10 Perennials You CAN Grow from Seed
By DIY Maven
Starting perennials from seed is one of the most cost-effective types of gardening out there. First, seeds are MUCH less expensive than seedlings or mature plants. Second, once you get your perennials growing, they'll come back year after year. Third, you can harvest some of their seeds and plant even MORE perennials. It's a lovely circle of life, isn't it? Anyway....if you think actually GROWING perennials from seed is easier said than done, you might be surprised at this list from Fine Gardening. Their top 10 choices include:
- Allium (aka flowering chive, pictured above) grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 11. Plant in full sun.
- Penstemon, for zones 3 to 10. Plant in full sun to partial shade.
- Delosperma (aka hardy ice plant), for zones 5 to 11. Full sun.
- Primula (aka primrose), for zones 3 to 8. Full sun to deep shade.
- Silene, for zones 3 to 9. Full sun to light shade.
- Dianthus for zones 3 to 10. Full sun to light shade.
- Draba, for zones 4 to 6. Full sun.
- Lupine, for zones 4 to 8. Full sun.
- Aquilegia (aka native columbine), for zones 3 to 8. Full sun to partial shade.
- Eriogonum (aka wild buckwheat), for zones 3 to 11. Full sun.
For MUCH more information about these plants, including optimal soil conditions and photos of each, visit finegarding.com.
Dianthus gratianopolitanus, photo credit by Jennifer Banner.
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DIY Maven
Good advice, Jim. My mother used to grow moss roses like that. Lush, colorful groundcover.
kestrel
Something else to consider are annuals that reseed easily. Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Cleomes and Morning Glory are some that come up year after year without any effort. Well here in Zone 6 they do. :)
Keep in mind that the seeds from hybrids, be it perrenials or annuals, tend not to grow true to the parent as far as color and other traits go...but they are still pretty and fun to grow.
If you do collect the seeds there is even a seed exchange forum on gardenweb.com where you can publish what seeds you have and what seeds you wished you had.
Jim
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