Start With These Flower Seeds in Fall to Get Earlier Blooms Next Spring Get a jump on next season’s flowers! Find out which annual seeds to plant this fall for earlier blooms next spring.
By: Park Seed
September in the garden feels like it’s winding down. But between gathering the last bouquets and clearing summer beds, there’s an opportunity to begin something new: next season’s flowers.
For some annuals, fall can be an excellent planting window. The trick is choosing varieties that suit your climate and understanding that autumn sowing looks different depending on where you garden.
Let Your Weather Set the Schedule
Have mild winters? Plant cold-tolerant annuals in fall to give them time to sprout and grow roots. You’ll enjoy flowers earlier than you would with spring planting.
Even where winters are cold, fall planting is an option for some flowers. The trick is to sow once the soil stays cold enough to keep seeds from sprouting until spring. Check the seed packet to see which varieties you can plant this way.
Follow regional planting guidance rather than relying on your USDA hardiness zone alone. Fall sowing doesn’t mean every annual can withstand freezing weather, and not every flower seed needs a winter chill to germinate.
Sweet Peas: Plan Ahead for Fragrant Bouquets
Grow sweet peas along a fence or trellis for fragrant flowers you can pick by the handful. A small bouquet is enough to bring their sweet scent indoors.
In mild-winter climates, autumn sowing gives these cool-season favorites a head start. Plant once summer’s heat eases, following the timing recommended for your area. Set supports in place early for climbing varieties. Where winters are harsh, plan a late-winter or early-spring start instead.
Calendula: A Sunny Addition to the Cool-Season Garden
With cheerful yellow and orange flowers, calendula brings warmth to the garden’s cooler days. Also called pot marigold, it is a different plant from the familiar summer marigolds in the genus Tagetes.
Sow in fall where winters are mild. Depending on planting time and local weather, flowers may appear during the cool season or the following spring. Give plants a sunny spot with good drainage.
California Poppies: Color Worth the Wait
California poppies pair delicate, cup-shaped flowers with finely cut foliage for an airy, informal display.
Fall sowing suits mild-winter regions; in harsh-winter areas, early spring is a better choice. Sow directly where you want the plants to flower, since they dislike root disturbance. Choose a sunny, well-drained location and follow the packet’s sowing depth. USDA growing guidance.
Bachelor’s Buttons and Larkspur: Cottage-Garden Favorites
For a relaxed mix of flowers to enjoy outdoors and cut for the house, consider bachelor’s buttons and annual larkspur.
Both are candidates for autumn sowing where winter conditions allow seedlings to survive. Bachelor’s buttons add informal charm, while larkspur adds upright flower spikes. Check that you’re buying annual larkspur rather than a perennial delphinium and follow each variety’s planting instructions.
Annual Coreopsis: A Meadow-Inspired Touch
For a looser, meadow-style planting, look for Coreopsis tinctoria, commonly called plains coreopsis. This annual brings a different character from perennial coreopsis varieties.
To plant annual coreopsis this fall, clear a spot in the garden and check your seed packet for local planting timing, depth, and spacing. The Native Plant Society of Texas lists fall sowing for this species. Plains coreopsis growing information.
Start Small This September
You don’t need to sow an entire border. Try a short row for cutting, a sunny corner, or a small patch beside a path. Remove weeds, prepare the soil, and label the planting so you’ll recognize your seedlings later.
A little planning now can give you something lovely to look forward to when the garden begins again.
By Arricca Sansone for Proven
Winners® ColorChoice® Shrubs
Your yard overflows with colorful annuals, perennials and shrubs but you may be missing something. Adding a small tree to you landscape makes your garden uniquely yours.
To learn more click here for an interesting article.
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