Managing the School Greenhouse
Strategies to maximize learning in the school greenhouse


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Crops-Bedding Plants

Bedding Plants
Bedding plants are probably the most common category of crops grown in school greenhouses. The spring is a natural time to work in the greenhouse and bedding plants provide a wide variety of plants that can be grown. Developing your schedule for the different crops is a critical part. You can use several crop schedules, including the Ball Culture Guide, or the Harris Culture Guide. The Harris Culture Guide is online and each crop can be looked up individually.

  • Harris Bedding Plant Culture Guide This guide gives weeks from planting to sale, germination temperatures, seeds per once, days to germination, etc.Greenhouse Managers can order a copy of the Harris Culture Guide
  • Fertilizing Bedding Plants(U Mass)
  • Spring Greenhouse Bedding Plants - Insect, Mite, and Disease Management (Purdue)
  • Success with Container Production of Twelve Herb Species (North Carolina State University)
  • Links to Bedding Plant Production Guidesheets (Purdue)
  • Bedding Plants (U of Kentucky)


    Selecting Containers for Starting Bedding Plants from Seed
    I like to use 601 flat inserts
  • They can easily start enough for 2-3 flats in one insert
  • Determine the number of seedlings that you want (ex: 2 flats of 1006 - that is 2x10x6=120 plants), then factor in the germination rate of the seed and just plant that many seeds.
  • Use three rows in insert for larger seed
  • Broadcast smaller seed
    Some people use whole flat trays 1020
  • This practice wastes space on the propagation bed and in the greenhouse.
  • This can produce 3 times as many seedlings as you need.
    If you have a producer in the area they might be willing to seed plug trays for you
    Sometimes buying started plug trays is a great way to start crops like geranium, begonias, etc.


    • Geraniums
    Geraniums are generally grown in 4" pots. Geraniums can be grown from seed, cuttings or plugs. If you grow from seed, you must start early in the spring to get them to  flower by the time of your plant sale. Geramiums are an excellent crop that will allow students to have success. Geranium seed is somewhat expensive so many teachers choose to grow from plugs.

  • Diseases of Geraniums (UMN)
  • Bacterial Diseases of Geranium (U of Illinois)
  • Growing Geraniums (Ohio State University)
  • Greenhouse Production of Zonal Geraniums (Alabama)
  • Growing Quality Geraniums (U Mass)


    • Hanging Baskets
  • Hanging Baskets Extensive Information (Texas A&M University)
  • Greenhouse Production of Flowering Greenhouse Plants
  • Photos of Hanging Baskets(Texas A&M University)

    Sample of an abrieviated Bedding Plant Growing Schedule
    Sample of a simple Bedding Plant Growing Schedule

    (In actuality you would create this on a real calendar. Then use the calendar in the greenhouse as your guide.) At the plant sale date you should analyze your crops and write notes whether crops should be started earlier or later next year.)

    Seeding Date, Plants, Container

  • January 17, Impatiens, Baskets
  • January 31, Dusty Miller, Packs
  • February 21, Tomatoes, 4” pots
  • March 7, Tomatoes, Packs
  • March 7, French Marigold, Packs
  • April 25, Plant Sale


    • Mixed Large Containers
  • Look at the pictures in the photo page. There are some nice samples.
  • Combination Baskets and RecipesExcellent selection of parge planters by Fischer
  • Container Gardening Ideas
  • Mixed Containers Stretch Season
  • Container Gardens (Cornell)
  • Examples of Mixed Containers (Logees)
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    ©2007 Clark R. Harris


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