Perennial Seed Start Dates
Note: The dates listed on the chart for recommended transplant out dates are just a guideline. The Spring here can sometimes throw a curveball your way. Perennials started indoors are much more tender than those started outdoors. If the tender plants experience a hard frost they may suffer damage. Ensure to check the weather for the times you are putting your plants outside.
Most plants started indoors need hardening off, even hardy ones. They are used to the controlled conditions indoors and need to be acclimatized to the conditions outdoors.
- Hardening Off:
- As the weather gets nicer start putting the plants outside during the day and bringing them in at night.
- After about 2 weeks the plants should be hardened off, start this process about 2 weeks before the plant out times, weather permitting of course.
- Some young plants are tender to frost and near frost conditions and need to be brought in at night, sometimes this weather will last into June.
Common Name | Botanical Name | Indoor Start Date | Germination Time | Transplant Outside |
Bee Balm | Monarda | early April | 2-3 weeks | late May-early June |
Blanket Flower | Gaillardia | early March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
Blue Fescue Grass | Festuca glauca 'select' | |||
Columbine | Aquilegia | early March | 3-4 weeks | after last frost |
Coneflower | Echinacea | mid March | 2 weeks | early June |
Delphinium | Delphinium | early April | 1-3 weeks | early June |
Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | early March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
Lupin | Lupinus regalis | mid March | 3-4 weeks | early June |
Malva | Malva | mid-late March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
Poppy (iceland) | Papaver | early-mid March | 2-3 weeks | mid May |
Poppy (oriental) | Papaver orientale | early-mid March | 2-4 weeks | late May-early June |
Shasta Daisy | Leucanthemum x superbum | early April | 2-3 weeks | early June |
Wildflower (assorted) | seed outside early may | 1-2 weeks | seed outside |
Remember this is just a guidline, seeds may take longer to germinate or grow and this can vary based on what kind of conditions each seed is grown in. See us in store and we will do our best to answer all of your questions.
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