Which Flower Seeds to Direct Sow Vs. Start Indoors
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Date: 2022-08-07
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Comments and reviews: 20
jc
This is great advice. It gives you parameters that can be worked with. The concept that you will have to account a percentage of plant loss if direct seeding due to thinning out, pests, windblown seeds, weird weather is invaluable. So you can use this info to gauge if you want to baby plants indoors under grow lights - which is a large commitment financially with equipment, space, your time and attention - or let mother nature take off with less attention from you, but much less reliable results, is a smart answer.
But my curiosity always takes me to this question. Throughout history, people have grown plants without grow lights or heat mats. They have started plants on a windowsill, or direct sown, probably made their own version of cold frames. So why are we now told that growing under lights is optimal, preferred?
All cultures have a history of growing beautiful ornamental plants and vegetables outdoors. The trendy -cottage garden- that everyone wants now was historically planted outdoors flowers among their vegetables. No grow lights there. Could it be that today we want the ornamentals that don't do too well in our conditions? We want them so much so that we have to use lights indoors? Is it a fad that will change if people decide to go more down and dirty? Who would? Not your suburban gardener.
Maybe people have forgotten how to grow plants outdoors in a natural setting, (killing rabbits and eating them before they eat our plants) I don't know, hope someone has some historical knowledge related to planting seeds in the ground. I hope that we can keep the traditional techniques because they're valuable. It's like losing a language. All the complexities that we learned are now discarded in favor of another language because it's the dominant one.
When I was a kid/young adult, the only people who had lights were marijuana growers. Now lighting and sprouting our seeds is de rigueur, touted as superior to any other way to grow. Funny that this concept of people who raised marijuana evolved to include containers such as plastic milk jugs (winter sowing, toilet paper rolls, webbed cloths, 36 cells per any seeds. No one promotes direct sowing of seeds. Most of what I see is, -put a seed into the ground? What are you daft? -
I enjoyed your video. Thank you
reply
This is great advice. It gives you parameters that can be worked with. The concept that you will have to account a percentage of plant loss if direct seeding due to thinning out, pests, windblown seeds, weird weather is invaluable. So you can use this info to gauge if you want to baby plants indoors under grow lights - which is a large commitment financially with equipment, space, your time and attention - or let mother nature take off with less attention from you, but much less reliable results, is a smart answer.
But my curiosity always takes me to this question. Throughout history, people have grown plants without grow lights or heat mats. They have started plants on a windowsill, or direct sown, probably made their own version of cold frames. So why are we now told that growing under lights is optimal, preferred?
All cultures have a history of growing beautiful ornamental plants and vegetables outdoors. The trendy -cottage garden- that everyone wants now was historically planted outdoors flowers among their vegetables. No grow lights there. Could it be that today we want the ornamentals that don't do too well in our conditions? We want them so much so that we have to use lights indoors? Is it a fad that will change if people decide to go more down and dirty? Who would? Not your suburban gardener.
Maybe people have forgotten how to grow plants outdoors in a natural setting, (killing rabbits and eating them before they eat our plants) I don't know, hope someone has some historical knowledge related to planting seeds in the ground. I hope that we can keep the traditional techniques because they're valuable. It's like losing a language. All the complexities that we learned are now discarded in favor of another language because it's the dominant one.
When I was a kid/young adult, the only people who had lights were marijuana growers. Now lighting and sprouting our seeds is de rigueur, touted as superior to any other way to grow. Funny that this concept of people who raised marijuana evolved to include containers such as plastic milk jugs (winter sowing, toilet paper rolls, webbed cloths, 36 cells per any seeds. No one promotes direct sowing of seeds. Most of what I see is, -put a seed into the ground? What are you daft? -
I enjoyed your video. Thank you
reply
Creatively,
Great tips! Good point about only staying the pricier things inside. I invested in a few expensive seed packets for the cut flower garden next year but I'm hoping to save seeds from them & not have to buy them hereafter! I bought some Blossom bags so hoping they don't cross-pollinate. - I direct seed a lot of the things you mentioned early in the season because I'm scared of the birds, but also, I didn't have drip irrigation or anything. Not having drip & having 2 young kids I felt it was actually more convenient to start seeds indoors, where I could easily keep an eye on them, keep them moist, etc. & not have to drag out the kids, (b/c then they fight me when I make them go back in! -) The few things I tried to direct sow rarely germinated & my guess is either the birds, or I didn't keep the ground most enough. I would have to go out several times a day & water where the seeds were & the surface would still be bone dry every time. But Ive never grown for cut-flower selling before, just casual growing. so this year I invested in drip irrigation so I can succession sow things outside & just set the timer to go off several times a day for a few minutes!
