Let’s Get Growing! Spring Flowers on a Budget? Yes, Please!
Hey there, fellow flower lovers! Are you dreaming of a garden bursting with color come springtime? And who doesn’t love saving a few bucks? Well, I’ve got a secret for you: fall is the perfect time to sow the seeds for a seriously gorgeous spring garden!
Imagine this: Your neighbors are just starting to think about planting, and you’re already enjoying a profusion of blooms! Plus, many of these beauties will reseed themselves year after year, giving you even more bang for your buck (or seed, haha!).
Wondering if this will work for you?
The best way to find out is to chat with your gardening buddies, your helpful neighbors, or the friendly folks at your local plant nursery. They’ll know what thrives in your neck of the woods and can point you in the right direction.
What’s on the Agenda?
Let’s dive into:
- Why Fall is Flower-Planting MAGIC!
- A Few Things to Know Before You Sprinkle Those Seeds
- Fabulous Flowers to Plant This Fall
- Easy-Peasy Seed-Sowing Secrets
- Don’t Forget to Peek at the Seed Packet!
(Just a heads-up: If you’re planting hybrid seeds, remember that their offspring might show some fun variations in color. Think of it as a delightful surprise!)
Here’s the awesome part: when you grow from seed, you save SO much money that if a plant doesn’t quite work out or you simply change your mind, you can compost it without a second thought!
Trust me, those hardy plants you sow in autumn will be much happier and healthier than if you wait until spring.
And guess what? All the plants I’m recommending are thriving in my own garden, and I started every single one from seed! Year after year, they reseed themselves, creating a stunning display. (Of course, if you want to control the spread, check out my post on “Off With Their Heads!” for some clever tips).
Seriously, you can have an absolute abundance of beautiful flowers next spring and summer if you sow your seeds this fall. Want a lush, overflowing border without breaking the bank?
Fantastic! I’m going to share exactly how I do it – and you can totally do it too!
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I might earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. Many of the featured flowers are linked to my favorite seed sources.
Why Fall, You Ask?
Did you know that fall is secretly the best time to start a garden? I talk all about it in [another article](where I put the appropriate link).
But the main reason we’re talking about it today is simple: Get a head start on next year’s garden for a fraction of the cost!
Think about it: for the price of a single potted flower or a six-pack of seedlings from the garden center, you can sow hundreds of seeds in the fall. Plus, you skip the extra step of starting seeds indoors! Easy peasy!
Another key to success is happy soil. The easiest way to rich, healthy soil is to compost!
And the beauty of healthy soil is that you will save money in the long run. You won’t need to keep replenishing expensive fertilizers and products often marketed to gardeners.
What about helping your soil and plants talk to each other? You can find out here.
Important Stuff Before You Sow!
Okay, before you go seed-crazy, let’s make sure we’re being good garden stewards. Research any seeds you plan to sow and check if they’re considered invasive in your area. Some plants just love to spread, which can crowd out our precious native species.
We all love an easy-to-grow plant, but we don’t want to create a problem. So, just because a plant reseeds easily and grows like a champ doesn’t automatically mean it’s invasive.
Sometimes, a plant gets a reputation as a pest simply because the gardener didn’t know how to manage its enthusiastic reseeding habits.
Flower Power: What to Plant in Fall
Okay, the fun part! There are SO many flowers you can seed in the fall. Just remember that what thrives in one area might not do so well in another. A little research goes a long way!
My Fall-Sowing Favorites:
(Note: Words in red are links to a page dedicated to that plant.)
Awesome Resources:
For even more inspiration, check out the book “Cool Flowers.” It’s packed with tips on planting a cut flower garden in the autumn, and it details which flowers do well in different growing zones.
Keep in mind you need to know your local growing conditions. I am in Zone 8b but my growing season is shorter than many in lower zones because of my local conditions. Check out: “Garden by Zone, why not?” Or you can be like me and just experiment. You may be surprised.
