Time to Sow Hardy Annuals

Posted:10 October 2011

Autumn sowing is suitable for hardy annuals (plants which are sown and flower and die in one year). Some of these annuals can be sown directly in the ground, and will withstand most frosts. Others are not quite so robust – they can be direct sown, but covered with cloches or horticultural fleece when frost is forecast. Alternatively, they can be sown in pots and kept frost-free over winter.

The benefit of sowing in autumn, and not spring, is that youll have a much earlier flowering display.  At The Garden House we sow ours over the next couple of weeks in cell trays and leave them in the greenhouse until they have germinated.  When they are big enough, about 5cm, transfer them to individual pots such as 7cm square pots and then leave them outside all winter – if really bad weather is forecast we put them in a cold frame or back in the greenhouse.

This way you get really hardy plants that flower for months on end.  We plant them out in March.  Ten plants in each variety you choose is enough for most gardens, but sow fifteen of each in case you lose any over winter!

Were selling hardy annual seeds at The Garden House do come along any Friday afternoon to buy seeds or plants or for advice about growing hardy annuals.  Spend time looking at our books for inspiration, and enjoy a cup of tea and some homemade cake!

To Autumn by John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;

To bend with apples the mossd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has oer-brimmd their clammy cells.