Are you starting any perennials from seed this year?

17 years ago

I usually start quite a few things, but it looks like I'm only doing two perennials this year (a lot of annuals though) - Mum 'Charm Early Fashion Mix' and Fall Aster 'Composition'. I've done mums from seed before and they grew fast even blooming the first year, but I've never done the Fall Asters before. I guess they also bloom the first year.

What's on your list?

Kevin

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Comments (23)

blackswamp_girl
17 years ago
I am winter sowing quite a few things this year: alchemilla erythropoda, allium cernuum, crocosmia, aubrieta, 'Apricot Sprite' agastache (might not overwinter for me), and 'Blue Glow' echinops bannaticus.
tjsangel
17 years ago
No, I never do. I try a few annuals from seed, the easier ones like Alyssum, marigolds etc. I am not a patient gardener by any means, and I'd rather buy the bigger plant than wait a few years for it to grow!

Jen
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I only grow by winter sowing. Tried normal spring/summer sprouting in small plastic pots and have a talent for killing. It's like I'm my own branded pesticide. No matter how careful my sprouted seedlings either had too little or too much moisture, too much or not enough sun. I was not successful at all. For all the amazing things people say about WS, me included, I must honestly admit that I lose a lot of stuff that way, too. Slugs are a huuuuuuuuuge problem for me. At least 90% of my losses by WS are slugs. This year was not good for WS for me. Not exactly sure why. The April weather was slightly too erratic, combined with a nearly 2 week trip in May during prime planting season. I did lose some to April weather that just got too low, but not many at all. I would say that from germination to planting I had many seedlings that didn't make it, e even in their jugs. For all the seeds I planted, I don't have that many plants to show for it this year. Who in a colder climate grows Agastache aurantiaca? This is my second year trying with those, and once in the ground they stubbornly hunker down and refuse to grow. I don't know if they need more heat, or what. I don't overwater them, but I don't ignore them. What's the secret? Some of them are actually supposed to be winter hardy to zone 5 (Agastache aurantiaca 'Tango' and repestris 'Apache Sunset') so I feel like if I could get them going they'd have a chance. This year I'm going more natives for woodland edge and shade. Last year 85% of my new perennials beds were seeds or my own transplants. What a money saver. Couldn't do it without the seeds. I've ordered from Swallowtail for a while and their quality is excellent. Their seeds count is lower, but I've noticed that with many seed companies. Many of their plants with low seed count are "fancier" plants which are difficult to find in seed form. I've grown Pow Wow Wild Berry Echinacea seeds from them for a couple of years, as an example. Only 10 seeds in a pack, but that's cheaper than what they cost at the nursery. Big Swallowtail fan for the variety they have.
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diggerdee zone 6 CT
17 years ago
I'm winter-sowing, and I thought I wasn't doing too many perennials, but now that I've gotten started, I'm doing more than I thought!

several agastaches
several alliums
several columbines
amsonia
alstromeria
baptisia leucantha
astrantia
armeria
catananche caerula
cephalophora
a couple of mums (incl. Charm Early Fashion Mix)
centranthus
coreopsis
cirsium
several dianthus
several delphiniums
a couple of echinaceas
several feverfews
doronicum (although conflicting info as to whether this is perennial or annual)
eryngium (sp? - eryngum??)
gaillardia
helenium
liatris
knautia
ratibida
platycodon
phlomis
rudbeckia (again, perennial or annual???)
veronica
viola
trifolium rubens

Like I said, a few more than I thought, lol!

:)
Dee
diggerdee zone 6 CT
17 years ago
Kevin, meant to ask - do you pinch your seed-grown mums the first year? I'm growing these for market, for fall sales, and I'm wondering if I should pinch or let them grow this first year - but I don't want them to bloom in June, lol!

Thanks,
Dee
gldno1
17 years ago
I'm doing Snow on the Mountain, Rose campion, variegated Honesty,and an apricot colored foxglove.
aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
Dee

I've never grown this particular variety of mum before, but if it behaves like others I've grown I will pinch it at some point. It's kind of amazing how fast these can grow. In the past I've had full sized mum plants by fall. I hope these behave the same way.

(looks like you have it bad)

Kevin
laurelin
17 years ago
Let's see, I'm winter sowing:

Campanula carpatica (a blue dwarf trailing kind)
Shasta daisy 'Alaska'
Roses (seeds from my 'Othello' plant)
Acanthus spinosus (a real long shot, from a plant in my yard)
Toad lilies (from my 'Miyazaki Hybrids' plants)
Alpine strawberry 'Ruegen'
Oriental poppies
Clematis (seed from my 'General Sikorski', another long shot)
Dianthus 'Victoriana'
Potentilla 'Melton Fire'
Columbine
Monarda 'Cambridge Scarlet'
Lilac (seed from my 'Wonderblue/Little Boy Blue' plant)
Hosta (four kinds, seed from a wonderful lady on the daylily forum who also grows amazing hosta)

I might still sow a few more perennials, but I'm moving on to hardy annuals now too. I've had good success winter sowing perennials, so I'm doing more this year than in the past two years together.

Laurel
deeje
17 years ago
I'm with tjsangel. I've never even considered perennials from seed; I have a hard enough time waiting for the Bluestone plants to grow up!

