[Even Gardening Beginners Are Welcome!] Flowers Grown from Seeds Sown in Spring
Spring is a season when all kinds of flowers catch your eye, and that alone makes your heart feel light and fluffy, doesn’t it?
You often see houses with beautifully kept eaves overflowing with flowers, but for gardening beginners, it can feel a bit intimidating.
So in this article, we’ll introduce flowers that are recommended for beginners to sow in spring and grow from seed.
Buying seedlings and planting them is the quickest route, but many people still want to try growing from seed.
Above all, starting from seed is inexpensive, and the joy when they grow and bloom is on a whole different level.
If you’re a beginner, be sure to try growing these recommended varieties!
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[Even Gardening Beginners Are Welcome!] Flowers Grown from Seeds Sown in Spring (11–20)
Balloon plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus)
A plant with round, spiky fruits! Let me introduce balloon cottonbush (Gomphocarpus physocarpus).
Its rubber ball–like springiness is part of its charm, and it produces small, white flowers.
When the fruit ripens and splits, the seeds attached to silky floss are dispersed.
It’s fascinating to watch them drift and float on the wind, isn’t it? The stem also seems to change shape between the flowering stage and the fruiting stage.
If you’re intrigued by the many charms of balloon cottonbush, why not try adding it to your garden?
globe amaranth
Globe amaranth, also widely known by the name “Sennichisō,” is often seen blooming along roadsides in the suburbs—that’s how hardy it is.
If you’re looking to make dried flowers, this is the plant I recommend.
You can find seeds at 100-yen shops, and seedlings appear at home improvement stores from spring to early summer.
Red, pink, and white are common colors.
Plant all three for a colorful display.
Water thoroughly when the surface of the soil dries out, and the base fertilizer is usually sufficient.
If you add additional fertilizer, choose one that’s higher in phosphorus.
morning glory
Morning glories bloom with beautiful colors like red and purple on summer mornings.
Many people may have grown them during elementary school science class.
There are both annual and perennial varieties of morning glory, so choose according to your needs.
Planting is recommended from mid to late May.
Another nice point is that they flower 1–2 months after planting.
Because the seed coat is hard, nick the outer shell and soak the seeds in water for a day to encourage successful germination.
Also, morning glories won’t bloom unless it gets sufficiently dark at night, so it’s best to place them where they won’t be illuminated by streetlights or indoor lighting.
geranium
Geraniums are strongly associated with the image of blooming on European windowsills.
With their distinctively round leaves, they’re also very well suited to planting in hanging baskets.
Although geraniums can be propagated by cuttings, the best time to sow seeds is from March to May.
Some ever-blooming varieties will flower year-round if the temperature is just right.
When you sow seeds, it’s moving to see the true leaves emerge—small, round, and veined—from between the cotyledons.
While you’re growing them in seedling pots, it’s fine to keep them indoors to protect them from the cold.
Snapdragon
Snapdragons belong to the plantain family.
They produce many fluttery blossoms that resemble goldfish fins, with bright, springlike colors.
You can sow the seeds in either spring or autumn; for spring sowing, it’s best to sow by mid-April.
They are generally recommended for cooler regions.
Because the seeds are light-sensitive, do not cover them with soil when germinating.
Transplant them to a sunny site with well-drained soil.
If they make it through the summer heat, some can behave as perennials and bloom again the following year.
rhododendron
Here’s how beginners can grow rhododendrons from seed.
They produce very cute flowers.
First, collect the seeds, sow them in moist soil, and water them well.
It’s best to keep them in the shade until the seeds germinate.
Bloom times vary by variety, but you can enjoy flowers as early as April and as late as June.
Choose well-draining soil.
Since they’re prone to root rot, be careful not to let the soil stay too wet.
Also, place them in a bright spot out of direct sunlight.
Repot as they grow.
Have fun growing them and enjoy the colorful blooms!
[Even Gardening Beginners Are Welcome!] Flowers Grown From Seeds Sown in Spring (21–30)
cosmos
Cosmos, a member of the daisy family, look beautiful when they bloom in clusters.
As their Japanese name “autumn cherry blossoms” suggests, their pink flowers are delicate.
They germinate after about three consecutive days with soil temperatures above 18°C, so for summer blooming, sow seeds from March to April; for autumn blooming, sow from June to July.
You can sow directly in the ground as well as in planters.
Since cosmos prefer drier conditions to being overwatered, you likely don’t need to water them too often.
It may be easier to grow them if you keep their natural characteristics in mind.