What is the best month 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). Spring is an ideal time for direct sowing many seeds, but some can be sown during summer and autumn. Check seed packets for the recommended times of when to sow outdoors. Seeds can be sown directly in drills (rows) or broadcast (scattered over the soil surface).Plant seeds after the danger of spring frost has passed and the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees. This will be between March and May, depending on where you live.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).
How long do flowers take to grow from seed?
The seed packet should tell you how many days to bloom, which means how long it takes from germination to flowering. If you have a short growing season and the packet says it will be 80 or 90 days to bloom, you will need to start the seeds indoors if you want to see them flower for a couple weeks before frost. Flower seed packets rarely list estimated days to maturity, but most annual flowers need about 95 days from seed to flower. The ones that made my list start popping blooms in 60 to 70 days when grown under spring conditions, and they also tolerate light frost.Different seeds take different lengths of time to germinate, so it is always worth checking how long it typically takes. Some are quick to germinate, taking 1-2 weeks at most, such as chillies, beans, sunflowers and pumpkins. Some seeds take more like 2-4 weeks, such as mango and parsley.Generally, experts advise soaking seeds before planting for between 12 and 36 hours. If you aren’t sure which is best for your seeds, you might soak some for 12 hours, others for 24, and still others for 36, and see which works better.Because of this, most annual flowers are easy to grow from seed, taking about 6 to 8 weeks to grow to a transplantable size, though there are always exceptions to the rule. Some seeds may just take longer to germinate, and slower-growing annuals will need to be started earlier.Garden experts agree that calendula is the undisputed champion of fast-growing flowers. Germination occurs just five to 10 days after planting, and blooms appear within six to eight weeks. These flowers make excellent additions to vegetable gardens since they attract pollinators and beneficial insects.
What seeds not to soak before planting?
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 . In a bowl, cover your seeds with warm water and leave to soak for 6-24 hours. Smaller seeds and those with thinner coats need the shorter time, and larger seeds with thicker coats need the longer period. Some seeds will naturally float, and some will stay below the surface. Do not worry about those that float.The best way to accomplish this is to dry seeds on small frames with a nylon mesh screen. The screen allows air to circulate freely around the seeds and keeps them from developing mold. Let the seeds sit in a cool, dry area for about one week before storing. Some seeds require slightly more work.Final Answer: – The correct inference from the experiment is that damaged seeds float on the surface of the water, while healthy seeds settle at the bottom.While some sunken seeds will germinate and some floating seeds will fail to sprout, there isn’t a strong correlation between buoyancy and viability. Generally larger seeds are better for this test than smaller ones. Therefore, you shouldn’t rely on the sink/float test to determine which to discard and which to plant.
Do I need to let seeds dry before planting?
If you are saving your seeds, you may wonder when you can plant seeds. It is inadvisable to save tomato seed, for instance, without cleaning the pulp away and drying the seed for a period of time. If you don’t let them dry, they won’t germinate but, instead, tend to just rot in the ground. Take 2-3 seeds and place them on the damp towel. Fold the towel over the seeds and place them in a zippered plastic bag or airtight container in a warm location. After a few days, open the bag and take a peek to see if any sprouted. This will give you a good gauge of how your seeds are germinating.Spread the seeds out over the area so they don’t touch. Let the seeds rest for a week to ten days before gently stirring them with your finger or a small spoon. Let them dry for another two to three weeks. At this point, they should be dry enough to put into storage.Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.
What happens if you don’t soak seeds?
As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don’t soak them. But with soaking, the germination time decreases and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture have much higher chances of success. When planting sunflower seeds, tuck them into soil between 1 and 2 inches deep. Space them roughly 6 inches apart. Soil temperature and moisture influence how long it takes for sunflower seeds to germinate, but in most cases you should see sprouts in 7 to 10 days.The optimal soaking time for sunflower seeds is 8 to 12 hours. This time frame is long enough to soften the tough outer shell without risking waterlogging, which can cause the seeds to rot. Here’s a step-by-step guide: Measure the Seeds: Measure out the seeds you plan to grow.Sunflower seeds don’t need to be soaked before planting—after all, the seeds split easily—but soaking them for 12 to 24 hours will hasten germination and increase the number of seeds that sprout.
Do flower seeds need to be soaked before planting?
It is traditional to soak some seeds before planting them. Soaking can accelerate germination and increase the proportion of seeds that successfully germinate. Seeds have evolved a protective coating around the embryo so the embryo can survive being dispersed by some means. When a seed is exposed to the proper conditions, water and oxygen are taken in through the seed coat. The embryo’s cells start to enlarge. Then the seed coat breaks open and a root or radicle emerges first, followed by the shoot or plumule that contains the leaves and stem. Many things can cause poor germination.The primary root, called the radicle, is the first thing to emerge from the seed. The primary root anchors the plant to the ground and allows it to start absorbing water. After the root absorbs water, the shoot emerges from the seed.Once a seed has germinated, the root grows down into the soil to absorb moisture and nutrients and begin to anchor the plant into the ground. At the same time a green shoot grows up towards the light. This initial burst of growth is fueled by the starchy energy store left inside the seed by the parent plant.The 7 steps of seed ger mination — imbibition, enzyme activation, respiration, cell division, radicle emergence, shoot emergence, and seedling establishment — illustrate the fascinating journey of a seed transforming into a new plant.
Should I soak marigold seeds before planting?
Marigold seeds do not require any treatment (eg soaking, stratification) before sowing. Marigold seeds can be sown directly into the garden OR seedlings can be raised in trays or other containers and transplanted to the garden once established. Sow marigold seeds directly onto the surface of the soil and firmly compress. Don’t cover your seeds, as marigolds require sunlight in order to germinate. If starting indoors, fill pots with seed starting mix and sow three to four seeds in each pot.They start fine in moistened seed starting mix. Soaking marigold seeds is to quicken germination rate, but as long as the soil is warm, it does not take marigolds that long to germinate.Marigolds are sensitive to frost, and cold temperatures can prevent seed germination or damage seedlings. The ideal time to plant is when the soil temperature has warmed to at least 65°F (18°C). In most regions, this is around April to May, but the exact timing depends on your local climate and frost dates.