You Can Grow Too! The 3 Easiest Cut Flowers to Grow from Seed
I’m deep in the process of starting thousands more plants from seed, and by June I will have planted nearly 12,000 cut flower plants for you to cut from at the farm. Wowza!
Growing cut flowers from seed is the ONLY option for growing cut flowers. Why? Landscape supply stores usually only carry bedding plants (shorties but cuties). And most unique flower cultivars can only be grown from seed to get the color/shape/length you want.
Anyways, I wanted to tell you that if I can do it, so can you.
I start almost all of my seeds indoors in a controlled environment, BUT I realize most people do not have the set up that I have created for myself.
There are many cut flower seeds that do GREAT when they are just placed directly into the soil outside and essentially left there with not much to do on your part.
Want to know the three easiest flowers to grow from seed?! (yeah, you do, otherwise you wouldn’t have clicked on this blog).
A handful of zinnia “Uproar Rose”
Zinnias
Yes, your grandmother probably grew plenty of these in her yard. Specialty breeding has done wonders for the common zinnia. Most of the zinnias I grow come in every color of the rainbow (except blue) AND they are often as big as my hand with rows on top of rows on top of rows of petals. They are stunning.
Favorite variety: Benary’s Giants
My Tips for Zinnias:
-.wait until the night time temperatures are consistently above 55*
-plant the seeds 6-9 inches apart in damp soil. Lightly cover seed with soil about ⅛-¼ inch deep.
-keep the soil damp and watered until the plants are 2 inches tall
Pictured: cosmos “Apricot Lemonade”
Cosmos
The best part about cosmos is they thrive in crappy soil! (excuse the language). Honestly you could scatter these in the worst part of your yard and they would probably find a way to grow. If you plant them in a super fertile area, all you’ll get is leaves and no flowers. Weird, huh?!
Favorite varieties: Cupcakes & Apricotta
My Tips for Cosmos:
-Wait until night time temps are consistently above 45* (they can take a bit of cold)
-Do NOT cover the seed with soil. Just gently press the seed against the soil and LIGHTLY sprinkle some fine-as-dust dirt to hold it in place. The seed needs light to germinate.
-Keep soil damp and watered until plants are 1-2 inches tall
Aurora with an armful of sunflower “Procut White Lite”
Sunflowers
What’s not to love? If you’re growing sunflowers for cutting, try to get the pollen-less varieties so you’re no showering your kitchen table with yellow dust. Word to the wise: EVERY LIVING THING will try and eat your sunflowers. So be warned.
Favorite varieties: Any of the “pro cut” varieties
My tips for sunflowers:
-Wait until night time temperatures are consistently above 45* (they can take a bit of cold, who knew?!)
-cover with soil at least ¼ deep, but not more than ½ inch
-plant away from any known ant colonies (ants love to dig up the seeds. As do birds).
Let me know if you have tried any of these, and if these tips end up helping you!
