i would suggest you sow your seeds directly into mother earth ...

so what if they bloom a month later ...

you make it sound.. that on the first day of spring... summer is over ... so it cant be done ...

i disagree ... go for it ...

in doing so ... you have to to buy so many less plant from BBStore ... but do buy a few.. to fill in gaps.. while the late ones develop ...

ken

Dowbright - goodness gracious! You're Zone 6 - you've got plenty of time to start some inside and seed direct outside, too! Plenty of packets to choose from right off the store room displays. Some of my favorites for quick and easy to grow: alyssum, shirley poppies, catchfly, annual baby's breath, annual blue flax, calendula, nasturtium. Cosmos and sunflowers take longer, but can be direct seeded as well. Drifts of color of old favorites can be stunning even without the perennials and fancier choice annuals. Enjoy your gardening; you're right - it's good for the soul!

Hi Dowbright,

I agree with Ken that planting seeds directly in-ground is the most practical way to go. Zinnias will bloom rather quickly from seed, in six to eight weeks. They like a full sun location. As a zinnia hobbyist myself, I have to confess a bias for zinnias.

ZM

Aw heck, ZM - how could I forget to add zinnias? :)

I agree with above - plenty of time to grow seeds under lights right now, you've got at least another 6 weeks, possibly even longer (longer up here, not sure about where you're at).

I am slated to sow impatiens, petunias, vinca, zinnia this week. By mid-May (earliest planting-out date up here) they will be ready to go outside. I hope don't have to delay planting-out this year until Memorial weekend, but if so - well, so be it.

I love you people! I must have been down in the dumps to feel so defeated. Seed shopping immediately, and will plant today for lights.

I'm also going to try some straight into mother earth when the time comes too, to learn something new.

Yay! I'm back in biz! Thank you.

Another fast grower and early boomer is 'Lady In Red' Texas Sage (an All American Winner). The only drawback is it loves heat so don't know how fast it will grow until it warms up. I've got seedlings started in the greenhouse now but know the babies that come up on their own in the garden don't show their little faces until the soil warms up. Dead head the spent flower spikes and it will continue blooming until first frost.

Best of luck with your garden. It will all come together for you!

Mary

{{gwi:5115}}

{{gwi:5116}}

Mary of Little Rock - that's a lovely salvia! I may have to consider it for next year. I wonder, though, how it will do here in zone 5? We do get heat in the middle of the summer, but it doesn't last long. I'd probably need to give it a long headstart indoors?

the problem with doing them this late under lights..

is that when the weather gets better.. if ever... i tended to not want to spend time playing under the lights.. and forgot about them ... while i did a million other things outdoors ....

i would tend heavily.. to planting a vast majority in mother earth ...

ken

Understandable point, Ken - but there is no way impatiens, petunias, etc are going to do well sown in the ground in colder zones, at least not until middle of summer, if that. Up here, we have to savor every day of it - you know that - so I want those flowering annuals in the ground by the end of May and *flowering* so I can enjoy them all I can.

Anyway, glad OP is going to get started - it's definitely not too late!

(wow - what kind of grammar is that in my above post. Hey, where you at? LOL!)

correct.. i did NOT mean sow them outside now ...

BTW ... you can sprout out 3 impatiens ... and every time they get to 4 inches.. cut off two inches .. and root them in vermiculite ... easy as pie ... a little rootone for the fungicide ..

i once started too early .. and had about 50 billion impatiens cuttings by late may.. time to go outside.. lol.. it was a nightmare.. lol ..

OK MX.. YOU MADE ME WEEP WITH LAUGHTER ...:

(wow - what kind of grammar is that in my above post. Hey, where you at? LOL!)

PROBABLY BEEN READING TO MUCH OF MY HIGHFALUTIN PROSE... LOL..

ken

Relax! You have plenty of time. Sounds like you have enough to stress over. A more stress-free option might be for you to order your plants or seeds online. The selection is amazing. In fact, since you want results quickly, you might consider buying flats at a wholesale cost instead! If you have neighbors or friends who want to go in with you on the cost...you will all benefit. They'll be a lot less expensive than buying 6 packs and much healthier...according to my experience. This same place has Flower Seeds and you can look at all the pics and read about them to see which ones will germinate quickest and do well when direct sown. I'm providing the link for the wholesale flats. They have annuals and perennials! Enjoy your spring & summer. Take a few deep breaths and don't stress over the little things. Not only do you have plenty of time, but you can also enjoy the flowers in your neighborhood, in the park, in the countryside....they're everywhere you look!

Here is a link that might be useful: Wholesale Annual Plants

I generally wait until May 1st to plant my annuals here in Kansas.
The ground is warm now so the seeds that I plant germinate quickly . I keep the soil moist if I don't get rain.
Yes I plant them directly into the ground.....some I scatter
and some I make about a 12 inche circle and put seeds in
this area ; then as they get up aways,; I move the seedlings to where I permanently want them to be.
I also buy plants from my neighborhood greenhouse nursery( where I used to work).
Some of the flowers I grow from seed are marigolds, zinnias, calendulas,alyssum,ageratums,sunflowers,celosia.
Some of the flowers that I grow from starter annual plants include marigolds, snapdragons, vincas,salvias,gazanias, garden bed dahlias, begonias, coleus,petunias, .
the list could go on and on......ive grown so many flowers over the years.
Just find a spot and have fun !

Carol

Grandma, do you work for that company?

@rhizo_1, I was wondering the same thing. The idea of getting a LOT of tinier plants was an excellent one, but the plants even mini-size came out to over $1 apiece! That's a lot more than a six-pack here. And I would have had to grow them on myself.

Things are turning out fairly well, despite my shortages. I bought six-packs, and took lots of cuttings, which are going in my garden now. So my thanks to everyone who chimed in. All your thoughts helped me sort things out. And thanks, Grandma, for reminding me to relax about it!