Fall planting will be much easier, so you should aim for getting your seed down late in the season, but before the ground freezes entirely.
Fall is the perfect time to plant wildflowers. You'll follow Mother Nature's cycle - flowers naturally drop their seeds in the fall, and they overwinter, then germinate and bloom in spring. Fall planting is an especially good time to plant in areas where you want to conserve water.
Planting Directions for Flowers: Spring and/or Fall Plant
For April, May or June blooms, plant seed directly outdoors August-October. For June, July, August and/or September blooms, plant your seed outdoors March-June. Seedlings normally tolerate a light frost.
Flowers (Zones 5-10):
October is a great time to plant those fall flowers. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring.
While you can plant a late planting to the first frost date, it's always best to allow as much growing time as possible. If you missed the spring planting, then calculate which vegetables you can grow now and still have a harvest before the first frost.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.
September is a great time to plant those fall flowers. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall to start blooming early spring.
What Seeds Benefit from Soaking Prior to Planting? Almost all seeds can be pre-soaked, but it is large seeds, seeds with thick coats and wrinkled seeds that will benefit most. Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet.
Wildflower seeds don't need to be planted in holes; however, they should be tapped down to encourage growth. After you've scattered them over the soil, use the back of a shovel, your hand, or your foot to gently press them into the ground.
Planting too early in cooler temperatures can cause stunted growth, wilting, surface pitting, foliage necrosis and increased susceptibility to disease. Low soil temperatures can stunt plant growth and prevent root development.
When to Plant Coneflower Seeds. Plant in the late Fall, after the frost, or you can start indoors 6-8 weeks before your final frost date, after a period of 8-12 weeks of cold moist stratification.
By midsummer you should be knee-deep in tomatoes, beans, zucchini, and peppers, so it can be hard to remind yourself to shop for seeds for your next season of vegetable gardening. However, July and August are the best time to get a start on fall and winter food gardening.
That assumption wouldn't be wrong, but I'm going to let you in on a little secret: you can also plant a lot of seeds in the fall and they'll come up even earlier in the spring. Tons of annuals drop their seed in the fall anyway, and the seeds are naturally cold-stratified over the winter.
Autumn is a great season for annuals, low-maintenance perennials and evergreen shrubs to shine. In fact, some of the most popular flowers, like colorful mums, roses, dahlias, purple pansies and yes, even bright yellow sunflowers, all bloom around September and October.
Mid-August to mid-October is an ideal time of year to plant new trees, though, that time frame can be stretched into November and December. To be 100% sure, measure soil temperature early in the morning for a few, consecutive days. If your soil is consistently 50° F or higher, you're good to plant.
Early fall is the best time to plant cool-season grasses, such as Fescue, Rye and Bluegrass. These grasses grow best when the temperature is between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit, and benefit from the shorter days and cooler nights. There is also less competition from crabgrass and foxtails.
Spring seeding is an option; just not the best option for maximum seedling establishment and growth. Consider seeding in the Fall. Sure, summer is over and the last thing most of us want is more lawn work! Still, with cool nights, warm days and light fall rains, this is truly the best time to plant seed.
When it's October, people often wonder if it is too late to plant new seed. The good news is if you hurry, seed can still be planted in October with the hope that it will survive the upcoming winter. Although September is the best time, often we can still plant grass seed up to October 15 with good results.