Sowing Perennial Seeds Outdoors
Here are the outdoor systems that work for most gardeners.
Advantages of Outdoor Sowing
Seeds sown outdoors get to experience the natural ups and downs of temperature ranges that stimulate natural hormone/growth cycles.
Plants are robust and healthy if sown far enough apart.
The gardener doesn't have to have any special equipment or technique.
Dis-Advantages of Outdoor Sowing
Sowing perennial seeds outdoors is varible and sometimes the results are unpredictable.
Ants and mice enjoy perennial seed as much as they enjoy weed seed.
Plant growth can be controlled.
Plunged Pot Perennial Seeds
In the fall.
Use at least a six-inch size pot and cut the bottom off it. Larger pots are good. Smaller pots tend to be harder to water and care for.
Sink the pot into the garden soil so that only the top inch of the pot rim is showing above ground.
Sterilize the soil inside the pot by slowly pouring boiling hot water over it. The hot water will kill all seeds in the pot. The more boiling water you use, the better.
Soil Must Be Cool
Allow the soil to cool.
Sow the seeds and barely cover them to protect them from mice/ants and drying out. Do not cover them deeply – only cover them so the seed disappears.
Walk away for the winter. Leave the seeds to act with Mother Nature.
In the spring, transplant those seeds that germinated.
Not Enough Seedlings
If you didn't get enough seedlings, leave the pot in place for one more summer/winter cycle
You can sow seed in early spring – it may or may not germinate in the summer. If not, simply allow to overwinter in place.
Seed that doesn't germinate after two winter seasons is likely dead and should be tossed out.
In-Garden Sowing
Many gardener sow perennial seed directly into the garden where they want the plants to grow. This is an ideal solution for some plants. Hollyhocks are an excellent example, the seeds germinate readily so sowing them where you want them to bloom makes a great deal of sense.
The advantage is that you'll have your plants where you want them.
The disadvantage is that the plants have to compete with other perennials and weeds – not to mention ants and mice who want to harvest your seeds for their own purposes.
My Rule Of Thumb
My rule of thumb on this is that if I have a ton of seed and only need a few plants, then I don't mind spreading the seed around and letting nature take its course.
If I've spent some money on the seed, I'd rather take care of that investment and sow in pots or indoors.
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