seed starting in July

I am planning to propagate a bunch of perennials from seeds and cuttings in the next few weeks which I would like to plant out in new garden beds in early fall. I was wondering if this is a bad idea for the plants started from seed. I usually start all my plants in late winter/early spring and then plant out after the last frost. So I've never germinated seeds in the summer and was wondering if this could "throw off" the plant somehow, because it will have missed spring. Thanks for your help!

This message was edited Jul 11, 2007 7:10 PM

no, it won't hurt them. The only concern I would have is if they will be big enough by the time cold nights come-i.e. that their rootballs will be developed enough to survive your winters. I would think you would need at least 6-8 wks (from the time that you start to germinate them) to get them big enough to plant, and then, ideally they need some time with warm weather to get at least semi-established in the ground.
Maybe someone in your zone has done this and can say-
it will depend some on the perennials that you are starting as well-some grow faster, or are hardier than others.

They are mostly pretty hardy plants like nepeta, soapwort, sedums, columbine, foxglove, hyssop, chives and agastache. The foxgloves, being biennial, should be ok, but I might be little late in getting them started. I am sure the sedums should be fine, as well, but I was mainly concerned about the columbine, soapwort, and chives, since they usually bloom in spring. Then again, the columbine is native to areas with a short growing season, so maybe they would be ok.

My columbines self sow after they are done blooming, so I would guess this is the perfect time to sow them. Just crumple the dried foliage with seeds where you want them to grow, and keep a bit of the litter on the ground to give them a bit of shade, and mark the spot. You should start seeing babies this fall.

I started a bunch of perennial seeds in July/August last year on my potting bench in the back yard as an experiment and planted them out in September/October. Almost everything survived and had a chance to settle in before we had our first hard freeze and this spring they took off and bloomed in their normal season. Some of the plants got neglected and left in their pots over winter and a few even survived the bad treatment and got a home this spring. It saved a TON of money and I got cultivars that aren't available locally as well as some really weird Mexican Hats.

I don't have much success with direct sowing so this is a better way for me to know what is a weed and what is a plant when they sprout. A few years ago I planted a bed full of Sweet William and then weeded most of the small plants out thinking they were a horrible weed that grows around here. There was one small corner of the bed I didn't get to and that was how I figured out what I'd done the next year when they bloomed. LOL

I know that I'm in a warmer zone, but if you get started soon and set the plants out as soon as they are big enough to be transplanted you should be okay. Put a little extra mulch around for winter protection and I bet you'll be rewarded with a jump on the season next spring. Good luck.

Someone in another forum mentioned that salvia (like May Night) will self sow. I had never known this, but I looked under some that I had cut the tops back earlier and left lying around the plant. What do you know! Babies! I don't know if they will need a little protection over winter or not. Maybe, as I have never seen any in the spring. Or maybe I have just weeded them up unknowingly.

okay i am so excited....i planted lupine and echinacea seeds today; i have them in the house....i hope that they will germinate in the house or should i take them outside?? ....if my memory serves me right , it takes about 2 wks for these to germinate....i will post what happens....

ps...i am sorta a lazy gardener....i hate meticulous work....and there were more seeds than i planted dirt.....so i just put them all in(GRIN)....when i am complaining in a month from now that i should have done them thinner WELL, just remind me of this post....

pss...i soaked the lupine in water as that is what it said to do on the outside of the packet....; i just planted the echinacea straight in the soil with no prep....

Way to go.... Hope they all germinate and grow up for ya. Your of f on the right foot. Now just keep yoru fingers crossed winter stays away for awhile from your neck of the woods.