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Great tips! Good point about only staying the pricier things inside. I invested in a few expensive seed packets for the cut flower garden next year but I'm hoping to save seeds from them & not have to buy them hereafter! I bought some Blossom bags so hoping they don't cross-pollinate. - I direct seed a lot of the things you mentioned early in the season because I'm scared of the birds, but also, I didn't have drip irrigation or anything. Not having drip & having 2 young kids I felt it was actually more convenient to start seeds indoors, where I could easily keep an eye on them, keep them moist, etc. & not have to drag out the kids, (b/c then they fight me when I make them go back in! -) The few things I tried to direct sow rarely germinated & my guess is either the birds, or I didn't keep the ground most enough. I would have to go out several times a day & water where the seeds were & the surface would still be bone dry every time. But Ive never grown for cut-flower selling before, just casual growing. so this year I invested in drip irrigation so I can succession sow things outside & just set the timer to go off several times a day for a few minutes!
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M&B
I'm 9b zone and I use to overwinter sowing Nigella Damascena, antirrhinum majus, mathiola incana, viola hybrid Feline, alcea rosea, bellis perenis, linum narbonense, primrose, alyssum, coreopsis, calendula, some ornamental grasses, and all came out great and start early spring flowering. I have compacted clay soy that became waterlogged in winter, we have frost, freezing and snow and those seeds surprises me. Mathiola Incana don't like to have theirs roots waterlogged so in case like that I use to mix a vegetal compost with my clay soil and make a elevate row, so heavy rainfall can be washed away and this works for me. I never lost a mathiola crop.
Last year I directly sowed wild scabiosa flowers just for the bees and they became huge early summer. I directly sowed in a mentha piperita and nepeta cataria bed and all they are gorgeous, plenty of flowers and bees.
Happy gardening to you all
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I'm 9b zone and I use to overwinter sowing Nigella Damascena, antirrhinum majus, mathiola incana, viola hybrid Feline, alcea rosea, bellis perenis, linum narbonense, primrose, alyssum, coreopsis, calendula, some ornamental grasses, and all came out great and start early spring flowering. I have compacted clay soy that became waterlogged in winter, we have frost, freezing and snow and those seeds surprises me. Mathiola Incana don't like to have theirs roots waterlogged so in case like that I use to mix a vegetal compost with my clay soil and make a elevate row, so heavy rainfall can be washed away and this works for me. I never lost a mathiola crop.
Last year I directly sowed wild scabiosa flowers just for the bees and they became huge early summer. I directly sowed in a mentha piperita and nepeta cataria bed and all they are gorgeous, plenty of flowers and bees.
Happy gardening to you all
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Joe
Hi! I love your videos and have learned so much from you. Thank you -
I-m wondering if you start your Lisianthus from seed, or do you buy plugs? I-m growing them for the second year and I know they are slow but I feel they are so much smaller than they should be. I started them in December and my biggest one isn-t even the diameter of a dime and all the others are significantly smaller. If you are growing yours, do you have a secret to your success?
Also, do you over winter your poppies or plant them in late winter/spring?
Thanks! Lauren
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Hi! I love your videos and have learned so much from you. Thank you -
I-m wondering if you start your Lisianthus from seed, or do you buy plugs? I-m growing them for the second year and I know they are slow but I feel they are so much smaller than they should be. I started them in December and my biggest one isn-t even the diameter of a dime and all the others are significantly smaller. If you are growing yours, do you have a secret to your success?
Also, do you over winter your poppies or plant them in late winter/spring?
Thanks! Lauren
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Joyce
Thanks to you, I became aware of Cool Flowers, and last fall I test planted some so I am looking forward to see how that worked here. Your information is always so good and appreciate that you always clarify which zone you are in and the information you are reporting is what worked in your zone, soil, etc. So many You Tubes tell people what and when to plant and it is only Ok for their zone. Seeds are expensive these days so a good reminder to keep testing what works with part of your seeds.
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Thanks to you, I became aware of Cool Flowers, and last fall I test planted some so I am looking forward to see how that worked here. Your information is always so good and appreciate that you always clarify which zone you are in and the information you are reporting is what worked in your zone, soil, etc. So many You Tubes tell people what and when to plant and it is only Ok for their zone. Seeds are expensive these days so a good reminder to keep testing what works with part of your seeds.
