Cool-weather seeds in warm weather, direct sowing, and more ?

3 years ago

I'm in zone 6a. This is my first year growing (flowers) from seed. I tried winter-sowing and had some mishaps, so not as many seedlings to put out as I'd hoped. I've cold-stratified a big bag of perennial seeds and am ready to plant those outside next week (when the temp is FINALLY getting into the 80s during the day and 50s/60s at night)...as well as all of my annuals. But I've just been reading that some annuals are "cold soil" seeds - poppies, bee's friend, calendula, bachelor's buttons, larkspur, sweet peas, nasturtium, etc. Does that mean that they need cold stratification and CANNOT be direct in mid-May? Should I just sow those seeds in October here? We've had a REALLY cold spring here, with a frost just yesterday, but I figure 80 degree weather will warm the soil up pretty quickly. The space I'm working with gets full sun.

Also, am I wasting my seeds by sowing my perennials so late? Next year I plan to have an indoor grow-light system, but this year I have no choice but to direct sow those seeds. Some have a pretty long lag in germination, but we also have a fairly long growing season (last year, we didn't get a frost until nearly mid-October and flower garden still looked pretty nice!). I did start some cosmos 2 weeks ago and the seedlings are already about an inch tall...but still, quite a while before they flower.

I have a HUGE space for planting...a 65' x 65' field. I'm planning on making it into a big cutting garden. I'm starting from scratch, so I don't want to miss a season or waste seeds by planting incorrectly. My original plan was cold-stratify all perennials and direct-sow them with the annuals after our last frost date. A big goal is getting enough performance to be able to collect the seeds in the fall, to expand the garden and use the extras in seed trades.

Please advise. Thank you!

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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

3 years ago

It was the poppies I as referring to with regard to transplanting troubles. Opium poppies make a tap root.

Sweet peas are fine with transplanting. If I planted them in situ outdoor temps aren't high enough for them germinate in time to flower well.

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Comments (8)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
No seeds like 'cold' soil and none of your flowers need cold stratification. Some can germinate at cooler temperatures than others but they still need some warmth in the soil. Just sow them in situ now. Btw nasturtiums are not even frost tolerant and need temps around 15 - 20c for good germination.

Not all perennials need cold stratification either. You need to check each species individually. You'll waste more time by not sowing until autumn than by doing it straight away. You can warm the soil more quickly by covering with plastic. If it's clear plastic you can sow your seed, replace the plastic and remove it when you see germination.
getgoing100_7b_nj
3 years ago
it might be a bit late for poppies and sweet peas? Or may be they will grow well through the summer for you? Not sure. Someone from your zone would know better.
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bosewichte
Original Author
3 years ago
Floral_uk, that's just what I was hoping. I was planning to go ahead and give it a try anyway, but I definitely feel better about it. Getgoing, my poppy order actually won't be here for 3 weeks! I was planning on scattering some seeds at the end of October and hoping for some seedlings in the spring, but otherwise would start them indoors in the spring. Sweet peas, bah. I have terrible, terrible luck with both sweet peas and nasturtiums. I've tried the 24 hour soaking...I've tried nicking the shell...nothing. I did manage to get one lowly nasturtium to sprout this year, but I do agree that it's a bit late for sweet peas. I have quite a few varieties so I'm going to try to grow a couple in pots, so I can move them to shade in the afternoons. I heard that they aren't big fans of transplanting so hopefully this will work!
woodnative
3 years ago
Make sure you keep your seeds and seedlings moist.............sunny warm soil will require fairly frequent watering......especially when the seedlings are tiny until they get some root down.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
I would have sown sweet peas indoors in January. Poppies, both opium and red field, self sow on my allotment so they've been in the ground since last summer. They're coming up now. I don't think they'd transplant well. Nasturtiums also self sow here. They're coming up now but they got a bit frosted last night. Some nasturtiums in my window boxes lived all winter in the micro climate of the house wall and they're in bloom now.
getgoing100_7b_nj
3 years ago
I did sow sweet peas and poppies outdoors in pot early February but when they did not come up for a while I brought the containers indoors to help the germination along. They went out again after they had grown a few leaves. They have grown into reasonably large plants/seedling and the poppies are hopefully going to start blooming soon. I did transplant many poppy seedlings (pricked from the one container) and they are doing reasonably fine. I have previously transplanted sweet peas but only from cells to 4 inch to a gallon to a bigger pot so it doesn't probably count as that is more of potting up than transplanting.
getgoing100_7b_nj
3 years ago
Mine are shirley poppies (we are not allowed to cultivate opium ;)).

Cool-weather seeds in warm weather, direct sowing, and more ?

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

Comments (8)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

getgoing100_7b_nj

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bosewichte
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woodnative

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Cool-weather seeds in warm weather, direct sowing, and more ?

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

Comments (8)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

getgoing100_7b_nj

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bosewichteOriginal Author

woodnative

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

getgoing100_7b_nj

getgoing100_7b_nj

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bosewichte
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