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floodthelast

When to WS HA's esp. in z5

floodthelast
15 years ago

I need reassurance. In z5 or others when have you successfully WS your Hardy Annuals? Other zones are welcome to chime in, I'll try and control my zone envy.

I did poppies and dianthus it's the rest I wonder about, like calendula's. I was thinking early March, but it's practically that now, so is it safe? In my area we are supposed to hit the forties this week and I thought maybe I should wait till after that when it gets cold again.

Oh and any mention of which HA's would also be useful to me.

Comments (11)

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    15 years ago

    Hardy annual can be winter sown anytime since most if not all of them reseed in the gardens. :O)

  • proudgm_03
    15 years ago

    Looks like I waited until April 6th last year. I am in 5b-6a and just decided we were more like 6 so I changed my zone.

  • nancy_drew
    15 years ago

    The only thing that is keeping me from doing any annuals, is that I don't know what to believe, as to what type they are. Most of the information I get isn't clear enough. That being said, I was guessing I'll do mine after March 15, depending on the 10 day weather forecast.

  • mmqchdygg
    15 years ago

    I'm getting itchy on the 'questionable or new-to-me" HHAs, but the HAs are already out, as are some of the HHAs that I've already had experience with.
    Mid-Feb to Mid-March is a very anxious time for me, since I've usually sown about all I 'dare' to for now, and am in a holding pattern til Mid-March on the rest.

  • lblack61
    15 years ago

    Some of mine are out already (annual Poppies mostly).
    I probably would be doing more HAs now, but the snowstorms have kinda made me wait
    Who wants to fight wind and a face full of snow just to throw jugs out the door?-- well I would if I had to, but I can wait a bit.
    But the first week of March I need to get my rear in gear, regardless of what hits when I open the door.

    Linda

  • isamae
    15 years ago

    floodthelast, I'm in zone 5, southeastern Michigan. Last year I sowed calendulas on 1/4/08-sprouted on 3/29/08 and 4/23/08-sprouted 4/29/08. Melissa

  • floodthelast
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hmm with all that in mind I think I'll go ahead and start the calendula's once I put a few drainage holes in the container holding those cups. That will take a little work unfortunately.
    On the upside tomorrow is my birthday and my daughter let me pick out seeds at the store. Yay watermelon poppies. I also got some of the parts and tools I needed to make my new rain barrel.
    I should probably keep an eye on the weather and put some of the other HA's out early march. I can make the calendula's last a few days. That should scratch the itch. There's always stuff to finish for my sister's baby shower too.

  • vera_eastern_wa
    15 years ago

    Yup, last year I did my Calendula on 12/22 and germination started 3/8
    Other hardy annuals I do early or would still but they usually self-sow themselves in fall and winter-over on their own or start very early spring; sometimes both in the case of Larkspur, Nigella and Poppies:

    Larkspur
    Nigella
    Snapdragon (are perennial mostly for me though)
    Clarkia elegans
    Clarkia amoena (Godetia)
    Cerinthe major
    Linaria maroccana
    Impatiens balsamina
    Rudbeckia hirta
    Coreopsis tinctoria
    Cleome
    Cynoglossum amabile
    Lunaria annua
    Bells of Ireland
    Nicotiana
    Scabiosa atropurpurea
    Verbena bonariensis
    Amaranthus
    Sweet Alyssum
    Petunia
    Poppy
    Viola

  • floodthelast
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Larkspur did these,
    Nigella will do these then,
    Snapdragon will do these then,
    Cerinthe major will do these then,
    Rudbeckia hirta did these,
    Coreopsis tinctoria did these,
    Cleome will do these then,
    Lunaria annua did these,
    Nicotiana will do these then,
    Scabiosa did these,
    Sweet Alyssum will do these then,
    Petunia will do these then,
    Poppy did these,
    Viola did these,
    Thanks for the specifics Vera, I will go ahead and start some of these if I get a chance this month. I have enough of most of them to save some seed if I get nervous.
    I appreciate all the info guys. :)

  • bakemom_gw
    15 years ago

    Calendulas are fine. Go for it.

  • floodthelast
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks all I did three containers tonight and will do more tomorrow.

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