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InBloom
Thanks so much! This is my first year doing flowers from seed (and only my second season doing anything from seed) so it's a little overwhelming! How early do you sow the things that do need cold stratification? I'm about three months out from my last frost date now and I'm wondering if I'm too late in 7b where we've had a mild winter. I have lavender that I haven't started yet, and I'm waiting on a seed order that has bells of Ireland in it as well.
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Thanks so much! This is my first year doing flowers from seed (and only my second season doing anything from seed) so it's a little overwhelming! How early do you sow the things that do need cold stratification? I'm about three months out from my last frost date now and I'm wondering if I'm too late in 7b where we've had a mild winter. I have lavender that I haven't started yet, and I'm waiting on a seed order that has bells of Ireland in it as well.
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Ash
To all newbies still confused: Take a quarter of your seed packet, throw them to the ground, more full sun than shade. Half of those seeds cover up. Press all the seeds firmly (do not stomp, as you'll crush the seeds) into the ground for maximum contact. And water thoroughly. After that season's test, you'll know what to do with the rest of your seeds. Keep a journal, because you will not remember the conclusion per seed type. I use OneNote.
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To all newbies still confused: Take a quarter of your seed packet, throw them to the ground, more full sun than shade. Half of those seeds cover up. Press all the seeds firmly (do not stomp, as you'll crush the seeds) into the ground for maximum contact. And water thoroughly. After that season's test, you'll know what to do with the rest of your seeds. Keep a journal, because you will not remember the conclusion per seed type. I use OneNote.
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Rosehaven
Thank you for the lists; a good place to start for this vegetable farmer.
I can't direct sow sunflower either. Bunnies AND deer. The only sunflower that I've been able to grow -outside- was a volunteer in the middle of a squash patch. All my other sunflowers have been in the hoop house. I can't afford the space in the hoop house this year. So. they are going to be netted and protected this year.
New sub. Thanks again.
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Thank you for the lists; a good place to start for this vegetable farmer.
I can't direct sow sunflower either. Bunnies AND deer. The only sunflower that I've been able to grow -outside- was a volunteer in the middle of a squash patch. All my other sunflowers have been in the hoop house. I can't afford the space in the hoop house this year. So. they are going to be netted and protected this year.
New sub. Thanks again.
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Emma
Thank you for sharing! Could you suggest a reference book for growing flowers that lists things like which flowers are hardy annuals (vs. half-hardy annuals) and most importantly, whether their seeds need cold stratification? This is particularly challenging with flowers like osteospurmums which to my understanding are generally considered half-hardy, but can be more or less cold tolerant depending on the species and cultivar.
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Thank you for sharing! Could you suggest a reference book for growing flowers that lists things like which flowers are hardy annuals (vs. half-hardy annuals) and most importantly, whether their seeds need cold stratification? This is particularly challenging with flowers like osteospurmums which to my understanding are generally considered half-hardy, but can be more or less cold tolerant depending on the species and cultivar.
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Karie
So for the Hardy Annuals that should be direct seeded in Fall, Bells Of Ireland, Larkspur, etc. If you didn't direct seed them in Fall, do you think direct seed in early spring or winter-sowing method in milk jugs would be best? I was going to try and start indoors bells of Ireland and larkspur, but if it's best to direct seed, should I not worry about starting indoors and just do the early spring or milk jug method instead?
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So for the Hardy Annuals that should be direct seeded in Fall, Bells Of Ireland, Larkspur, etc. If you didn't direct seed them in Fall, do you think direct seed in early spring or winter-sowing method in milk jugs would be best? I was going to try and start indoors bells of Ireland and larkspur, but if it's best to direct seed, should I not worry about starting indoors and just do the early spring or milk jug method instead?
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Leia
Thank you Danielle for all the information you've been sharing with all of us. I have invested a lot of money on seeds (couldn't resist all those pretty flowers) and am hoping to grow most using the winter sowing method. I will give the ones you suggested for direct sowing a go the way you recommended and hope it all works! So excited to see everything that will be growing/blooming for you and me!
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Thank you Danielle for all the information you've been sharing with all of us. I have invested a lot of money on seeds (couldn't resist all those pretty flowers) and am hoping to grow most using the winter sowing method. I will give the ones you suggested for direct sowing a go the way you recommended and hope it all works! So excited to see everything that will be growing/blooming for you and me!
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Lynnette
Great information! I do not have grow lights, so I winter sow seeds in milk containers. Your advice and tips apply to this method as well! Your video was so helpful. There are some seeds I will direct sow, and some that I will want to protect and sow in plastic containers. I am in zone 5b. Have you tried winter sowing? It works really well for seeds that need cold stratification.
