Pre-winter sowing of flowers is one of the options for early planting of ornamental crops in open ground for full ripening in the soil. Often, after attempts to plant flowers, they do not germinate, and the work is in vain.
There are several reasons:
- Wrong choice of culture. Not all flowers can be planted before winter; you need to choose crops that are sufficiently resistant to cold weather. With an illiterate approach, you may not expect a high-quality result. Time and effort will be wasted.
- Wrong time. Flowers should be planted in the fall, but at different times. It all depends on the specific culture. There is no single recipe; you need to proceed from the specific situation and take into account the characteristics of the plant.
- Unsuitable soil. Again, it all depends on the variety and type of ornamental crop.
- Lack of optimal temperature conditions. Pre-winter sowing does not make sense if the planting region has extreme conditions with very low temperatures. Separate rules must be followed.
In autumn, with the first frosts, the soil freezes. Flowers are planted in frozen ground. Not every culture can handle this. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly follow the technology. Let's try to figure out when winter sowing of flowers is possible and how to plant the plants correctly.
Advantages of winter sowing of flowers
- Save time. Flowers require a lot of care. Therefore, having planted them before winter, you will not need to grow seedlings and will have free space on the windowsill for other heat-loving plants.
- Hardening off seedlings. Plants sown late in autumn and winter are more resistant to temperature changes, diseases and pests.
- Early flowering. Winter flowers bloom 2 weeks earlier than those planted in early spring through seedlings.
- Seed stratification. There are flowers that must undergo stratification before starting to grow. That is, when sowing in spring, manufacturers recommend keeping the seeds in the refrigerator. And in winter, in the ground, the seeds will go through this process under natural conditions.
- In the fall, you can sow seeds that are reaching the end of their shelf life.
If the seeds do not germinate well after winter sowing, you will have the opportunity to re-sow in the spring
Preparatory work
When determining planting time, it is important to take into account the climate in a particular area. A sudden return of warm weather (popularly called “Indian summer”) can cause unwanted premature seed germination and bulb awakening. Some species are allowed and even recommended to be sown after the first snow, and sometimes in the middle of winter, in December - January. This is done with seeds, which require preliminary freezing to awaken and destroy the shell.
The choice of landing site is of great importance . Although flower crops prefer mostly open sun or partial shade, it should not be in heavily windy areas that are exposed to snow in winter. In shady places where snow cover lingers for a long time, flower beds should also not be placed. You cannot plan to plant a flower garden in lowlands that are flooded in the spring, otherwise the seeds will be washed away by melt water or they will rot.
The soil is dug up in advance, cleared of weeds, disinfected, and fertilizers are applied.
The sowing depth directly depends on the size of the seeds. If they are very small, they are not covered with more than 1 cm of soil. Small seeding material is often scattered directly over the surface, trying to distribute it evenly. The soil should not be too loose so that the seeds are not dragged by sediment to a depth where they suffocate. In this case, the soil is compacted a little by slapping it with your hands or trampling it with your foot. Be sure to install signs with the names of crops and the time of work performed. There is no need to water sown seeds, planted rhizomes and bulbs. When selecting plants for flowerbed arrangements, it is important to remember to follow the rules of crop rotation. For example, bulbous vegetables should not be planted after related vegetables from the same family, as well as those that are susceptible to similar diseases and pests.
Preparing the site for winter sowing
It is better to prepare the soil in advance.
To plant seeds in the fall, the soil must be prepared in advance. Seeds are sown in frozen soil, and in this case it will be very difficult to loosen it.
It is necessary to choose a place protected from strong winds, which is located at a slight elevation, since if moisture stagnates, the seeds will simply rot. Ideally, make a separate bed 15-20 cm high, supporting it with sides. In such a ridge, the water will drain faster and the soil will warm up faster in the spring.
Also, before sowing, study the needs of the flower, because there are plants that easily tolerate transplantation, and there are those that do not take root well when transplanted. Therefore, the latter need to be sown in a permanent place immediately.
Once you have decided on the bed, you need to carefully dig it up and clear it of plant debris and weed roots so that they do not interfere with the sprouting of flowers in the spring.
