container to the brim with soil. Using your hand, lightly press down on the soil. Try not to smash it, rather, gently compact the soil in each potting square so that water will be able to pool and soak in.
Step 2: Dampen the soil with a small amount of water. Since you're only wanting to dampen the soil, we recommend using a spray bottle, but you can use whatever you have handy. Just remember, you're only dampening the soil - we’ll give the seeds good water in Step 4.
Step 3: Place approximately three seeds on top of the soil in each potting square. These seeds need light to begin growing so don't cover them up!
Step 4: Lightly water in your new plantings. You don’t want to drown your seeds, but you do want the soil to be completely saturated.
Step 5: Make a label for your seedlings. We’ve included one for your tray, but if you’d like to label each cell, popsicle sticks or straws make handy plant labels in a pinch! Write the name of your plant (found on the seed packet), along with the date that you planted it.
Step 6: Place your seed tray in a sunny location where the temperature stays around 70 degrees.
SEEDLING CARE
Checking Water. Check your seedlings daily to make sure they have enough water. The soil should be damp and not dry. To monitor moisture, insert your finger into the side of the container's soil to the first knuckle.
Share the Sunlight. Rotate your containers in the sun. The seedlings will bend to the light, and by rotating them, we create stronger plants!
Splitting Your Seedlings. It’s not uncommon that some of your seedlings refuse to grow, but it’s also not uncommon for all of them to flourish! If all three seeds in the same potting square germinated and are growing strong, you may need to separate them so they can continue to grow into healthy individual plants. When you can no longer visually tell that there are separate plants in your potting square, it’s time to break them up.
Give Them Fresh Air. After the threat of frost has passed in your area your plants can head outside for some fresh air! It’s important to let your seedlings adjust to being outside, so start by placing them outside for a few hours on sunny days. Be careful of strong sun which can burn tender leaves. Plants can remain outdoors once temperatures constantly remain above 34 degrees.
Get Growing! As your seedlings become more established, they’ll take off quickly and need room to spread their roots. Once your seedlings have three or more sets of leaves, they can be safely moved to a bigger growing space! After the threat of frost has passed, move them to a large, five-gallon container or plant them directly in the ground. The potting squares are biodegradable, so you can plant the whole thing!
If you’re not sure when the last frost is in your area, you can use the almanac to find your frost date according to your zipcode: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates
Where to Plant. Locate a sunny spot in your garden to plant your seedlings or place your pots. Avoid planting during the hottest part of the day; it is best to make this an early morning or late evening task. Make sure to water all newly planted babies thoroughly and regularly, being mindful to check water every day for the first two weeks to give the small drinking roots time to properly grow.
FOLLOW YOUR FLOWER'S JOURNEY
These are tender babies and need constant love and attention in the form of water, light, and observation. As farmers, it's not only fun to record what’s happening with our seedlings, but it’s a requirement of the job! Use your flower journal worksheet to record your observations along your flower’s journey!
If you have other seeds on hand and want to track their progress as well, click here to download a printable flower journal worksheet.
BONUS: THE INTERACTIVE FLOWER PROJECT
For all of our Happy Box fans, we've created an interactive flower project to keep the little ones learning at home! To download the Spring Seedlings Interactive Flower Project and see the full library of flower projects from the past, visit our Interactive Flower Project page!