What month is best to plant flower seeds?
In the very early Spring (end of January to March) you can sow hardy annual seeds. These are seeds that will produce plants that are tolerant of frost – they’ll put on strong deep roots all winter long and produce flowers from June until the first frosts (where I live in Surrey that happens in early November). For annual flowers, in general, spring is the best time to start sowing annual seeds. For hardy annuals, such as Bachelor Buttons and Snapdragons, start planting seeds as soon as the ground is workable. This early planting lets them establish strong roots and withstand any late spring frosts that might occur.You can direct sow the seeds for your fall garden in the midst of your summer garden. The last days of summer will be warm enough to help your fall seeds germinate. Some seeds can be directly sown into the soil of your garden. This works well with root crops that don’t transplant well, like carrots and turnips.Whether you prefer to start your seeds indoors or outdoors, autumn is the perfect time to plant a wide range of flower seeds in a variety of sorts of colours. Browse our full selection of flower seeds to sow in autumn below, including poppy seeds, viola seeds, and many more.
Can you put seeds straight into soil?
Another option is to tuck seeds directly into soil outdoors. Planting seeds this way is called direct sowing, and it is an easy process that yields great results. For the best results, scatter fresh wildflower seeds or seed balls onto a prepared seedbed. When sowing seeds collected from this year’s Seedball wildflowers lightly rake the soil to help the seeds settle in, and then simply let nature do the rest.
Do I need to soak flower seeds before planting?
As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don’t soak your seeds before planting, but with soaking the germination time decreases, and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture to uptake have much higher chances of success. Soaking the seeds before planting helps soften and loosen up the outside layer. This makes it easier for moisture and important nutrients to get inside. However, this is not the sole reason to consider seed soaking. It also starts the germination process.Soak the wrong seeds for too long and you risk ‘drowning’ them, where they begin to rot and ferment before germination can start. On a more practical level, soaking adds another layer of complexity to the whole plant-growing process. It’s one more point of failure, and an extra level of work.Almost all seeds can be pre-soaked, but it is large seeds, seeds with thick coats and wrinkled seeds that will benefit most. Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet. Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans.Mother Nature has put several defenses in place to prevent seeds from germinating at the wrong time. Soaking seeds will remove any germination inhibitors to help trigger the seeds into growing at the right moment. The boosted moisture concentration around the seeds also signals that it’s ready to grow.There are four environmental factors that affect seed germination: Water, Light, Oxygen, and Heat. Check out these four tips to learn how much of each and when.
Should all flower seeds be soaked before planting?
Almost all seeds can be pre-soaked, but it is large seeds, seeds with thick coats and wrinkled seeds that will benefit most. Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet. Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans. If the seeds are very small, they will clump together and be more difficult to sow unless you let them dry first, which defeats the purpose of soaking them in the first place. Think seeds like carrots or lettuce, or flowers that have super tiny seeds, like sweet alyssum or campanula .Watering after can make the seeds float and bring them above the soil. Ido. Also if the soil is too dry, it can suck the moisture out of the seeds.
Can you just sprinkle seeds on the ground?
The best way that I have found to plant seeds directly in the ground is to get the ground wet, sprinkles the seeds on top and sprinkle a little potting soil over the top of the seeds to just barely cover them. That’s it! All seeds need water, oxygen, and proper temperature in order to germinate. Some seeds require proper light also. Some germinate better in full light while others require darkness to germinate. When a seed is exposed to the proper conditions, water and oxygen are taken in through the seed coat.This has to be just right! Seeds need to be moist while germinating but not too wet. Our best tip is to keep those trays covered with clear plastic wrap or a humidity dome until your seeds germinate—especially if using heat mats! So critical.Germination is the process of the seed breaking open and the first root and shoot emerging. It is triggered when a seed, having found a niche, is exposed to enough moisture and warmth.Some seeds, such as certain Lettuces or Snapdragon, need light to germinate and should not be covered at all. Once you start sowing seeds and get dirt on your fingers, you will not want to stop and make labels. Before planting, prepare labels and add them to containers as soon as the seeds go into soil.
Which seeds should you not soak?
Only larger seeds with tough exterior coatings should be soaked. Tiny seeds with thin outer shells do not require soaking. Soaking tiny seeds can cause them to clump together, making them almost impossible to sow. Spread the seeds on newspapers, in a cardboard box, or in an old telephone directory, and allow them to dry between one and three weeks. Often seeds need to be separated from the chaff (the seed casings and debris).