Summer sowing rocks!!

15 years ago

I've been summer sowing seeds I collected from my own plants last year as well as commercial seeds I didn't have time to WS and am as giddy as a schoolgirl watching them sprout within a matter of days and grow so fast I think I could see them get bigger if I just stood and watched for a few minutes. Holy cow! I WS Shasta daisy seeds and have sprouts an inch tall less than two weeks later. I've also summer sowed dianthus barbatus, blue flax, helenium, rudbeckia 'Irish Eyes,' and a few others. So far they've all sprouted fast except the helenium.

I poked a lot of extra vent holes in the tops of the milk jugs and am keeping them in mostly shade. I have extra plastic storage bins--shallow, wide ones I can set them in to bottom water when they need it--so I'm really counting on the sprouts not only surviving the rest of July + August heat, but thriving in it so they're ready to plant out between now and October.

The dianthus barbatus pushed me into summer sowing--I really want flowers next spring and wouldn't have them if I waited to WS the seeds. I'm afraid to go through my seed stash since I don't want to end up with 100 or so milk jugs to tend in addition to all the WS plants I'm nursing along.

Who else is summer sowing for next year's blooms?

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Comments (10)

terrene
15 years ago
Well, I was thinking about doing some more Columbine. I had about 50% germination with my Aquilegia 'Origami' mix seeds, which was not that great considering there were only 15 seeds in a packet (Swallowtail)!

Last year I didn't get the Aquilegia caerulea planted out until late summer, and the plants were pretty small because they had been stuck in their container so long. But still got blooms on most of those this Spring.
bakemom_gw
15 years ago
I do it every year. There are plenty of challenges, but they can be managed if you watch the little buggers on a daily (several times a day)basis. I sow tons. Fall plantout is nice too. I continue to plant out until Thanksgiving.

Have fun!

Remember, there is no better feeling than watching seeds from your own winter sown plants germinate and grow healthy.
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ladyrose65
15 years ago
Congratulations! I DS'd some Butterfly weed. I got like 5 sprouts.
ldsluder
15 years ago
oh no... but I still have 'seedlings' in 'containers' from WS'ing! I was hoping they would summer sow on their own.. right down in the dirt beside where they rise and shine... I'm addicted to every aspect of seed to bloom! welp, here we go....!!!! especially since I have about 30+ bags of different seeds I've collected :)
gardenweed_z6a
Original Author
15 years ago
terrene - you summer sow columbine? The reason I ask is they're on my list of seeds that need cold stratification + Diane's Flower Seeds website says to refrigerate them 3 weeks. I'd love to summer sow the seeds I collected but was holding off because of the cold strat. requirement. Do you chill yours before summer sowing?
bev2009
15 years ago
Gardenweed...I know you can grow anything...but rocks?!
gardenweed_z6a
Original Author
15 years ago
bev2009 - as the saying goes, that's Connecticut's best crop but thanks anyway for the vote of confidence!! (;-p)
trudi_d
15 years ago
Wonderful Summer Sowing--I have a large planter loaded with hosta seedlings.
loisthegardener_nc7b
15 years ago
The thing that keeps me from summer sowing is the extra work of watering. I am already out there every evening watering the veggies and there is not enough daylight for me to keep everything else watered. However, last weekend I made a self watering container for some wintersown seedlings that needed a home. So far it is working great. Instead of watering them every 2 days, I water them once a week, if that. So there might be summer sowing in my future.
pippi21
15 years ago
I've always heard that it is best to water your flowers in the morning hours instead of evening. Evening watering may cause fungal or mildew problems. I've been getting out there as soon at daybreak..to beat the heat. This past few weeks we have run the soaker hoses for 45-60 min. every other day on certain flowerbeds..

I didn't water today, but will be out there tomorrow morning. I'm probably going to lose the flowering Vinca that I planted on Tuesday morning even though I've been watering them every day. Hopefully I won't but I won't get upset..as it's really been hot..high 90's and over 100 a few days there. Doing the best I can! One morning it was 81 by 8 am with 98% humidity.