Besides being impatient, I really don't have the space to deal with seed-starting. I did start annuals from seed a few times in our last house, but this one isn't suited for it.
leslies
17 years ago
This year more annuals than in the past, though I'm trying some perennials as well:

delphinium 'Belladonna'
delphinium zalil (or 'Zalil') - don't really know what this one is and it looks like germination rates for the seeds may not be great.
valerian
an unknown anemone from a friend's garden
acer griseum (not expecting a lot here, either)
cornus florida
a dark purple-foliaged maple from a neighbor's yard
several different foxgloves (d. purpurea varieties)
exochorda macrantha from my own shrub 'The Bride' - if I get any sprouts, they'll got to the MAG swap
echinops ritro
campanula americana
styrax japonica
remy_gw
17 years ago
Hi,
I had such great success last year with winter sowing them, I'm doing a lot more. I'm up to 49 varieties of perennials (and a few vines too) planted out in bottles so far. Some of the things I've sown are:
Adlumia fungosa
Various Agastache
Anchusa azurea
Various Clematis species
Various Campanula species
Various Geranium species
Various Penstemon species
Dictamus Albus
Caryopteris divaricata
Delphiniums
Lathyrus vernus
Trachelium caeruleum
Rodgersia
I could go on, lol. Anyway, most everything I winter sow is plants that will come true from seed. Now, I can spend my money on cultivars that won't come true : )
Oh, and some plants will grow and bloom the first year like agastache.
Remy
mxk3 z5b_MI
17 years ago
I start annuals and vegetables from seeds, but rarely perennials. I've done it in the past, but truth be told I'm just too darn impatient to wait until at least the following season to see any action out in the garden.
ljrmiller
17 years ago
I'm starting whatever I got from the North American Rock Garden Society annual Seed Exchange. And whatever I get from the second-round exchange through same. And lots of "leftovers" from last year.

Among them: Aconitum spp., Anemone spp., Kniphofia spp., Moraea spp., Lilium spp., Astralagus spp. (Astragalus? I don't remember...), Begonia spp., Heuchera spp., Aquilegia spp., Viola spp., Paeonia spp., Helleborus spp., Hosta spp., and lord knows what else. That's not counting all the seedlings from last year living in assorted pots in need of transplantation.
highalttransplant
17 years ago
Most of the things I am starting from seeds are herbs, peppers, and a few annuals. There were several perennials that I wanted, and I am trying to save a few dollars by starting as many from seed as I can.

Agastache rupestris
Asclepias tuberosa
Kniphofia uvaria
Verbascum 'Southern Charm'
Heuchera 'Palace Purple'

The rest of what I wanted I couldn't find seeds for and ordered plants instead.

I have heard the Kniphofia usually doesn't bloom until the 2nd or 3rd year, and I know the Agastache will probably bloom it's first year. Anyone know about the Asclepias or the Verbascum? I don't really care if the Heuchera blooms or not, mainly interested in it for foliage interest.
blackswamp_girl
17 years ago
highalt, I winter sowed asclepias tuberosa last year. Of the 6 plants I ended up with, the 2 in the backyard bloomed (they got full on all day sun and some neglect) and the 3 in the front yard didn't (at least 6 hours of sun and more fussing than the others). So if you're WSing them I'd say you have a 50-50 chance! :)
blackswamp_girl
17 years ago
(Yes, I'm bad at math, but that should have said "Of the 5 plants I ended up with..." lol.)
aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
When I've done asclepias, they've bloomed the first year, but on small plants.

I think the Verbascum 'Southern Charm' also bloomed the first year, but it's been a while. I know I didn't like it and ended up yanking it the second year.

Kevin
sheltieche
17 years ago
Until I learned to winter sow I had very little success with growing from seed. Now sky is my limit. This year I am concentrating more on natives- and I mean in in wide spectrum- native to China, Japan etc. is on my list as well as native to US. Lots and lots of plants I am growing can not be obtained by any other means but growing from seeds. I have shady garden and there are so many plants that might grow well for me. Yes , it takes time. No, it is not difficult. I love to see my plants grow.
vera_eastern_wa
17 years ago
Have wintersowed the following perennials :D
Columbine (2 types)
Anise Hyssop
Phlox paniculata
Dicentra spectablis
Veronica spicata
Penstemon 'Huskers Red'
Aster laevis (Smooth Blue Aster)
Liatris
Purple Prairie Clover
Thyme 'Magic Carpet'
Daylily
Daisy
Stachys bizantina
New England Aster
Oriental Poppy
Germanium 'Biokovo'
Blue Sea Holly
Hyssopus officinalis
Verbena hastata
Canadian Milkvetch
Hardy Hibiscus
Winecup
Canna
diggerdee zone 6 CT
17 years ago
Thanks, Kevin, for that info on the mums. Yes, I suppose I do have it bad - worse than I thought, when I saw my list above, lol! Glad to see there are others though too!

:)
Dee
pitimpinai
17 years ago
I am winter sowing a lot more than planned:

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Purple Love Grass (Egrostis spectabilis - not yet - will sow it next month)
Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
Native White Baptisia (Baptisia leucantha)
Helenium - a few red ones
Texas Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis)
VA Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) - hope this one grows. I really want a whole lot more.

Hmm- what else? Can't remember. :-)
aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
17 years ago
The Prairie Smoke is a great plant. I love the name of this one because that's just what the seed heads look like.

K
katob Z6ish, NE Pa
17 years ago
I usually buy a few packets of perennial seed but then never plant them. Does that count?
Actually every now and then I get some perennial seeds into the ground in late summer. They sprout when the rain comes and have no trouble overwintering and then taking off the following spring.
woody_ga
17 years ago
I tend to wintersow things I want and can't get cheaply. Hardy Hisbiscus was a wonderful discovery last year, so I have two different kinds sowed now. Blackberry Lily is another favorite.

Are you starting any perennials from seed this year?

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Are you starting any perennials from seed this year?

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