Growing from seen during the summer?

edit: that should be "Growing from SEED"...duh!

A number of years ago, I grew some vegetables from seed, but that is my only experience. This spring, I picked up a packet of sunflower seeds for my son to plant and I grabbed a couple packs of perennial seeds for myself.

A week or two ago I went ahead and put the perennial seeds in flats outdoors (Shasta Daisies and Coreopsis 'Early Sunrise'). The Shasta seeds have sprouted and I am still waiting on the Coreopsis seeds. I figure that even if I don't get any plants out of this, I will at least have learned something and will only be out a few bucks.

It is kind of exciting watching plants grow from little seeds (and knowing that I only paid a buck for the pack of seeds!). So I finally get to a question. It is worth starting plants from seed this time of year. Can I expect a plant that I can put in the ground this fall that will survive the winter?

I would not mind getting a couple other packs going, but I don't want to be wasting too much time. I would love to plant some Heuchera, Salvia and Astilbe. Are there other plants that would be better suited to summer sowing (I could use more shade tolerant plants)?

thanks,
Brent


This message was edited Jul 23, 2004 4:07 PM

Why don't you try some perennials seeds and save half the packet for early spring or winter sowing. That way if the ones you start now don't make it, you have another chance. You are way warmer and longer season than I am, so I couldn't tell you if they would survive, or if they will start in the heat. Some plants like different temperatures to germinate.

Anyway, it's lot's of fun, and you won't lose much by trying.

I have had good luck growing perennials and biennials in mid summer. They will be small plants going into winter but next year they should be large enough to bloom. If you waited an started them next spring chances are you wouldn't get blooms until the following year.

When I was growing veggies, I'd plant perennial & biennial seeds where I had pulled up an exhausted veggie crop. The following spring I'd move them into the garden where they'd stay. It worked out pretty good for most things.

Yes, B., I was wondering the same thing...I was reading about 'Winter Sowing' and then the follow up 'Summer Sowing' techniques on the Internet and thinking about trying for some 'baby' plants for fall--to get them in the ground a year ahead (holllyhocks, poppies, for instance), and for late season color--zinnias, cosmos, etc. but somehow, I think it's too late (late July). Or isn't it? I'm in zone 6a. Anyone any thoughts on this? Thanks. (as you can probably tell, I'm a novice gardener!) T.

I did Mexican Hat rudbeckia, and pink & purple monarda last fall. We had a rough summer, too much going on; and I was afraid I'd lose the seed if I didn't get them planted. So, I threw them out the door and into 2 small concrete planters. They came up, and were tiny all winter, but they grew to 3 ft tall and bloomed this summer. The monarda is STILL blooming, even after moving it into the finally prepared bed a few days ago! I'm getting ready to do the same thing with some Shasta daisies, Gaillardia, German chamomile, pleurisy root, & Bells of Ireland. Wish me luck!!

Duh! I just read in the database that I can sow the Bells of Ireland outside this fall!!

I think I would mulch them pretty heavily for the winter to protect them since they will be so young. We don't get snow cover here.
It's funny, we are only about 35 miles apart but I am in zone 6b, because I am 1,000 feet higher than you......

Thanks for all your advice. I've started some seeds--zinnia, poppies, hollyhocks,-- in trays and it looks like they are germinating. Now we shall see what happens...

Be ultra-careful when transferring the zinnias to flowering position as they have phenomenally fragile roots...

ooh I didn't know what cinemike. Thanks for that tidbit of advice.

That is very interesting - so, is it best to plant perenial seeds like Poppy and Hibiscus coccineus in the summer or fall? I'm in zone 6a.

I am trying this for the first time too - 3 weeks ago I started Monarda, Veronica, Canterbury Bells, Carpatica Blue, Columbine, Echinacea Purples & Whites, Rose Champion & some Shasta Daisy seeds that I just collected (not doing very well).....seems like I'm forgetting one.... I hope to plant them by the 1st of Sept. Started in peat pellets and have potted most up into individual cups.

Yea, it seems like June and July might be great times to start plants from seed. I don't have an indoor setup, and spring is a pretty busy time. During the summer months I still am tempted to buy new plants, even though I know that it is not a good time to plant. Maybe the seeds will ease the urge. I hope to give winter sowing a try next year as well!

