rngray
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Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:10 am
Location: Washington, DC

Growing Perennials From Seed Question

Hi, I'm in Washington, DC, hardiness zone 7, and I'm so over winter and ready for my flowers to bloom! Last spring I planted several perennials from seed and nothing came up. I planted delphiniums, butterfly flower (the orange one), and blue fescue ornamental grass seeds. I sowed all 3 directly in the ground sometime around the beginning of April and followed all the instructions on the packets. Some of them were planted at the front of my house which gets full sun and the other half planted on the side with partial shade. None of the 3 seeds even sprouted at all. :( My mother, who is more experienced at gardening, said they might come up this year... I'm not convinced. I know perennials might not bloom the first year but I would think they would still sprout. Any experience with this? If I need to replant this year, I need advice on what to do differently.

It might also be helpful to know that other plants DID grow in my soil. I planted morning glories and moonflowers from seed and they grew splendidly. I also put in a butterfly bush and a Miss Kim lilac and those all did fine for the first year. And I planted snapdragon plants in the same bed as the seeds and they grew like champs all season. So it can't just be that my soil is bad. I'd appreciate any advice! Thank you!

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rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I think you planted them too late. Cold hardy perennials need the seeds to go through winter cold and then spring warming to wake them up. If you are planting them in the ground, you can do that in the fall, and then they will sprout in spring.

Otherwise, to plant in spring, they need to be cold stratified first. That means planting them in moist potting soil, then wrapping pot and all in plastic wrap/baggie and putting it in the refrigerator for 6 weeks. Then bring them out, warm them up with some warm water and put them in the light to sprout. (Has to be in moist potting soil or wrapped in moist paper towels, putting dry seeds in the fridge does not count, that is just storing them, not sprouting them.)

By planting in April, the seeds did not get enough cold. I doubt they will sprout this year, they probably rotted out in the meantime. You can start over with new seeds and cold stratification or you can wait until this fall to plant your perennial seeds in the ground.

As you found, all of this does not apply to annuals which are adapted to sprouting, growing, and completing their life cycle all in one season.

Susan W
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1858
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Growing a perennial garden from seed is a challenge, especially the 1st year. Many are a year out to bloom, and plants can remain small. I grow, well try, a number of perennials including flowering and herbs from seed, for myself but also have a micro business selling at the farmers market. Some do need cold, some just take forever, some not, and some will surprise you!

Butterfly weed can be direct sown, doesn't need cold. I start mine in the spring/summer in peat pellets, then bump up to qt pots for the next season. They may or may not bloom even then. The flowers are pollinator attractors, but the monarch butterfly doesn't lay eggs on the leaves even though it is a milkweed Asclepias. I haven't messed with delphinium or the grasses.

In general, google is your friend. If you see something you might like, check it out on the 'puter. As with many other things, comments etc can vary and even be conflicting!

Hope this helps.



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