Growing Perennial flowers from seeds

12 years ago

Is it hard to grow perennial flowers from seeds? We will be xeriscaping our yard and I was thinking this would be a good way to save money.

If we can, do you think the time is worth it? Meaning, if we can get a plant that fits the 5" pots they sell within 1 year, I think it's worth it. If it will take 2-3 years then maybe not.

I'm thinking about:

agastache

golden rod

bee balm

echinacea

black eye susans

primrose

yarrow

sedums

lavender

And others I can't think of right now. It probably depends on the seeds/plants. I was just wondering if there was a general viewpoint.

thanks.

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
i collected pieces of most of your list.. from garden friends ... i dont know why you would waste time on seed ... if you found a nice club to join ... most of your list is the stuff peeps would fill your trunk with.. for the asking.. lol ...

of your list.. primrose.. is pretty foo foo ... its not a plant and forget plant.. like the others ...

otherwise.. growing perennials from seed is a slow process.. and i bet .. based on your statement.. you might go crazy.. waiting for them to get to professional size ...

you might want to look into the winter sowing forum..

ken
peggiewho
12 years ago
I am not a patient gardener and have little experience with seed. However, I am considering seed because what I want costs a bundle and not easily found. So I guess I would recommend that you do both. Black Eyed Susan is an annual. I just bought a nice one at Costco for $12 and stop another shopper from buying one. It's a good deal for me but if you don't have a packed garden work on the bones first. Cloning is very easy for me because I have lots of experience. Growing from seed is easy but if you haven't done it trial and error will be your experience. Personally I don't think many people go out and plant a nice garden and it all lives. You go on vacation and the sprinklers broke or the new dog ate it or the new bug that came with the alyssum ate it. Start with a plan and get what you can on the cheap. Fill it in with special plants from seed. I use winter rains to establish perennials. In you zone what is the best time to establish perennials? Primrose is a cool weather annual and I save a place in my garden to plant them each year. Black Eyed Susan is a summer annual I planted from seed last year to get a fancy color. The plants for sale are always orange. Mixing in annuals gives you some change in look each year. Be sure to plan. Do it all.
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since I normally am able to generate enough heat from the lights on the cart to get things to germinate readily. I'll spring for a mat if I have too, though ===>>> hey happy new home owner .... are you comparing the old house to the new house with this comment ... ??? ... with drafts and all.. i might not be the same.... next ... its way too early for seed germination.. here in MI ... with a last frost date in mid to late may ... especially if you end up with more seed than light stand space ... i am sure the last week of temps have generated spring fever big time.. with your new garden ... but keep in mind.. ITS STILL FEBRUARY ... and odds are.. ma nature is going to swipe us up side the head ... fear too much success.. too early .. btw ... i got my heat mat at a beer making store.. for about half what the garden store wanted for it.. and twice as big ... they use them for sprouting what ... barley ??? did i miss pix of your new spread in fall ??? ken ps: really.. digging them up in 7 days .... lol ... patience woman .. lol .. pps: 24 hours light is expensive ... i think i went with 16 hours with one on/off period during the off 8 .... was supposed to make the plants THINK the lights were on 24 hours .... i also tented the light stand on 3 sides with dollar store plastic paint tarp ... to retain some of the heat ... since i ran the lights for heat during the night.. when the furnace went down .....
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there is also a winter sowing forum ... timing is key .... summer is not really seed time .. so you have plenty of time to learn ... my default is when a plant sets seed .... then collect and store them .. or strew them around ... the problem with that.. is that they might not sprout until next spring.. by which time.. you wonder what all those weeds are .. that are sprouting.. lol ... hence winter sowing ..... which basically involves sowing the seed in containers in fall ... and so when they winter over and sprout in spring.. they are all in one pot ... ken its the first link.. plus a whole bunch of other links on topic .. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=winter+sowing+forum&t=ffcm&ia=web
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
let me be clear.. you should do it..

but lower your expectation ... it is all about patience ..

buying the plant.. cuts up to 1.5 to 2 years of PERFECT growth in a perfect circumstance .. [aka professional growers]

i have found.. that you can easily double the requisite time.. when you use mother earth.. and rely on her vagaries ...

but that should never stop you from experimenting ...

ken
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
12 years ago
I plant lots of seed for perennials as well as annuals. The seeds I plant this year are actually for next years perennials. The first year they are really a disappointment,and many gardeners just give up on seeds, at least for perennials. As Peggy points out it is a lot easier and faster to take cuttings, but to do that you must first acquire the plant. I do that also but the plants I grow from seed I can not get in plants, at least not locally. Al
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
The seeds I plant this year are actually for next years perennials.

==>> thank god Al finally got to what i have been trying to get to ...

there is no instant gratification .. you would be planting now ... for the FUTURE ... and that is the expectation ...

so buy some ready plants for your instant gratification..

and plant some seed for delayed gratification ...

ken
GawdinFever
12 years ago
Amen to that, Ken!

I've finally learned to somewhat tame 'instant gratification'. I buy one of each of what I like/want (okay, not EVERYTHING I want!)...and then take cuttings or divide.

Saves money, time, patience, etc.
dekprizm
11 years ago
Hi there, I say go for it! Check out the winter sowing forum. True, perennials are slower, but one of my favorites in the garden is a lavendar monarda planted from seed that flowered profusely in year 2. It was sure worth the wait and it also attracts the very cool clear wing hummingbird moth!

Growing Perennial flowers from seeds

Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

peggiewho

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