- Brent

Boy, this thread is so refreshing because last weekend I just finished planting all the plants that I got this past spring. Next on the list is my backlog of bulbs, and then I'll sow my seeds. Now I feel like I'm just where I should be all along, and not months behind. Thanks, guys! lol

Super thread! And I'm glad to know I'm in good company with starting seeds whenever the urge hits. :-)

In late June I decided to try my hand with several kinds of seed. I had some failures (still don't why marigolds wouldn't germinate in a flat when they did fine under the mother plants!) and I had some very sweet successes. I transplanted my potted up seedlings of Monarda, Columbine, Oriental poppies and Evening Primrose to their "permanent" locations in my beds and borders just a few days ago. I was thrilled to see plenty of roots at the edges and bottoms of the 4" pots when I gently tossed my fledglings out into the real world.
:-)
I did cover them with their nursery pot for a day or two to help them recover without having to fight the full force of the sun's heat and I watered them heavily before I transplanted them.

So far (they've been in the ground for a little over a week now) they've all survived quite happily and are doing a great job of growing in their new spots.

Will I do it again next year? :-D Probably...because, knowing me (& the Wisconsin weather!), I won't get everything planted at the right time anyway. At least I know, because I tried it, that the seeds really want to grow. Now let's just hope my babies will make it through the winter.

~julie~

Julie - I'm glad you posted about covering them with their pots, I hate to wait on the weather for a couple of cloudy days to do transplanting.

I counted mine this morning, if everything survives, thats 104 plants - WHAT was I thinking!!! Some will go into temporary spots this year and be transferred to new beds in the spring. Guess I need to get busy if I'm going to make that much room - good luck all :)

Vicki

Vicki, that shading with the pot came as a stroke of "genius" when I transplanted the few 4 o'clocks I got to germinate earlier this spring. The poor little things would surely die, I thought as I put them in the ground. Then as I was looking around for something to shade them (you know some light mulch or something) and thinking I'd surely forget to remove it, it hit me "Why not used the overturned pot!?! *THAT* I would easily see and remember *why* it was there.

Those pots have saved my bacon more times than I can tell you. And every time I've used the method, I've not had one plant even wilt...much less die.

As for the 104 plants...you were thinking "What if NONE of them make it!" :-D (Same as me!)

~julie~

LOL,
Yeah, I do remember thinking at least half probably wouldn't even come up!

The Shasta Daisy seedlings seem to be doing well. I just transferred them from the flats this evening and may end up with 40 plants. Yea, that is a few more than I need, but I am sure I can find homes for any extra survivors. The Coreopsis are not faring as well as only one sprouted. I am learning a lot in the process (like don't use the cheap potting mix from Target and don't leave your covered flats sit in the rain with a tray underneath them).

- Brent

Brent, I think we're all learning about seed starting aside from the "normal" planting times. I've had great time finding things that work and learning why others don't.

Your seedlings look terrific!

~julie~

Brent - I know what you mean about the rain, 5 of my trays have solid bottoms and I was out in the dark this morning pouring off a couple inches of rain from each one.

Lesson learned: Don't listen to the weather man, when it's cloudy, assume it will rain! : )

Your plants look great!

Vicki

This message was edited Aug 5, 2004 12:35 PM

Brent, yes, a rainstorm really beat up and drowned some of my seedlings, too, but I planted out my zinnias, nasturtiums, poppies and a few others (didn't label them properly!) and they have taken a nice hold in the sun garden. Hollyhocks are doing fine, too.

We have had beautiful clear and sunny weather for the past three weeks and that has made a big difference. Also the plants love the 'Posy Power' (a premium mushroom compost mix from Jackson, Ohio) we added to the garden. I will definitely 'summer sow' again (and add more 'Posy Power', too!).

I found the 'winter sowing/summer sowing' postings on DG and other websites a big help for tips and ideas. Thanks again, DG! T

Funny about the Coreopsis that I started from seed…These things have been flooded, neglected, played with by toddlers, and they have served as a landing pad for squirrels (another lesson: don't set your seed tray too close to the bird feeder!), but a couple managed to sprout and survive. I finally got around to transferring them to pots and I need to prep a spot to get them in the ground.

- Brent

I am a huge winter sowing advocate, in fact, I am still putting plants in the ground that I winter sowed last winter. They take off like wildfire once transplanted into the ground at this time of year. They just settle in for the winter, and I lose very few. I 'm dealing with perennials here.

If you don't want to deal with the water, transplanting, etc. just find yourself a nice moist, protected spot, and sow those seeds right in the ground in late summer. (Keeping it moist is the key) They will be much hardier, and more carefree. Think of it as mimicking mother nature. Watch the weeds that are starting now, what do you think they are doing??? Come spring, they will still be small, and you can just pluck them out with a trowel, and place them where you want them, and voila! you've gained a season. Legit

Legit--and you are planting seeds now in Wisconsin? If it works for you, it will surely work for me here in southern Ohio, I would think. What do you sow this late in the season? Thanks. t.

Legit...I APPLAUD you! :-D Great explanation of getting those seeds out of the house and in the ground where they belong. I think I'm going back out and PLANT some. :-D

~julie~