
As the days get longer and longer, gardeners start to get itchy fingers. Surely it must be time to start their seedlings for the summer garden?
Seasoned gardeners have learned to restrain themselves, but beginners often just let loose, sowing any seeds they can get their hands on as early as January or February. It seems logical to them that, if the label says to sow seed X 6 weeks before the transplant date, they’ll have better results if they sow it 12 or 14 weeks before the transplant date. But they are sooo wrong!
Seedlings started too early do not produce stronger and more mature plants as you’d think, but weak, etiolated, stringy plants with seriously compressed roots that will only recover with difficulty once they’re planted in the garden, if indeed they recover at all. What you want instead are short, compact seedlings, not yet in bloom, but full of energy and ready to explode into growth once they’re in the garden.
In other words, you have to use a little restraint in sowing. In gardening, small is often better!
Sowing Dates for Annuals
The following list presents about 150 annuals with the recommended sowing date for each one. If you see the mention “8 weeks,” that means you should sow it indoors 8 weeks before the date when you expect to be transplanting it to the garden. Note that this is not necessarily 8 weeks before the last frost date, as the soil and air may still be very cold at that time, but probably about 10 to 14 days later.
For example, where I live, the official last frost date is June 1st, but that refers to the average date of last frost. About 50% of the time, there is frost after that date. That’s why I usually use June 10 as a safe date for me to plant seedlings outdoors and it’s the one I use in calculating when to start my seedlings.
Here you go!
- Agastache (Agastache rupestris, A. cana and others) 8 weeks
- Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) 4 weeks
- Alternanthera (Alternanthera dentata and others) 11 weeks
- Alyssum, Sweet (Lobularia maritima) 4 weeks
- Amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) 4 weeks
- Amaranth, Globe (Gomphrena globosa and others) 6 weeks
- Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia) 8 weeks
- Aster, China (Callistephus chinensis) 6 weeks
- Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila spp.) 4 weeks
- Baby’s Breath, Annual (Gypsophila elegans) 4 weeks
- Baby’s Breath, Cushion (Gypsophila muralis) 6 weeks
- Bachelor’s Button, Annual (Centaurea cyanus and others) 4 weeks
- Bacopa (Sutera cordata) 10 weeks
- Balsam, Garden (Impatiens balsamina) 4 weeks
- Bean, Castor (Ricinus communis) 4 weeks
- Bean, Hyacinth (Lablab purpureus, syn. Dolichos lablab) 6 weeks
- Begonia, Tuberous (Begonia × tuberhybrida) 16 weeks
- Begonia, Wax (Begonia × semperflorens-cultorum, B. × benariensis and other non-tuberous varieties) 12 weeks
- Bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis) 10 weeks
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) 6 weeks
- Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia alata) 6 weeks
- Bloodleaf (Iresine spp.) 10 weeks
- Browallia (Browallia spp.) 8 weeks
- Bunny Tail (Lagurus ovatus) 6 weeks
- Burning Bush (Bassia scoparia, syn. Kochia scoparia) 6 weeks
- Cabbage, Ornamental (Brassica olearcea acephala) 4 weeks
- Calibrachoa (Calibrachoa × hybrida) 8 weeks
- Calliopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria and others) 6 weeks
- Canna (Canna spp.) 8 weeks
- Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) 10 weeks
- Castor Oil Plant (Ricinus communis) 4 weeks
- Cathedral Bells (Cobaea scandens) 10 weeks
- Celosia (Celosia argentea and others) 4 weeks
- Chrysanthemum, Annual (Glebionis carinatum [formerly Chrysanthemum carinatum] and others) 6 weeks
- Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata, syn. C. elegans) 6 weeks
- Cleome (Cleome hasslerana and others) 4 weeks
- Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) 8 weeks
- Coreopsis, Plains (Coreopsis tinctoria and others) 6 weeks
- Corn-Cockle (Nigella damascena and others) 6 weeks
- Cosmidium (Thelesperma burridgeanum, syn. Cosmidium burridgeanum) 6 weeks
- Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus and C. sulphureus) 4 weeks
- Cup-and-saucer Vine (Cobaea scandens) 10 weeks
- Cupflower (Nierembergia hippomanica and others) 10 weeks
- Dahlia, Dwarf (Dahlia × hortensis) 6 weeks
- Dahlia, Tall and Medium (Dahlia × hortensis) 8 weeks
- Daisy, African (Arctotis × hybrida, formerly Venidium) 6 weeks
- Daisy, African (Osteospermum ecklonis, syn. Dimorphotheca ecklonis) 6 weeks
- Daisy, Dahlberg (Thymophylla tenuiloba, syn. Dyssodia tenuiloba) 6 weeks
- Daisy, Livingston (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) 10 weeks
- Datura, Double (Datura metel and others) 16 weeks
- Dichondra (Dichondra repens) 8 weeks
- Dracaena, Spike (Cordyline australis, syn. C. indivisa) 22 weeks
- Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria and others, Centaurea cineraria) 12 weeks
- Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea, E. globulus and others) 10 weeks
- Everlasting, Annual (Xeranthemum annuum) 6 weeks
- Everlasting, Golden (Xerochrysum bracteatum, syn. Helichrysum bracteatum) 6 weeks
- Everlasting, Winged (Ammobium alataum) 6 weeks
- Felicia (Felicia bergeriana and F. heterophylla) 4 weeks
- Flax (Linum grandiflorum, L. usitatissimum and others) 3 weeks
- Flossflower (Ageratum houstonianum) 4 weeks
- Forget-Me-Not, Chinese (Cynoglossum amabile) 6 weeks
- Four O’Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) 6 weeks
- