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Monday - May 11, 2015

From: Blanco, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seeds and Seeding, Wildflowers
Title: Spring sowing of wildflower seeds in pots
Answered by: Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

Is it possible to start wildflower seeds in pots in the spring and then transplant them to the yard?

ANSWER:

Yes, it's possible to do that for some wildflowers, but not for others.  Spring-flowering wildflowers are either winter annuals or perennials.  Winter annuals germinate in the fall and flower the following spring.  Perennials may germinate at any time, but usually grow one to three years before flowering.

Fall-flowering annual wildflowers are good candidates for starting in pots and transplanting.  However, there is not a lot of advantage in doing so and most folks simply sow the seeds directly in the garden where they want them.

 

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