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Late perennial seed sowing

lorenzoantolovilorenzoantolovi Posts: 20
in Plants
Hello.

Im kind of new to gardening although I have been doing it for a year or two. I have recently purchases perennial seed packets which I have sown some of and intend sowing the rest today or tomorrow. All the packets say to sow in first half of the year, but I'm sowing them anyway, indoors. Can anyone please tell me if this is foolhardy or is this normal and they will survive the winter. They are all hardy perennials for zone 5.

Many thanks
Ps. I've just joined this site and this is my first ever thread, how exciting to have access to people who actually know what they are doing. 
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  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    The problem with sowing some perennials late is getting any seedlings through the winter. In spring they have rising temperatures and light levels to help them grow, now they are more likely to grow weak and gangly if kept indoors and will not be able to survive outside. Plus space becomes an issue, as any that do do well will need potting on individually.
    Some perennials can be sown now and left outside in a sheltered place to germinate by themselves in spring after a period of cold weather. They risk rotting or being eaten by slugs or snails, but that is why plants produce so many seeds, as only a few survive.
    Why not keep the rest of your seeds until spring, (in a box in the fridge is a good idea) and sow them then? That way you get two chances of success and if any of the outside ones make it, you know you will end up with good, strong hardy plants.
  • lorenzoantolovilorenzoantolovi Posts: 20
    Fantastic. Sounds like excellent advice. I will not sow anymore now. I did however sow verbascum and echinacea roughly 6 to 8 weeks ago and have repotted them to 9cm pots. I should probably plant them out now but I'm worried that they are not rhobust enough to cope with the exposed nature of my site (elevated hill farm) this year it has not been too breezy but when the wind blows, you know all about it and so do my prescious plants. But keeping them in my house is not great also because as you mentioned they will just get gangly. Whats your advice, should i just thrust them out and hope some will survive. Here are some photos of what they kook like now.
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I keep my late summer planted perennial/hardy annual plantlets in sheltered spots, near walls etc. to offer a little protection from the worst of the winter weather.  You will need to keep an eye out for slugs and make sure they get watered, as in those small pots they can dry out very quickly. 
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    I do this regularly with my lupins. One of them has flowered already. I find that I then get a bigger show in the following year. Not so sure about other plants though. They do need some protection in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse over winter. 
  • lorenzoantolovilorenzoantolovi Posts: 20
    Hello der fello Irish comrade, dont let my name fool you. Hello also Belgium person. So it sounds like I need yo build a cold frame in order to put my young plants out now, so they get proper light and used to outside temp. Also I shound winter them here also as I dont posess a green house. Once they die back and go dormant over winter, how often if at all should i water them. I would have thought they dont need water once dormant, but I am still very much a novice so what do i know. Thanks so far for all comnents/feedback.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    If you plant those seedlings out now you won’t ever see them again. 
    The echinacea are already dying, I think the reason they put growing instructions on the back of seed packets is because that is the best thing for the seeds. 
    You may survive the verbascum, if you can keep it in for the winter. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I have neither a greenhouse nor coldframe and I grow a lot of seeds every year.  If you intend to plant a lot of seeds you will need space for all the little pots as you pot them on.  If possible you should try to find a somewhat sheltered space in your garden and just leave them there.  You should also look out for crates/boxes to keep the pots in as they can be moved around if necessary, and make sure you label every single pot!  Something I've only just begun to do, as every year I have unknowns growing, and use the knowledge of the very patient people on here to name them for me.  Whereabouts in the country are you?
  • lorenzoantolovilorenzoantolovi Posts: 20
    Hi Mary.

    I am actually based on the east coast of Scotland up Glen Isla between Dundee and Aberdeen. During the winter we get regular storms from every direction. This winter 5 feet of snow. But all my plants that were mature survived. Being on a hill farm and next to the Cairn Gorms mountain range my garden really does not have any shrlteted spots. I planted a mixed species hedge in 2016 around the perimiter for shelter but offers no protection in winter. What if i put the young plants in one of the semi open sheds on a shelf, do you think this would suffice. If so would i still have to water them during dormancy. Next year I promise I'll be more organised and sow everything in the spring.
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    edited August 2018
    Just give enough water to keep them from drying out. Too much water is a disaster if it freezes i find. It's true that a cold frame is not always needed but if you have hard frosts or snow it certainly will give them a better chance of survival. 

    I used to be in the North West of belgium and we had some hard winters. 
  • lorenzoantolovilorenzoantolovi Posts: 20
    Thank you to everyone for all the invaluable advice. Think I'll be heading into winter armed with all the info I need on this subject. Many thanks again.
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