posted
I would like to learn/start growing some flowers from seed next year, partly because it's something new I want to try, and partly because I have so many beds I have been starting and it seems to maybe be a cheaper way to go, rather than buying so many expensive plants. I was just looking at this website and they have TONS of different plants/flowers...but for example - the purple coneflower packet has like 1,200 seeds...now - my question is, how many plants will this grow and how do I plant them? If I start them before spring in the house, do I plant a few seeds in each container, which would be one coneflower plant...obviously I'm not going to get 1,200 coneflower plants from 1,200 seeds, but how many seeds makes 1 plant? Does that make sense? Or do you plant a few in each pot, wait for them to grow, thin them down to just 1 plant and transplant that outside in the spring?
posted
You are rite about plants being expensive, they're pretty cheap when you have to buy a few transplants but when you need to fill a whole bed of them, your wallet's gonna say ouch!
The way this works (hope I'm rite) one seeds is one plant, but you've gotta leave room for mistakes, meaning not each and every seeds will sprout. The way I do it is put like two to four seeds in a pot and when they sprout I just thin out to one plant per pot.
BTW, I don't think you'll need 1200 seeds! They are perennial and they spred nicely to form a clup, you can divide the clump every three years or so to get more plants.
Have you visited the seed exchange forums yet? You can try saving seeds from the plants you grew this year and maybe post a request for what you're looking for, usually someone has what you're looking for (even the more unusual plants)
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Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth My WebsiteMy Blog Plants: 1697 | From: Ontario, Canada | Registered: May 2006
| Seeded: 74.117.220.97
posted
Yep - I've been to the seed exchange - I got seeds from you remember?
I did open my first coneflower yesterday and got the seeds because it was dried up and put them in an envelope - so was pretty excited about that...it is true in somebody's sig.line here - don't sneeze while sorting seeds!
1,200 seeds is what an example of one of the packs are for coneflowers, for like 3 bucks. I just find it hard to believe that my coneflower plant I bought that is so big and beautiful came from 1 seed! I thought maybe it was a handful of seeds that grew together.
How about bee balm. I had never seen this before until I went to a garden tour this year and EVERYBODY had it. Something like that is a collection of quite a few seeds correct? Maybe try to plant a few before spring inside, and also try to plant a few straight in the ground by sprinkling some seeds in an area?
I've very excited to start from seeds, because yes - I have lots of beds I have been planning and the more I am in this forum - the more ideas I am getting and the more area of my farm I keep digging up this summer for plans on next spring!!!
posted
I'm in the same boat as you Patty. We are ripping out the vinca that covers most of the flower beds at our new house and I need to get my hands on a large amount of new plants and flowers. I found a lot of good info about winter sowing at www.wintersown.org and already have over 100 different types of seeds I plan to do this winter. Even if I only get %50 germination it's still MUCH cheaper than buying nursery plants! There are several others here that will be doing it as well. Come join the fun!
Joanne
Plants: 302 | From: York, PA | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 68.63.132.224
posted
Germination from seed is usually over 70% but leave room for transplant shock to take out a bunch of your seedlings. I have massive trouble with that.
What gets expensive growing from seed is the soil. So I would suggest starting your compost piles as soon as possible. So you aren't hocking the farm to pay for potting soil.
you can by the big packets of seeds. Seeds last a long time and you can use them for trade for other plants. And you can give your excess to starting gardeners which is what I do with plants that produce many many seeds.
And no it never takes more than one seed to grow a plant.
Becareful when buying seeds though. Some seeds need to be fresh in order to germinate. Like Birds of Paradise.
So research the flowers you want before you buy the seeds and make sure that you have the optimal growing conditions for them.
* * * * Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.201.91
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