When digging, it is necessary to add humus, at a rate of 4-6 kg per sq.m., or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at a dose of 15-20 g per sq.m. If the soil is heavy, it must be loosened well and mixed with river sand.
How to sow flower seeds before winter?
Before sowing, the seeds do not need to be soaked and germinated; they are sown only dry so that they do not germinate too early. Also, the weather should be dry at the time of sowing.
Since sowing before winter has a risk of freezing, it is necessary to increase the seed sowing rate by 25-50%.
Due to the fact that in winter the soil becomes very compacted, it is necessary to reduce the depth of sowing seeds compared to spring planting. It is better to crush the seeds with a thin layer of peat, sand, humus or a mixture of these components. To protect against frost, crops are covered with agrofibre, fallen leaves or straw.
After sowing, the seeds should not be watered so that they do not germinate in advance and freeze in winter.
Peat, straw, fallen leaves, agrofibre or film are perfect for mulching the ground.
What does autumn flower planting give?
Russian nature does not know spring sowing at all - the seeds fall into the soil at the end of summer or autumn, then overwinter and sprout in the spring, at the right time. Such plants turn out to be strong and resistant to the vagaries of the weather. Therefore, some cultivated species can be sown in the fall, in October-November.
The following results will be achieved:
- flowers will be resistant to return frosts and diseases;
- plants will be able to tolerate drought more easily;
- flowering will begin several weeks or days earlier than usual;
- there will be no need to protect young plants from pests;
- there is no need to grow seedlings in winter.
Sowing flowers in winter allows you to reduce the load in spring. As a result, you can safely plan the location and shape of flower beds, draw up planting schemes, and select decorative elements.
There is only one downside to this approach: tinkering in the cold earth and watching nature fall asleep is not everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s not always possible to escape to the dacha.
Annual flowers to plant in winter
Before winter, annual cold-resistant flowers with a short development period from germination to flowering are sown. They can be sown directly into the flowerbed or with subsequent transplantation. For example, delphinium does not tolerate transplantation well; this must be taken into account when choosing a site.
Flowers can also be sown in containers or pots. But if you want them to sprout early in the spring, the containers in which the seeds are sown need to be buried in the ground, and a drainage layer and holes should be made at the bottom of the pot so that excess moisture does not stagnate.
So, what kind of seeds of annual flowers can be planted before winter?
Alyssum (Lobularia)
Photo of alyssum
This is the best flower for dry and rocky places and is popular among gardeners. Its flowering begins in early May and lasts until frost.
Sowing this flower in winter will allow you to obtain healthy and stable seedlings in the spring. The seeds are very tiny, so they are mixed with sand before sowing.
When choosing a site, you need to take into account that alyssum blooms best in loose and well-moistened beds.
Sowing must be done in frozen soil and then mulched with peat, humus, agrofibre or film. The seedlings need to be thinned out, because when planted too thickly, fungal diseases may appear on them. The recommended sowing pattern is 15x20 cm.
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Annual aster (Callistephus sinensis)
Aster annual
A popular flower that came to us from China. Translated from ancient Greek, “Kallistephus” means “star”. Now it can be found in city flower beds, garden beds, front gardens and in containers. When sowing aster in winter, the risk of developing fusarium, which often affects this flower, is reduced.
For growing callistephus, a sunny area where marigolds or calendula previously grew is suitable. It is advisable to raise the beds by 15-20 cm. Before planting, the soil should be shed with Fitosporin to disinfect it from fungal diseases. The recommended planting pattern for annual aster is 20x35 cm. Sowing depth is 2 cm. Then the beds should be sprinkled with dry soil and insulated with sawdust or light peat.
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Marigolds (Tagetsy, Chernobrivtsy)
Marigolds (Tagetsy)
In addition to its beauty, this flower is very useful in the garden. Exudations from its roots repel nematodes and help reduce plant disease.
You can also make infusions from the marigold plants themselves to control pests on vegetables.
Tagets are a heat-loving plant, for this reason they are sown before winter only in the southern regions. Upright, deflected and thin-leaved marigolds are suitable for this method of growing. These flowers tolerate partial shade well, but bloom best in sunny areas.
You can sow seeds after frost sets in in the furrows, which are then covered with soil that has been stored in a warm place. Then the crops are covered with agrofibre or a mini-greenhouse is made for them.