Seeds I Sow in the Fall
Here are a few of my personal favorites including the Purple Echinacea…
Related: How to Grow Echinacea aka Purple Coneflower
Shirley Poppies
and these Forget Me Nots below…one of the harbingers of Spring.
These are a hybrid that is not invasive, some types can spread a bit aggressively.
They bloom in early spring and then go to seed, I pull them once they are all done and the seeds will fall to the ground. The seeds sit all summer and winter then sprout again next Spring.
White Swan Echinacea is a personal favorite and has reseeded itself for more plants in my own garden. It blooms non-stop through the toughest heat and on into cooler Fall weather.
(Update: The white swan cross-pollinated with the regular Purple Echinaceas in my garden. The seedlings came up pink and not white. To get a White Swan plant and know that it will come true see this post on how to divide them.)
In fact, all of the Echinaceas are on my list of faves for seeding in the Fall.
They are fantastic for blooming non-stop during the hottest part of summer and on into Fall when other flowers are lagging.
Gaillardias are grand performers in the hot summer garden. I just love them with their fiery colors and tough disposition.
Gaillardias keep on performing even when others have stopped for the season. Just keep them deadheaded.
Rudbeckia, is a fabulous one for creating swaths of summer sunshine in your garden with ease…they can be single or double blooms.
Related: How to Grow Black Eyed Susans.
These also keep on blooming well into late Fall with consistent deadheading. They come in different shades of yellow and even burnt orange tones like these Rudbeckia Cappucino .
Larkspur are a Hummingbird favorite around here, and you can keep the blooms coming by deadheading and reseeding throughout the summer.
Did you know blue is one of the colors readily seen by pollinators? Yes, bright blue can attract Hummingbirds as well as red!
The lupine blend I grew from seeds are hardy souls as well, one of the first in Spring to bloom, they never fail to wow.
Hollyhocks are a fabulous addition; their height and vigor can be used as a screen.
Some say it was used back in the outhouse days as a screen from the house so you didn’t always see the privy.
Many varieties can grow to 10 feet tall and quite thick so I can see where that would work well.
Renees Garden Seeds carries some nice varieties.
Related: How to Grow Hollyhocks
As you can see I have personally grown the plants that I linked to but there are so many more. So take your pick!
I linked to the flowers that I showed here so it was easier for you to find these specific ones.
Bachelors Buttons come in a variety of colors, this one bloomed all summer long for me. Bachelors Buttons also are used as a cover crop since they replenish the soil as they grow.
Planting 101: it’s super easy.
The general routine when sowing seeds in the Fall is to clear out a garden bed of weeds and debris. Sometimes it is an area of a garden bed that already has other plants in it.
After you clear the planting area of weeds, loosen the soil a couple of inches with a small shovel, hoe dag, or another tool, and spread an inch or two of good compost on top.
Next, sprinkle the seeds on heavily and press in with your foot. (I am not stingy with seeds because nature isn’t).
Some seeds prefer light to germinate and some like to be planted a bit deeper, read the seed packet instructions for specific directions on this.
Some seeds should be sown after the first frost and others you can do before. Many of my plants that reseed themselves do so before the first frost so I figure I can too.
No Transplant Winter Sowing Seeds (in case you missed Fall sowing)
Don’t Forget to Read the Seed Packet!
It’s always a good idea to read those seed packets – they’re packed with helpful info! You can also do a little online research, especially if you’re planting a new-to-you seed variety.
Many seed companies will even tell you if their seeds are suitable for fall planting.
Daisies
Related: How to Grow Daisies
How to Grow Foxgloves
Easy to seed and grow in your garden. Toss the seeds in Fall for a glorious Spring!
The results are in the photos above, all of these were planted from seed in the garden in Autumn.
The wonderful thing is many times, once you have bought seed you don’t have to again.
I save my seed from year to year to replant and share. Click here to see how I save seed and get your Free Seed packet printable!
free seeds
How to Save Seeds with Printable Packet
Saving seeds is a wonderful way to get expand your garden and share with friends. I show you how. Feel free to download the printable packet to keep your seeds in.
Want to check out some of my favorite garden tools & gadgets, you can right here.
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