chart22
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Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:35 pm

Planting flower seeds in August?

Okay I know this might sound a little crazy but I need some advice. Can I plant flower seeds in the beginning of August?

I am moving to a new apartment in August, in a zone 6 city. I have a great patio with a lot of large planters. I have been unable to do any gardening in the last six years, as I have been stuck in tiny apartments with no outdoor space. I am itching to get outside and make use of my planters before the cold weather hits, and I have always wanted to try growing flowers from seeds. Is it too late to try and plant some and hope for some blooms before the first frost? I understand I am supposed to plant seeds in the spring, but it really was not possible giving my apartment situation. I was thinking marigolds, asters, flowering kale, anything traditionally associated with fall. Any advice would be appreciated!! I am obviously a beginner but I am very enthusiastic :)

csvd87
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Location: Vancouver Island, Canada

you ever thought of asking the landlord or anyone if you can do a square foot garden on the roof of your apartment?

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

zone 6 is where I live too. Unlikely to have a flat roof. Roofs around here are steep to shed the snow off. Otherwise in a bad year, the roof might collapse from weight of snow.

If you don't mind buying plants, the stores will be full of asters and mums for fall. You could probably still find annuals to transplant, impatiens and petunias, etc, that would be blooming already when you buy them. This time of year they will likely be for sale cheap.

Cosmos and zinnia might yet bloom from seed planted now.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

A lot of flowers take a while to grow to flowering size/maturity, and some needs to grow in cool temps like 50's or 60's initially. I like johnnysseeds.com because they has details like that even for flowers on their on-line catalog.

I think now is when nurseries are starting ornamental/flowering kale and cabbages from seeds for fall, so that would work, and if you want to grow something, and coleus will grow pretty fast and give you instant gratification (notice these are all colorful leaves) but I agree with rainbow that it might just be easier to buy potted flowering plants and transplant them into your planter.

What will grow best in your planter will depend on amount of sun it gets and compass direction it faces, however.



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