Will It Bloom?

[JBtheExplorer]

So, I'm starting some wildflowers this year from seed. Some seeds were planted in late fall and some will be started indoors in the coming weeks. I'd like to know what to expect this year. I've looked them up online and there are mixed answers. What will bloom & what won't? Here's the short list of plants.

Rudbeckia hirta
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea pallida
Ratibida pinnata

 

[gata montes]

So, I'm starting some wildflowers this year from seed. Some seeds were planted in late fall and some will be started indoors in the coming weeks. I'd like to know what to expect this year. I've looked them up online and there are mixed answers. What will bloom & what won't? Here's the short list of plants.

Rudbeckia hirta
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea pallida
Ratibida pinnata

As I have grown these and from seed too - this may help

Rudbeckia Hirta - almost always flowers in the first year and very definitely if seeds were sown in autumn.

Echinacea Pallida and Ratibida Pinnata - will generally only start to flower in the second year - however you may get a few flowers in the first year if the seeds are sown in autumn.

Echinacea Purpurea - is slightly different - in that it depends on which variety or strain that you have - as although the majority are the same as Pallida and don't flower in the first year - the two Echinacea Purpurea varieties known as " Prairie Splender " and " Cheyenne Spirit " - do for sure - flower in the first year.

 

[LIcenter]

As I have grown these and from seed too - this may help

Rudbeckia Hirta - almost always flowers in the first year and very definitely if seeds were sown in autumn.



Echinacea Pallida and Ratibida Pinnata - will generally only start to flower in the second year - however you may get a few flowers in the first year if the seeds are sown in autumn.

Echinacea Purpurea - is slightly different - in that it depends on which variety or strain that you have - as although the majority are the same as Pallida and don't flower in the first year - the two Echinacea Purpurea varieties known as " Prairie Splender " and " Cheyenne Spirit " - do for sure - flower in the first year.

Would it be your recommendation to plant all wildflower seeds outside in the fall, or can this still be accomplished with a fairly good grow ratio in starter trays for spring planting?

 

[gata montes]

Would it be your recommendation to plant all wildflower seeds outside in the fall, or can this still be accomplished with a fairly good grow ratio in starter trays for spring planting?

Only if they are perennials - for the simple reason that although there are a few perennials that may germinate if sown outside in Spring just before the last frost - as the majority of perennial seeds are what are known as cold germinators - meaning the seeds need to go through a cold spell in order to break their dormancy - the best results are generally obtained if sown outdoors - somewhere between autumn and late winter - as that is the optimum time for sowing the majority of perennial seeds.

 

[LIcenter]

Thank you gata montes. That's kinda what I thought. I was gifted many different perennial seeds from friends across the land way past planting time. I guess I'll just keep them in the freezer til the proper planting time.

 

[gata montes]

Thank you gata montes. That's kinda what I thought. I was gifted many different perennial seeds from friends across the land way past planting time. I guess I'll just keep them in the freezer til the proper planting time.

You're welcome - but as putting seeds in the freezer generally bursts the cell membrane and therefore kills the seed - its not something that I would suggest doing - if you are wanting your seeds to germinate.

In fact - as all seeds regardless of type are best stored in a cool dry relatively dark place - where the temperature remains fairly constant - with the optimum temperature being around 2-16 C or 35 -60 F and preferably in something like greaseproof paper inserted into a dark envelope rather than a plastic bag - this would very definitely be your better option.

 

[ChanellG]

Are those plants native to your landscape? Because if not, they may not grow very well where you are. As far as whether they will bloom, that is going to depend on soil nutrition. Flowering plants need potassium and calcium so be sure the plants get properly fed. If you have good success getting seeds to germinate, go ahead and start them outside according to the seed packet instructions.

 

[LIcenter]

Okay gata montes, they are currently stored in a small fridge (not freezer) @ 40°F. I will also repackage as you suggested.
ChanellG: Most are the blanket flower type, and are native to this area. If one thing can be said about Long Island it most definitely is our fertile soil. I could stick a pencil in the ground, and I am sure it would grow from a #2 to a #4 in no time!

