Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So usually I just go to a large home improvement store for my perennials but today these seeds caught my eye. I decided on Crazy Daisys as they bloom like 'crazy', Echinacea or Coneflower (who doesn't love this plant?), and Bachelor's Button (chosen for their color and drought resistance). One reason for choosing seeds is they are much cheaper and you get MANY more of them. This is my first time growing plants by seed and I'm quite excited to see them all come up. I figure I can give extras away to family, friends and neighbors. Wish me luck.
Do remember that most perennials planted from seed do not bloom the first year. You will get plants but no flowers. Then they will go dormant in the winter, pop up the following spring, and bloom the second year.
That's why a lot of people buy perennials rather than start them from seeds, and why perennials cost more than annuals.
You can also divide perennials. If you can find someone to give you some divisions you can plant those and get flowers the same year.
And remember....once they do start growing, you will have a never ending supply of them!!! I am to the point that when people see me with plant divisions in my hand, they run in the house and hide!!!
I read online about the Shastas not blooming the first year but didn't realize it was most perennials that did the same. No wonder folks just pay more. Well, I guess I will just plant them and wait for next summer for blooms. The good thing is I will have plenty of them!
The Bachelor Buttons will bloom for you all season long. I love BB's.
the first time i grew Echinacea - i got 1 bloom. the next year [last year] i had a ton of blooms... it was so worth the wait.
Cna't say much about Shatas though... i grew them in 2007 .. planted out, and they died over the winter. I grew them again last year .... they are planted and lets see if they survived the winter.
But -- growing by seed is very addicting... soon you will be seed saving, seed trading, etc.
Look into Winter Sowing for next year... we've got a long thread in here already....
but it gives you something to do during the cold winter months.
yeah, i do think this will be addicting. the problem will be what to do with all these plants. I have a smallish yard and I already have my parents yard covered. I guess here comes the neighborhood..
Flowers that are started usually do not tranfer well at all. They should be planted directly outside once the groud and weather is such that you can do that.
I'll show more this year as the annuals start to bloom. Do check it out. No lights, no fungus, no damping off.
It is true that most perennials will not bloom the first year from seed. Not many biennials do either. Annuals will certainly bloom from seed.
Starting seeds using the wintersown method gives you good, hardy seedlings that can even weather snow and ice. Some of mine have been planted out since early January.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