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Did you know that seasoning is made from marigold petals? Then we suggest you look at our article “Edible flowers and their types.”
Winter sowing of marigolds
Godetia
Godetia
A flower with a wide variety of colors that will decorate any flower bed. It is often planted around flower beds, in pots and containers.
But godetia, like marigolds, prefers to grow in areas with warm winters.
It is recommended to sow immediately in a permanent place. A flower bed that is in the sun is suitable for this. The seeds are very small, so the sowing depth should not exceed 0.5 cm.
Crops need to be insulated for the winter so that they are not damaged by frost and excess moisture. In spring, it is recommended to thin out the crops so that the distance between plants is at least 25 cm.
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Calendula (Marigold)
Calendula (Marigold)
Calendula got its second name “marigold” because its seeds look like a cat’s claw. The plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, so even an inexperienced gardener can grow it. This flower is cold-resistant, making it ideal for winter sowing.
Any soil is suitable for growing; the plant takes root easily after transplantation, so it can be planted where it is convenient. Sowing begins when the average daily temperature is at 0°C and there are slight frosts at night. At temperatures above +5°C, the seeds may hatch in winter and will not tolerate frost well. The seeds are sown dry in holes 4 cm deep and a distance between them of 15-25 cm, then sprinkled with dry soil and mulched with humus or straw.
Interesting fact. If you plant calendula around a vegetable plot, it will repel the Colorado potato beetle.
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Kosmeya (Space)
Cosmea
Each of us often sees cosmos around houses, near entrances and in city flower beds. It is very popular for such plantings because it is completely unpretentious to grow, is propagated by self-seeding and has an exquisite appearance.
Cosmos is sown immediately in a permanent place, well-lit by the sun with light soil. Seeds are sown in 3-4 pieces at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. Then the cosmos seeds are sprinkled with earth so that they are at a depth of no more than 0.5 cm.
Then the crops are insulated with straw or agrofibre. You should not apply a lot of fertilizer to this flower, because it will increase the vegetative mass and not bloom. In the spring, the plants need to be thinned out, because the more space the cosmos has, the more luxuriantly it blooms.
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Lavatera (Wild Rose)
Lavatera
Another flower that every gardener can grow. The plant does not require special care and grows well in flower beds and pots. Its large flowers open in late spring and bloom until mid-autumn.
Lavatera develops best in an area with good lighting and light, loose soil. It is necessary to feed a wild rose only if the soil is very poor and depleted.
For the winter, seeds are sown in a permanent place to a depth of 1 cm. To protect them from freezing, the crops must be covered with film or agrofibre. In order for the flowers to develop well, the crops need to be thinned out in the spring. So the recommended planting pattern for lavatera is 20 by 25 cm.
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Phlox Drummond
Phlox Drummond
As the famous German collector K. Foster said: “A garden without phlox is a mistake.” Because this flower looks great both in compositions with other flowers and alone.
Among the 50 species of phlox, Drummond's phlox is an annual; all the rest are perennial flowers. It is cold-resistant, so gardeners often sow it before winter, or rather at the end of November.
When choosing the exact time for sowing, you need to take into account that even with slight warming, the seeds can germinate and young plants will die from frost. For sowing, choose beds where the soil is neither too heavy nor too light. Because in the first case, the plant will suffer from rot due to stagnation of moisture, and in the second, the roots will quickly dry out due to lack of water.
Seeds are sown in small grooves of 2-3 pieces with a distance between future plants of about 15 cm. The areas where phlox is sown must be insulated, but it is better to make small greenhouses from arcs covered with film. In spring, excess shoots are thinned out, leaving the strongest shoots.
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Eschscholzia (California poppy)
California poppy
Sowing before winter is ideal for growing Eschscholzia, as the seeds undergo natural stratification and begin to bloom much earlier than with spring sowing. Californian poppy does not like replanting, so it is immediately planted in a permanent place. To do this, choose well-lit flower beds. Seeds mixed with sand are sown in small furrows. Crops need to be mulched with a thick layer of dry leaves.
Interesting fact. Eschscholzia blooms only on sunny days and closes its fiery buds as soon as the sun sets below the horizon.
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