transplant v. direct seed

15 years ago

Hi all~

This year is a new venture in flowers for me. I've piddled around in flower beds, and that's about it. This is our 3rd year growing vegetables for market and I'm wanting to experiment w/ cuts and drying flowers for wreaths.

I look in the archives and want to grow everything, but realistically, I know I can't grow a huge variety of things and keep up with it all. This is truly a year for experimentation and if I get to cut a few and take to market, all the better!

I'm getting a late start w/ the flowers, as all of my time seems to have been taken up w/ getting the spring veggies going. However, I'm wondering if any of these flowers are recommended transplanting v. direct seeding or vice versa. Also, is it too late to start any of these indoors?

Do most of you growers succession plant all summer?? Just trying to get a feel for what I need to keep in flats ready to replant. Thanks for any input and advice.....

Sunflowers-procut series

Ageratum - red top

Ammi - green mist

Amaranth -

Artemesia - sweet annie

celosia

cosmos

gomphrena

salvia

scabiosa

static - heavenly blue

snapdragon - tetra giants

strawflower - everlasting

yarrow -

zinnia

Thanks!

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Comments (3)

pitt
15 years ago
Hello, gardenerwannabe6--

I would not think that it is too late to grow many of your choices.

Definite outside seeding for us in Indiana:
sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias

Definite inside seeding for us:
ageratum, celosia, snaps, statice, gomphrena

Not growing others on your list this year.

We started Colorado yarrow several years ago inside. This has been a great return crop each year. Divided them last year and moved to another bed.

Yes, we succession plant quite a bit. Sunflowers go in every week from May to July 15 for us (sometimes we get greedy and keep going until August 1! : ) hoping for late frost. We did 2 plantings of zinnias and cosmos last year, one in May and one early June.

Good luck with your flower growing! Pitt from IN(5)
thinman
15 years ago
It probably seems late to you down in OK, but up here in Michigan it seems like there is still a lot of time to get flowers started. I have only about a quarter of mine started so far. I'm sure you can still get things started and have great crops.

We have such a short season up here that I start almost all of the flowers on your list, except yarrow, indoors, even if I will be direct sowing some when things warm up. I haven't tried sweet Annie yet. I do direct seed cosmos, sunflowers, and zinnias to get succession plantings. I always plan to succession plant more things, but somehow the time slips away. This year I'll be better.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted.

ThinMan
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gardenerwannabe6
Original Author
15 years ago
Pitt-Thanks for your info. I did grow suns and zinnias last year - direct seed, but was wondering if I should try to have transplants ready to succession plant or just direct seed. I know when we started growing veggies, the learning curve can be quite a curve, so it helps to get the experience of others.....thanks for sharing.

Thinman-It does seem to be getting late here.....the days are beginning to stay warmer, and soon enough the summer heat will be setting in....I understand about the "time slipping away" - always want to do more than I am able. But we dive in and do what we can do, and just have to be ok w/ that until the next day.
Thanks again!