are there any perennials that i can grow by seed this late in the season....when i say seed....i mean something fairly easy as i have only been diggin in the dirt for 2 years....and not really done anything by seed (successfully) yet.......i have a sunroom i can put them in....or if i could put them out in the flower beds....or are there any easy perrenials to grow??
right now i have mostly annuals: lantana, coleus, petunia, impatiens, hydrangea, hosta, lariope, asparagus fern, petunias, petunius(grin)....caldiums, did i say petunias?? glossy abelia, tall blue junipers, ivys....is what i am doing alright with....
any others would be great...
Any perennials that i can grow by seed this late in the seas
It isn't too late to sow seeds - most perennials will survive the first Winter with just a little compost, if any at all. I have already sown most of my perennials, but the ones that I grow each year from seed that are easy are Balloon Flower, Liatris, Iris, Daylily, Crocosmia,Coreopsis, grasses, Hibiscus, Black Eyed Daisy, Columbines, & Hollyhocks. I have already sown these, but I can offer plants in another month or so.
Julie
so you grew all those above from seeds?? how cool!!!!....are they fairly easy to do?? did you do winter sowing?? or in a greenhouse...i am completely clueless....you GREW hibiscus from seeds....oh wow....so what do i do to grow from a seed?? ...would taking the list to a seed seller be the first thing and go by the directions?? ....and/or are these indoor seeding??
Julie,
I have daylily seed from last summer that I haven't yet sown. Could I just plant them outdoors and keep watered?
Sticks,
You can start a lot of perennials from seed, but they won't bloom until next year.
Sticks, ask somenone on the Texas Gardening forum that question too. Since our summers are so brutal, etc. it may make a difference. I myself have minimal luck with seeds. Larkspur, poppies and daisies are my main sucess with seed.
hey sheila...so can i go ahead and do daisies poppies and larkspur???...do you just put them in the ground or do you pot them??
All three self-seed and would have already dropped their seeds in your area. I sprinkle them then lightly pat into the soil and water. They may not bloom the first year, but will come up the next year. Or you can wait until fall and do the same thing if you get a lot of rain in the area, that way the seeds won't be disturbed as much. All three plants will do well in sun/part shade. The poppies and larkspur will come back bigger the next year if you don't pull them up, just cut the stalks at the ground. Shasta daisies on the other hand are green year round, and I only cut the flower stems after they quit blooming.
One of the DG members, Frostweed, has a website dedicated to Texas native plants, you need to check it out. www.texasstar.org There is also a thread for natives and wildflowers on the Texas Gardening forum. It is listed by colors.
cooolll thank you so much....everything is BIGGER in texas!!!!
another stupid question....where can i buy seeds this time of the year ?? we have home depot , lowes etc..., walmart etc....think they might have any left...i am so excited!!!!
I know I have daisy and opium poppy seeds. My purple lantana haven't done too well this season, but I think I have enough to share. Are you listed in the address section yet? If not Dmail me your address and I will send you some.
i am so not used to peoples generousity here....it is amazing... and i so appreciate it...
i will go and purchase some .....thank you so much for your offer...so kind:)
Ok, but if you can't find them, dmail me.
Hi sticks-n-stones,
I don't know which part of Texas you are in, but a lot of what you listed as annuals are perennials here where I am: the lantana, hydrangea, hosta, lariope, glossy abelia, ivy. They pretty much disappear in the winter, but I mulch heavily with leaves and pinestraw. Unless you dig your caladiums in the fall, you will loose those. The petunias rarely reseed themselves, but this year I have some that did. Surprised the heck out of me.
Take cuttings of your coleus and winter them inside and they should be good for next year.
I am terrible with seeds and this year was my last attempt. Hand me a rhizome, tuber, root---I can work wonders. Hand me seeds and that's the last you'll see of them. Therefore, I don't give advice on seeds. I know that our Lowes and Home Depot still had seeds and bulbs when I was there recently. I hope you have really good luck with them. Keep us posted.
Diane
I wouldn't go without sowing seeds each year - that is what I find most enjoyable! I love to watch them grow from a tiny seedling into something big & beautiful. I have the best luck with compost (or potting soil) in pots, & I cover the seeds with a light layer of peat moss. I keep the soil moistened until they sprout, & most are placed in full sun. I do not have as much success with sowing direct in the garden - the slugs & birds take the majority of them. Once the seedlings look strong, I transplant them into the garden. I do poorly with Winter sowing - they usually end up too spindly due to lack of sunlight or just rotting away.
One publication that I rely heavily on is the Thompson & Morgan Seed Germination Database. Print it out & put the pages into plastic sleeves, & you should be able to grow just about anything. It is a wonderful guide for seed sowing!
http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html
Julie
thanks julie...off to print right now!!!
I wouldn't plant without it - it is an invaluable tool!