As far as annuls go many gardeners simply head to the nursery in spring, buy their four packs of petunias, marigolds, impatiens, and geraniums. While this is great for everyone involved, I have found a new love for planting annuals from seed. A seed packet generally costs about a dollar, but the blooms that you can receive from that one packet are endless.
Many annual flowers are a bit finicky as to how they need to be planted and where they are planted, but the following annuals have always germinated and produced flowers for me. My favorite annual flowers to grow starting with seeds are: Morning Glory, Sweet Pea, Cosmos, Nasturtiums, and the ultimate flowering annual- the Zinnia.
To start by seed, I do nothing special other than soak the seeds for a day before planting. This softens the seed shell and prepares the seed for germination. I have always planted the seeds directly into the soil by simply following the seed packet instructions. I have found that it is extremely important to not plant the seeds to deep. Even a light dusting of soil over the seeds has proven to be enough to support the seed growth.
The first annual is the Morning Glory. The Morning Glory can be found in almost every color, but the most common varieties are Grandpa Otts, Heavenly Blue, Moonflower and Scarlet O-Hara. The Morning Glory is a vine that will climb almost anything. Many gardeners like to have it climb along a porch railing where the blooms can be viewed early in the morning.
Another great annual to start from seed is the Sweet Pea. The Sweet Pea is a lovely fragranced trailing annual that has delicate flowers. The sweet pea does not climb as high or wide as the Morning Glory, but the sweet smell of a Sweet Pea flower is welcomed into any home!
Cosmos flowers are excellent to plant in a cutting garden. They range in shades from white, red, and to yellow and orange. Cosmos grow very tall and have thin daisy type flowers. Cosmos are great to plant on a hillside where they can grow tall and not block anything else in your garden.
One of my personal favorite annuals to start from seed is the Zinnia. These plants are prolific bloomers and will set blooms for many months. They are quick to bloom with the first flower opening just 2-3 weeks after planning the seed. Zinnias come in almost every shape and color and should be a part of every cutting garden. If you plant only one packet of Zinnias, you will have enough to fill a vase almost every day.
Sunflowers are of course another favorite flower to start from seed. Sunflowers are especially fun for children who can excite over the extreme growth of a sunflower. Plant the massive varieties and the plants will soon tower over you. Save the flower head to dry the seeds for eating. Sunflowers are also great to leave in the garden when winter comes to provide food for the wildlife.
The last annual on my list of seed starting flowers is the Nasturtium. The Nasturtium is actually considered an herb because the flower petals are edible. They can be used to flavor and decorate salads and other summer dishes. They taste of a faint peppery flavor and melt in your mouth. Nasturtiums are another trailing annual and can climb very high. They bloom prolifically and are most commonly found in shades of red, yellow and orange. The Nasturtium makes a great choice for an edging to a rock wall where the plant can fall over the edges. They also look excellent in hanging baskets and window baskets.
If you have never tried to plant flowers from seed, try some of these choices. I can assure you that your time will be well spent, and the excitement you feel when you see those first blooms will be very rewarding!
As far as annuls go many gardeners simply head to the nursery in spring, buy their four packs of petunias, marigolds, impatiens, and geraniums. While this is great for everyone involved, I have found a new love for planting annuals from seed. A seed packet generally costs about a dollar, but the blooms that you can receive from that one packet are endless.
Many annual flowers are a bit finicky as to how they need to be planted and where they are planted, but the following annuals have always germinated and produced flowers for me. My favorite annual flowers to grow starting with seeds are: Morning Glory, Sweet Pea, Cosmos, Nasturtiums, and the ultimate flowering annual- the Zinnia.
To start by seed, I do nothing special other than soak the seeds for a day before planting. This softens the seed shell and prepares the seed for germination. I have always planted the seeds directly into the soil by simply following the seed packet instructions. I have found that it is extremely important to not plant the seeds to deep. Even a light dusting of soil over the seeds has proven to be enough to support the seed growth.
The first annual is the Morning Glory. The Morning Glory can be found in almost every color, but the most common varieties are Grandpa Otts, Heavenly Blue, Moonflower and Scarlet O-Hara. The Morning Glory is a vine that will climb almost anything. Many gardeners like to have it climb along a porch railing where the blooms can be viewed early in the morning.
Another great annual to start from seed is the Sweet Pea. The Sweet Pea is a lovely fragranced trailing annual that has delicate flowers. The sweet pea does not climb as high or wide as the Morning Glory, but the sweet smell of a Sweet Pea flower is welcomed into any home!
Cosmos flowers are excellent to plant in a cutting garden. They range in shades from white, red, and to yellow and orange. Cosmos grow very tall and have thin daisy type flowers. Cosmos are great to plant on a hillside where they can grow tall and not block anything else in your garden.
One of my personal favorite annuals to start from seed is the Zinnia. These plants are prolific bloomers and will set blooms for many months. They are quick to bloom with the first flower opening just 2-3 weeks after planning the seed. Zinnias come in almost every shape and color and should be a part of every cutting garden. If you plant only one packet of Zinnias, you will have enough to fill a vase almost every day.
Sunflowers are of course another favorite flower to start from seed. Sunflowers are especially fun for children who can excite over the extreme growth of a sunflower. Plant the massive varieties and the plants will soon tower over you. Save the flower head to dry the seeds for eating. Sunflowers are also great to leave in the garden when winter comes to provide food for the wildlife.
The last annual on my list of seed starting flowers is the Nasturtium. The Nasturtium is actually considered an herb because the flower petals are edible. They can be used to flavor and decorate salads and other summer dishes. They taste of a faint peppery flavor and melt in your mouth. Nasturtiums are another trailing annual and can climb very high. They bloom prolifically and are most commonly found in shades of red, yellow and orange. The Nasturtium makes a great choice for an edging to a rock wall where the plant can fall over the edges. They also look excellent in hanging baskets and window baskets.
If you have never tried to plant flowers from seed, try some of these choices. I can assure you that your time will be well spent, and the excitement you feel when you see those first blooms will be very rewarding!
