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Plants For Your Garden: Flowers from Seed

How to have a fabulous spring and summer garden on a shoestring: flower seeds are the answer and now's the time!

Whether you have a large or small garden, or even just a sunny balcony or entryway, there's nothing like some flowers to dress up the area for the warm months to come. However, like everything else, costs are a concern. Buying potted starts or flats of flowering plants is convenient, it can run into some money. Buying flower seeds is one way to have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Flower seeds are inexpensive and make a fun late winter project for the frugal gardener.

Here's an economical approach to a fabulous display of flowers come spring and summer. Let's take a look at the step by step process to an enviable garden show in the neighborhood.

Nurseries receive seedlings from their suppliers in flats and then transplant the individual seedling plants into small plastic pots to sell in the spring. This means they have a lot of empty flats sitting around. Ask at your nursery and see if they have any used plastic flats to grow flowers from seed that they want to get rid of – most often, the nursery staff will point you to their storage area and say, “Help yourself!” Now you've got some free containers to start your flower seeds. Rinse the flats out with a bleach and water solution to kill any bacteria – 2-3 tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of water does the job. Turn the flats over and allow to dry. Rinse again with plain water before planting.

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A 2:1 mix of vermiculite and potting soil provides a good medium in which to start your seeds. Straight potting soil can be heavy and invite mold. Vermiculite serves two purposes: it makes the starting medium lighter and thus provides good drainage. Set the flats on a baking sheet or heavy duty foil, layering gravel or sand to catch the excess water. Wet the soil throughly, allowing it to settle. Drain off excess water. You don't want standing water.

Before purchasing your seeds, decide on a color scheme and a mix of plants which will thrive in your planting area. Do you want to stick with annuals, or toss a few perennials into your mix? Annuals are the easiest to grow, so if you're a beginner, you may want to create a garden composed mostly of annuals. Perennials take a bit longer to start, but they do come back year after year. Perennials don't usually bloom in the first year, so take this into consideration when planning your garden beds.

When you shop for flower seeds, be sure to check the date stamped on the back side of the packet. The packets are usually marked with 'packed for the 200X season', with X being the coming year. You may find flower seeds left over from last season at bargain prices, ranging from 10-25 cents a packet. If the seed packets have been stored properly, away from direct light and in a cool location, these can be a bargain indeed. You also want to check the appropriate planting dates for your growing zone. If the seeds should be planted in November and it's now January, choose another flower which meets the planting time criteria for your growing zone.

Now it's time to plant your flower seeds. Use a popsicle stick and a permanent marker to label each row of plants. Include the name of the flower, planting date and the number of days required for germination.

At the germination stage, a daily misting with plain water is all it takes to get your flower seeds to sprout. Be patient. You'll soon be rewarded with little seedlings, the basis for your spring and summer garden. When your seedlings have two sets of 'real' leaves, you're ready to plant. Be sure the ground has warmed sufficiently for your flower seeds to survive. If you've planted your seeds according to your growing zone guidelines, success is yours!

All that's left is accepting the admiration of neighbors and passer-bys! That beautiful garden you've dreamed of has become a reality.