 

[gata montes]

As far as whether they will bloom, that is going to depend on soil nutrition.

Not so with perennials - as although soil nutrition is important in the sense that it contributes to the overall health of the plant - it has no effect whatsoever - on whether or not a perennial will bloom in the first year when grown from seed.

Oh and I would just add that all the plants listed will grow in almost any soil - provided its well drained and not too rich - so long as they get plenty of sun.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Are those plants native to your landscape? Because if not, they may not grow very well where you are. As far as whether they will bloom, that is going to depend on soil nutrition. Flowering plants need potassium and calcium so be sure the plants get properly fed. If you have good success getting seeds to germinate, go ahead and start them outside according to the seed packet instructions.

Yes, they're native. That's the reason for this project. They'll be going in with my milkweeds as part of my mostly-native garden. I won't be feeding them. They grow wild here so they'll be just fine with mother nature taking care of them, if they don't bloom first year that is ok, just interested in knowing what to expect. Also, there were no seed packet instructions, as they were gathered from a relative's yard.

As I have grown these and from seed too - this may help

Thank you!

 

[ChanellG]

Not so with perennials - as although soil nutrition is important in the sense that it contributes to the overall health of the plant - it has no effect whatsoever - on whether or not a perennial will bloom in the first year when grown from seed.

Oh and I would just add that all the plants listed will grow in almost any soil - provided its well drained and not too rich - so long as they get plenty of sun.

Well, while that's true, I didn't assume the question was that specific. One of the reason for buying starters instead of growing from seed is to get a more mature plant. I started lavender from seed, it did bloom, though not right away. I started lilies from seed; the plants haven't matured and therefore haven't yet bloomed.

 

[ChanellG]

Yes, they're native. That's the reason for this project. They'll be going in with my milkweeds as part of my mostly-native garden. I won't be feeding them. They grow wild here so they'll be just fine with mother nature taking care of them, if they don't bloom first year that is ok, just interested in knowing what to expect. Also, there were no seed packet instructions, as they were gathered from a relative's yard.

Nice! I am sure they self-seed and grow in your neighbor's yard. Why didn't you just ask your neighbor about the growth habit of the plants? The real question is will the plants be true to the parent that produced the seed. That's another difference between growing from seed - purchased seeds are true to the plant and wild ones may cross pollinate.

Which milkweeds do you grow? Do you get a lot of butterflies?

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Nice! I am sure they self-seed and grow in your neighbor's yard. Why didn't you just ask your neighbor about the growth habit of the plants? The real question is will the plants be true to the parent that produced the seed. That's another difference between growing from seed - purchased seeds are true to the plant and wild ones may cross pollinate.

Which milkweeds do you grow? Do you get a lot of butterflies?

They're actually from a relative, She doesn't know anything about native wildflowers, they just grow in a wild part of her yard. I actually know quite a bit about many types of native plants in the area, but this will be my first experience with growing these, so I wasn't quite sure if they would be first or second year bloomers. All apart of my plan to introduce more and more native species into my yard in hopes of helping all types of native insects and animals.

I grow Butterfly Weed and Swamp Milkweed. I see Monarch Caterpillars on the plants a lot, but I never notice too many butterflies around them. I suppose they just lay eggs and get out of there. I do get tons of butterflies on my Mexican Sunflowers. Its such a large and bright plant that they probably see it from quite a distance.

 

[ChanellG]

I grow Butterfly Weed and Swamp Milkweed. I see Monarch Caterpillars on the plants a lot, but I never notice too many butterflies around them. I suppose they just lay eggs and get out of there. I do get tons of butterflies on my Mexican Sunflowers. Its such a large and bright plant that they probably see it from quite a distance.

The caterpillars are apparently crawling off to pupate. If you want to watch the process you should create a little screened in butterfly habitat. Not only would you see them become butterflies, but you would be able to protect them from wasps and stink bugs. I actually have two winter caterpillars in the greenhouse right now from late eggs on my tropical milkweed.