Jenny wrote:
Now that I'm more familiar with how plants grow in my own garden, and
have started quite a few plants from seed I'm much more aware that the
plants I see in the nurseries are flowering well before their usual time.

I'm wondering how the nurseries get plants to flower early. We have
quite a few local nurseries and I've examined their greenhouses and
don't see any lights. So I'm wondering if they are treating with
something special.

In particular, I'm curious how they get the Nonstop begonias going. Mine
from last year which I started in pots were much larger than the ones I
purchased this year, but they are only now starting to make buds while
the purchased ones were blooming madly for Mothers Day

--Jenny

The best method is to sow as early as possible in a protected
environment such as a greenhouse.

Otherwise, the proper fertilizer and environmental conditions are used.

(Environmental Conditions are often bizare. For example, some plants
only bloom when they believe they are in danger of dying. Some
Nurseries will purposefuly not water these type of plants in order to
encourage bloom. Other plants will not bloom if they are crowded
together. (Gerbers for example will not bloom if just sown in a pot.
The must be individualy grown, and then when they bloom they can be
transplanted into pots.)
Other plants won't bloom unless they are thinned or pruned.

I've often wondered if there is some plant hormone that encourages
blooms as well.

-Jason