Spring and Summer Sowing Method

Use our seed lists to help you choose the right plants for your Winter Sowing projects and needs.

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Varieties for Spring and Summer Sowing Method

Spring and Summer Sowing Method

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Is there Spring and Summer Sowing?

Yes you can do this, most certainly.

What you need to do is first assure that the soil stays moist. You need a container that has some depth to it....like a cool whip tub, an empty milk jug or two liter soda bottle. The increased depth of the soil in ratio to the soil surface will decrease the amount of moisture loss through evaporation. Plain and simply, deeper soil will hold more moisture because less is exposed to air.

Second, because of the warmer days, the air temperature inside the flat will heat up faster and higher so the flats need to be in part shade. More specifically, they should be in a location where they will not get intense midday sun.

Third and last, you will need to add some extra vents in the lid to allow for rapid transpiration of the warm air inside the flat.

Very important! ~ In warm weather you need to keep a close eye on the watering needs of your seed flats. We suggest using a lawn sprinkler attached to an automatic water-timer at the spigot; set it to water the flats during midday to keep them moist and cool.

Frequently Asked Question

What seeds can I start now?

You can Spring and Summer Sow the seeds of any perennial or biennial that says on the back of the packet "sow after last Spring frost", or "sow after ground has warmed", or anything similar to that. That information might not be mentioned at all....as long as you read on the packet any wording that indicates NO COLD PERIOD is required for germination you'll make good choices. I would think that any of the seeds that they sell at the dollar store would qualify.....all of those are very easy to grow.

Here's a list of perennials and biennials you can try with Spring and Summer Sowing:

Agastache
Alyssum
Asclepious
Aurinia saxitile
Belamcanda
Buddleia
Campanula
Catanache
Centranthus
Coreopsis
Dahlia
Dianthus
Digitalis
Daylily
Echinacea
Eupatorium
Flax
Gaillardia
Geum
Hibiscus
Hollyhock
Hosta
Jasione
Kniphofia
Lathyrus
Lunaria
Lupine
Lychnis
Lunaria
Malva
Monarda
Myositis
Nepeta
Ornamental Grass
Papaver
Penstemon
Phlox
Platycodon
Pyrethrum
Ratibida
Rudbeckia
Salvia
Silene
Shasta
Snapdragon
Verbena
Veronica
Yarrow

Here are some fast growing annuals to try with the Spring and Summer Sowing Method.
The cheery blooms of Spring Sown annuals will help perk up the garden during midsummer when some flowers start to wane and fizzle out from the heat. Summer Sown annuals can provide a "punch" of colorful fresh blossoms to enliven the autumn garden.

Ageratum
African Daisy
Alyssum
Balsam Impatiens
Candytuft
Calendula
California Poppy
Cardinal Climber
Cleome
Coleus
Cornflower
Cosmos
Four-o-Clocks
Lobelia
Marigold
Melampodium
Morning Glories
Nasturtium
Nicotiana
Nigella
Pansy
Petunia
Phlox (Drummond)
Portulaca
Snapdragon
Stock
Sunflower
Sweet Peas
Tithonia
Viola
Zinnia

Frequently Asked Question

When can I transplant my Spring and Summer Sown seedlings into the ground?

You can put the seedlings into the ground while they're very small. Let the seeds germinate and when they have a couple of sets of leaves they can go right in. Keep them well watered for the first few weeks.

If you are planting the seedlings into an area of direct full sun you can help them along for a few days by placing a lawn chair over them during the midday to shield them from the brilliant midday sun which can be very intense; the seedlings are already acclimatized to the warm temperatures and longer days but the brilliant sun can stress them and may even give them a bit of sunscald.

To learn about fertilizing your seedlings please read the Winter Sowing FAQ called:

"Fertilizing Seedlings and a Simple Explanation of N-P-K"

Good luck with your Spring and Summer Sowing!

Do you have any comments and/or suggestions about the seed list on this web page?

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