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Great information! I do not have grow lights, so I winter sow seeds in milk containers. Your advice and tips apply to this method as well! Your video was so helpful. There are some seeds I will direct sow, and some that I will want to protect and sow in plastic containers. I am in zone 5b. Have you tried winter sowing? It works really well for seeds that need cold stratification.
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Young
Thank you again for an informative video. Do you find direct seeded zinnias take longer to bloom than zinnias grown indoors and transplanted outside? I'm really interested in direct seeding but wondering if I would end up delaying the bloom time. Our growing season here in zone 6 is so short so wanted to get flowers blooming as soon as possible. So impatient! haha.
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Thank you again for an informative video. Do you find direct seeded zinnias take longer to bloom than zinnias grown indoors and transplanted outside? I'm really interested in direct seeding but wondering if I would end up delaying the bloom time. Our growing season here in zone 6 is so short so wanted to get flowers blooming as soon as possible. So impatient! haha.
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Linda
I have had orlaya several years now. It self seeds easily. I haven-t succession planted but in the fall there are babies from the self seeding that I move and then I have flowers in the spring. I bet you would have good luck with fall seeding. This is the first year I am going to really give succession planting an organized try mainly because of your video on it.
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I have had orlaya several years now. It self seeds easily. I haven-t succession planted but in the fall there are babies from the self seeding that I move and then I have flowers in the spring. I bet you would have good luck with fall seeding. This is the first year I am going to really give succession planting an organized try mainly because of your video on it.
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CC
QUESTION PLEASE: If you direct sew perennial flower seed that is okay to plant in fall, do you dry seed those ones? Not watering the soil, nor the seed, since Lupine for example has to go thru it-s cold freeze stratification. Or do you water the seeds in the fall after planting in the ground for 2-3 weeks? Not sure, please help?
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QUESTION PLEASE: If you direct sew perennial flower seed that is okay to plant in fall, do you dry seed those ones? Not watering the soil, nor the seed, since Lupine for example has to go thru it-s cold freeze stratification. Or do you water the seeds in the fall after planting in the ground for 2-3 weeks? Not sure, please help?
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maria
I love old fashioned cleome. They bloom all summer, are wonderful cut flowers, and produce many seed pods in the late summer. One of the last things I do in my garden during fall cleanup, is sow the seeds back into the same spot. I get many volunteers in the spring that produce beautiful cleome for the summer.
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I love old fashioned cleome. They bloom all summer, are wonderful cut flowers, and produce many seed pods in the late summer. One of the last things I do in my garden during fall cleanup, is sow the seeds back into the same spot. I get many volunteers in the spring that produce beautiful cleome for the summer.
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Irene
Thank you for all your excellent information. Do you have any tips for sowing scabiosa? I have not been very successful so far. They do germinate, but a few days later they die as there is no soil to hold onto the seed. I have not been covering them as apparently they need light to germinate. Thanks.
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Thank you for all your excellent information. Do you have any tips for sowing scabiosa? I have not been very successful so far. They do germinate, but a few days later they die as there is no soil to hold onto the seed. I have not been covering them as apparently they need light to germinate. Thanks.
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Seeing
I wonder why they don't put this kind of info on the packets? Seems like if we got better at growing them then they would sell more. I just bought Cool Flowers and now watching her videos. Next year I will be better prepared and I will have fun learning new ways of gardening: ) Thanks!
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I wonder why they don't put this kind of info on the packets? Seems like if we got better at growing them then they would sell more. I just bought Cool Flowers and now watching her videos. Next year I will be better prepared and I will have fun learning new ways of gardening: ) Thanks!
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RB
Can you do winter sowing with Larkspur. If so are there others that you recommend? I saw in one video you had winter sowing jugs but I didn-t see a video on it. I live in 6b as well and was wanting to do them this week 2/16/22.
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Can you do winter sowing with Larkspur. If so are there others that you recommend? I saw in one video you had winter sowing jugs but I didn-t see a video on it. I live in 6b as well and was wanting to do them this week 2/16/22.
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Lacey
So much great information! I have always struggled with wether to direct sow or start inside. Last year I started zinnias inside and they were awful, but then I direct sowed some and wow what a difference, they were huge!
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So much great information! I have always struggled with wether to direct sow or start inside. Last year I started zinnias inside and they were awful, but then I direct sowed some and wow what a difference, they were huge!
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