I bought the following plugs this week because its so long since I bought and planted seeds that match my plugs purchase I had forgotten firstly if its possible to buy such seeds and secondly where to buy them and thirdly, when does one plant them and under what conditions. E.G. In a heated greenhouse, an unheated greenhouse or what?
Fuchisa Tailing mood.
Surfnia.
Petunia.
Ivy Geranium.
I don't want to get caught out next Spring so could someone tell me if it is possible to buy these seeds and from whom?
Many of the smaller garden stores and greenhouses in my area carry an interesting array of unusual seeds that I've never seen available in the big box type stores.
I buy seeds for hybrid petunias ... I especially like the Dream series ... but I have to plant them anew every year. A few of my plants have self-sown from dropped seeds, but it's rare that they're fertile. The few seeds that grew into plants and produced flowers, produced flowers of what I would call a "muddy" kind of mauve color. Certainly not the beautiful clear reds and blues and bright whites of the Dream series hybrids.
I haven't looked for seeds for the other other plants on your list, but I'm sure they're available if you look at the smaller garden stores and nurseries. The big box stores are like the McDonald's of garden supplies. Every store has pretty much the same thing, with little variety. They offer what is most popular with the masses. To find something unique, you have to visit the smaller places, most of which are locally owned. They try to make their stores unique and different from other garden stores in the area. You'll find the interesting things there.
Also, if you get to know the staff and owners of these smaller stores by visiting them regularly, they'll sometimes even special order items for you. I've gotten to be on good terms with many of the small local garden outlets in my area. It's been ages since I've bothered looking at a catalog or online for seeds.
I buy seeds for hybrid petunias ... I especially like the Dream series ... but I have to plant them anew every year. A few of my plants have self-sown from dropped seeds, but it's rare that they're fertile. The few seeds that grew into plants and produced flowers, produced flowers of what I would call a "muddy" kind of mauve color. Certainly not the beautiful clear reds and blues and bright whites of the Dream series hybrids.
I haven't looked for seeds for the other other plants on your list, but I'm sure they're available if you look at the smaller garden stores and nurseries. The big box stores are like the McDonald's of garden supplies. Every store has pretty much the same thing, with little variety. They offer what is most popular with the masses. To find something unique, you have to visit the smaller places, most of which are locally owned. They try to make their stores unique and different from other garden stores in the area. You'll find the interesting things there.
Also, if you get to know the staff and owners of these smaller stores by visiting them regularly, they'll sometimes even special order items for you. I've gotten to be on good terms with many of the small local garden outlets in my area. It's been ages since I've bothered looking at a catalog or online for seeds.
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Petunias are super easy from seed (and the surfnia is just a variety of petunia) and the seeds are anywhere/ everywhere that sells seed. Just remember that they need light to germinate; don't cover the seeds. I planted petunia seed mid Feb and have nice transplant sized seedlings now.
Geranium is less common to find the seed, you might have to order it and a little more fussy to start from seed. I started some in January and have about a dozen nice sized plants now, but that was maybe a 50% germination rate.
I don't think fuchsia is commonly started from seed. The seeds are slow and difficult to germinate, hard to find, expensive. I would recommend buying fuchsia in pots already started. If you bought fuchsia now, you can bring it in for the winter and don't have to buy more next year - it is a tender perennial.
I start my petunias and geraniums indoors under lights on heat mats.
Geranium is less common to find the seed, you might have to order it and a little more fussy to start from seed. I started some in January and have about a dozen nice sized plants now, but that was maybe a 50% germination rate.
I don't think fuchsia is commonly started from seed. The seeds are slow and difficult to germinate, hard to find, expensive. I would recommend buying fuchsia in pots already started. If you bought fuchsia now, you can bring it in for the winter and don't have to buy more next year - it is a tender perennial.
I start my petunias and geraniums indoors under lights on heat mats.
