Seeds can be started in a number of ways: directly in the ground outdoors, indoors under lights or in a greenhouse, and even in the refrigerator with a paper towel. I use all of these methods. The needs of the plant and how it germinates determine the method I do. But the reasons I grow specific plants from seed vary. For example, sometimes it’s the only way I can find a particular variety. I’ll walk you through seven plants I always start from seed and highlight why and how.
1. Petunia
Petunia spp. and hybrids
Why start from seed? I use petunias in mass plantings, which can be expensive to fill large beds with layers of plants from the garden center. I may not be able to find some of the fanciest colors or double cultivars, but seeds of many great landscaping petunias, such as the Shockwave series above, are available.
Seed-Starting Tips Start petunias indoors about 10 weeks before the last expected frost in your zone, so they will be ready to go into the garden as soon as the weather continues to be above 60 degrees F. (Coated with a clay material that dissolves when wet), which makes them easier to handle.
2. Gloriosa Daisy
Rudbeckia hirta
Why grow seeds? I love gloriosa daisy, but I usually find it at a premium price in a premium 1-gallon pot at the garden center. Since my zone 5 garden never gets winter, I hate spending a lot of money on a plant, so I grow seeds, which are less expensive than plants. Plus, if I want to use it in a container on the patio, it’s easier to work with smaller plants. That’s why I like to start ‘Cherry Brandy’ (below) and other gloriosa daisy cultivars from seed.
Seed-Starting Tips If you are growing Gloriosa daisy seeds as annuals, start them indoors about two months before your last expected frost date. Since Gloriosa daisy needs light to germinate, I sow the seeds on top of the potting mix, pat it down, and then cover it with plastic wrap or a dome. Once the seedlings have their first leaves, remove the moisture dome, as the slightly hairy leaves can get soggy or mold easily. Keep the potting mix moist and plant the seedlings outside after all danger of frost has passed.
3. Annual Phlox
Phlox drummondii
Why grow seeds? I like to find unusual plants in catalogs and grow them from seed, as they can be hard to find at the garden center. One of my favorite plants to grow in containers is annual phlox, such as the Popstar series, with their unique star-shaped flowers and light fragrance.
Seed-Starting Tips Although annual phlox seeds can be planted directly into the soil, they are easy to start indoors for earlier blooms. I sow two or three seeds in a small compost or newspaper tray, which I can then transplant into the garden or a container later without disturbing their delicate roots. Cover the seeds with ¼ inch of potting mix and keep them moist until the seeds germinate. Thin seedlings to one per tray to encourage air movement and prevent powdery mildew from taking hold. Giving the plants a little leg up before they get to the ground will encourage them to be fully green and bloom more when they are 6 inches tall.
4. Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Why Start Seeds? Some of the first plants to hit garden center benches in early spring are cool-season vegetables. But seed catalogs carry unique varieties, like the purple 'Bonarda' broccoli above. And in the fall, when the cold weather returns and I get another crop, the plants can be hard to find, so I start seeds in late summer.
Seed-Starting Tips For a spring crop, start broccoli seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last expected frost and transplant outdoors once the temperature has been consistently above 50 degrees F. To determine when to plant a fall crop, check the number of days to maturity on the seed packet. Count back that number from the expected first frost date in your region to get your planting date. You can also sow seeds directly in your garden at this time, but I like to start them indoors so I can keep the seedlings moist. I plant them in multi-packs and grow them under lights until they have several leaves, then move them outside as the summer winds die down and it cools down.
5. Cosmos
Cosmos spp. and hybrids
Why grow from seed? These no-fail plants have large, easy-to-handle seeds, so they’re great for direct sowing in the ground. Plus, cosmos generally have good germination rates, so you can space the seeds the recommended planting distance apart, and I’m sure they’ll all germinate rather than overseeding and thinning them out.
Seed-Starting Tips Although I sometimes plant cosmos indoors, they grow quickly from seeds planted outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. In fact, I’ve found that my direct cosmos fills up just as quickly as I’ve started indoors and transplanted outdoors. Bed preparation can be minimal — just roughly rake the soil where you want to grow these plants, sprinkle the seeds around, and rake the surface of the soil to cover them. Or dig a small planting hole, drop in a seed or two, and cover with soil. Cosmos are so easy to grow from seed, sometimes they do it all by themselves! You can get volunteers in it even if they don't look like the mother plant, find them next year.
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