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container spring/ summer sowing

16 years ago

What are you spring /summer sowing? Specially which varieties

will do good from midsummer into fall in containers if being sown now?

I find myself wondering- I have several containers with primulas. So after they bloom and show is over, what to fill it with?

There are also several hanging baskets right in front of walking path- it seems silly to keep same display there all summer, specially if I can sow something else.

So I am thinking pansies will do good going into fall, ornamental kale, cabbage. What else?

Will sweet peas and snaps do good if started June?

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Comments (7)

lblack61
16 years ago
I don't have many hanging baskets, but how about Verbena (the trailing kind)?

I said I wasn't going to Spring Sow this year, but I'm probably going to do a bunch of Pansies and some Calceolaria.
I usually WS Pansies, but I didn't this year, thinking I could do without having more. Not.
The Calceolaria I suspect is a warm germinator, so I'm going to Spring Sow some of those too, then bring them indoors as an indoor plant.
I haven't Spring Sowed Snapdragons, but I'm debating whether to Spring Sow more or direct sow another bunch. I WSed a bunch of trailing, ones ("Magic Carpet") and they've been getting trampled on by the cats. I'm thinking of dumping more seed there in the summer, when things around it are grown up and make it inconvenient for the cats to walk in that spot.

Linda
deborahz7
16 years ago
I'll be doing some ornamental kale in July but thats it. Maybe some pansies for winter. I need a break.
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Have you read the FAQs on Spring and Summer Sowing? I can tell you what I do for summer sowing, but keep in mind that my garden is entirely in pots and that what works for me on a (somewhat) protected terrace might not work the same for others. I use deeper containers - 5-6" of soil - and I do cover them, loosely. Lots of air holes in the cover. Until they sprout, they're kept in a shady spot on the terrace where they get only a small dose of morning sun. Watching the watering is much more crucial than with WS; my containers usually get by with a good bottom watering every couple of days. Once they sprout, I keep the covers as long as I can, adding more vents; this is mainly as a protection from the birds up here - they'll cart off a seedling in no time. Once they get some size, I pot them into bigger containers - one or two gallon sizes - to grow on. They get mulched well, and they'll get water for as long as necessary before cold weather sets in. For overwintering, I just bunch them up closely together, as close to the building wall as possible (where it's a bit warmer). Done. I've had failures, but some of the seeds I've had luck summer sowing and getting to live for the next year are malva, hosta, biennial salvia, and dianthus. I've got some lilac seedlings this year (not SS, but really slow in germinating) - at least I hope that's what they are - that will get the same treatment. Hope my method proves true with them. PV
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mo_girl
16 years ago
My most recently sown were sunflowers. The sprouts are maybe a week to two weeks old. I got them out a little later than I had planned.

I'm planning on sowing some pansies, maybe annual asters, and some ornamental cabbage for fall. Does anyone know when I should start them so they'll be in bloom for fall? Maybe now?
netwiz
16 years ago
I WSed 30 jugs in Jan. then life got in the way. I didn't start sowing again until May 2nd and plan to sow everything that doesn't need stratification... 60 more jugs and counting. Not exactly the way I planned it but spring and summer sowing are just as fun. Who knows, I may even throw some seeds in the fridge and sow them for fall planting.

Joanne
beckilove
16 years ago
I've been lurking here for a few days, but since I haven't winter sown anything before, I didn't feel right posting! But, on this questions, I can tell you - just about everything! I only just found garden web last month, and have been trading some, and can't wait to plant all the fun seeds I have. But, it is so late for starting things right now :( So, I am doing a little here and a little there, but trying to save the bulk of my seeds for winter sowing, and starting indoors. But, just today, I have planted lots of marigolds (several different kinds, about halfway around our vegetable garden so far - my husband thinks once they start growing, it will help keep the critters out), and several different kinds of sunflowers. My husband was very leary of me planting sunflowers, as the last ones I planted were several years ago, and were mammoth sunflowers. I made the mistake of planting them along our fence line - not realizing that they would intertwine with our electric fence (as we raise livestock just on the other side of the fence.) It was a real mess! But I finally talked him into giving me another chance :) This time they are smaller (none are supposed to get more than 6' tall), and much more beautiful (lots of reds and oranges.) Okay, so enough rambling - I'll be planting lots of goodies over the next week or so outside!
moonphase
16 years ago
Is there a list some where that tells which seeds need cold strat and which ones don't..? I stay a little confused about this,and the ones that need warm-cold-warm that will need to be planted in the fall...surely there is somewhere that tells about this.I just don't know where.
moonphase
seedmama
16 years ago
moonphase, take a look at Tom Clothier's database. I keep it bookmarked. In addition to cold strat info it gives germination temperatures. Instead of fretting over my WS containers that hadn't sprouted, I compared the database to my climate's temps. It helped me to know it just wasn't time to sprout yet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tom Clothier's database

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