How soon to start flower seeds?
Fast-growing annuals that bloom in summer (such as cosmos, sunflowers, and zinnias) shouldn’t be started more than 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost, otherwise they’ll get too big for their growing container and have soft, weak foliage and overgrown roots by the time you can plant them out into the garden. Garden experts agree that calendula is the undisputed champion of fast-growing flowers. Germination occurs just five to 10 days after planting, and blooms appear within six to eight weeks.
Can I grow flowers from seeds?
You can start flower seeds directly in your garden bed through a method called “direct sowing. When direct-sowing, you can expect blooms by mid-summer. This method works well with hardy, annual flower seeds such as sunflowers, marigolds, bachelor buttons, cosmos and morning glories. Another option is to tuck seeds directly into soil outdoors. Planting seeds this way is called direct sowing, and it is an easy process that yields great results.A general rule is to plant the seed twice as deep as its longest side. Drop 1 or 2 seeds (unless it’s a multi-seeded variety) into each hole until the tray is completely full. Cover newly sown seeds with a light dusting of fine vermiculite or seed-starting mix. Be careful to not bury the seeds too deeply.Another option is just to push your seeds into the soil at the correct depth and spacing. You could use a stick or dibber for this. This can be simple to do, but it will be harder to know where you’ve planted and tell your plants apart from weeds later. Another type of direct seed sowing technique is broadcast sowing.
What is the best month to plant flower seeds?
Spring has always been said to be the season for planting flower seeds. In actual fact however, the fall is also a great time for such activities. As it is colder during the fall, planting works are easier as compared to during the hot weather in the late spring and summer. The best time to plant trees, flowers, or any plant is during the dormant season. In North America, this is usually late fall through early spring. While it’s okay to plant during the rest of the year, it will require more maintenance from you in the form of watering, fertilizers, etc.A good rule of thumb is to sow annual flower seeds as early after the last spring frost as possible. For early-spring perennial blooms, plant these types of flower seeds in late summer to early fall so that they can germinate over winter.