Spurge: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow spurges outdoors?
Before sowing a spurge outdoors, check the species and seed packet instructions. The genus includes hardy garden plants, annuals and cold-sensitive forms. Sowing time and germination needs differ. Outdoor sowing does not suit every species, especially when temperatures remain too low for a warm-climate form.
Choose a small nursery bed or a container with drainage holes that you can monitor. Prepare a fine surface and remove competing weeds. Use a growing medium suited to the seed lot, with appropriate drainage. Distribute seeds sparsely and apply the covering recommended by the supplier. Do not confuse seed spacing with the distance between mature plants.
Label with the botanical name and date. Maintain the moisture needed without saturation and protect from heavy rain or drying. If a cold period is specified, follow it for that seed lot instead of imposing it on every spurge. Emergence can be variable.
Once seedlings can be handled, space them out or prepare their transfer according to the species. Avoid breaking stems: the latex can irritate skin and eyes. Wear gloves and handle young plants carefully.
How do you plant a spurge?
When does spurge flower?
How do you prune a spurge?
