Beginners Guide to Growing Perennial Plants from Seeds

A lot of avid gardeners like to save money by growing their own perennials from seeds. This may sound difficult but the hardest part of taking on such a project is just getting started and knowing how to plan ahead. It may take a bit of extra time to grow all your plants and flowers from seeds but in the long run you’ll have a great feeling of satisfaction in addition to a beautiful garden.

Obviously, the first thing you need to do is choose what type of plants you want to grow and purchase seeds. You’ll want to research the different types of seeds available because depending on the type of plant they will have different growing requirements. For example, in order to germinate, some seeds will need to be exposed to freezing temperatures.

Delphinium, phlox, and bleeding heart are examples of plants that require cold treatment. These perennial plants can be started outside in the fall. Be sure to check the instructions on the back of the seed package to learn about the different requirements for each species. Usually for cold treatment you can set the seeds outside in a flat for 30-45 days. After the set amount of time has passed the seeds should be placed under special indoor lights.

Some people think they can gather seeds from existing plants and use these for growing. However, these seeds usually will not “come true” and produce plants that look the same as the mature plants the seeds were gathered from. You’re much better off purchasing your seeds so that way you get the exact species, cultivar, and look you want.

You’ll need to purchase soil mix and seed-staring inserts after you buy your seeds. Be sure to get the right type of soil mix for your seeds as different types will have certain growing requirements. The seed-starting inserts are then placed inside fits. Usually 20-row inserts are good to buy because they will fit nicely inside 20 inch long flats.

A lot of gardeners use an indoor portable greenhouse to keep their seeds growing under lights while they wait for them to germinate and grow large enough to be planted outdoors. There are many different sizes of portable greenhouses available to suit your needs. Usually you’ll find a larger selection online that what you’ll find at local stores.