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). Did you know you can soak seeds for 12-24 hours to improve the chance for germination? Most medium-to- large vegetable and flower seeds with thick coats benefit from soaking. By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow.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.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.Planting your seeds in the fall can give you a head start on your annual beds. As they will bloom sooner than if you were to plant your seeds in the spring.It is traditional to soak some seeds before planting them. Soaking can accelerate germination and increase the proportion of seeds that successfully germinate.
How long can you keep flower seeds before planting?
Seed longevity varies by type, but most seeds can remain viable for several years if stored correctly, we’ll provide tips for proper storage conditions. In general, vegetable seeds last from three to six years, fruit seeds remain viable for two to six years, flower and herb seeds from one to three years. How long do seeds usually last? When stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, seeds for many garden vegetables will be viable for around 3 years. Some, like onions and parsnips, are viable for only a year or two. Others, like squashes and tomatoes, last longer, for 5+ years.
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. Seeds can be sown directly in drills (rows) or broadcast (scattered over the soil surface). Sowing in drills makes it easier to distinguish your seedlings from weed seedlings, and is suitable for seeds that need to be sown deeper than a few millimetres.
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. 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.Seeds such as Morning Glories, Lupine, Sweet Pea, and more have very hard seed coatings, which you can see just by looking at them. For the most successful (and quickest) germination of these seeds, you can scarify and soak the seeds before planting.Treated seeds have a polymer coating to be sure the treatment adheres to the seed. After the treatment is applied, the seeds are a bright color to distinguish them from untreated seed.
Can you put seeds straight into soil in pots?
For a quick-growing, low-maintenance display, you can direct-sow seeds into a pot. We show you how. Growing flowers from seed is a great way of saving money, and summer planting doesn’t get easier than this. A general rule is to plant the seed twice as deep as its longest side. Drop 1 or 2 seeds (unless it’s a multi-seeded variety) into each hole until the tray is completely full. Cover newly sown seeds with a light dusting of fine vermiculite or seed-starting mix. Be careful to not bury the seeds too deeply.