Home Decorating Ideas - You Can Plant In The Fall Too!

People tend to think of spring as the season for planting flower seeds, but fall actually makes for a good season to plant flower seeds too. As the fall brings along cold weather, planting becomes a much easier task compared to working in the hot sun of the late spring and summer. It is also a good season for various types of flower seeds to grow their roots just in time for the spring growing season. Certain types of perennial flower seeds do really well when planted in the fall as they get the advantage of adjusting to the weather beforehand. Most of these perennial varieties do not grow soon after they are planted in the fall, but roots are established during this time until the weather is suitable for above ground growth.

Contrary to the common understanding, some annual flower seeds can also be planted in the fall. These hardy annuals, capable of enduring cold weathers, are usually planted as seeds in the fall and start to grow when spring comes. As planting the seeds in the fall gives an early start for the flower seeds to grow, the plants will grow faster compared to those planted in spring, as they already have root systems intact. Gardeners are usually keen on having their flowering plants to flower as soon as possible, and are willing to pay more to get this result. They can also still achieve this result by using cheap seeds to plant with during the fall, as an alternative to buying seedlings to transplant.

Planting flower seed in the fall is really not as strange as it sounds. The natural cycle of flower seeds actually begins in the fall- not the spring. The flowers that begin to fade in the fall drop their seeds in autumn, allowing the seeds time to find receptive ground before the spring rains come. Gardeners can take advantage of this natural cycle by planting when the ground is the most receptive to new seeds. This may be before or after the first frost, depending on local climate. In very cold area, the best time to plant may be after at least one frost. In areas that do not freeze, hardy wildflower seeds can be planted during any month of the fall or winter.

Planting annual, perennial or wildflower seeds in the winter will call for extra care as the ground is more dry and cold during the fall, making it necessary for the ground to be watered in order for it to be receptive to the fresh flower seeds. To make the ground more fertile, potting soil or other organic matter can be used. Until the ground has frozen, the seeds will require a lot of water and organic matters, and watering will need to be done regularly until the earth freezes. Seeds planted in the areas that freezes will require some protection in order to stop the new roots from being frozen and thawed repetitively during the winter. To keep the temperature at a constant level for the new flower seeds, mulch can be applied to the soil.

Jeff is the founder and president of cheapseeds.com, a leading retailer of flower seeds, wild flower seeds, perennial seeds, annual flower seeds and much much more.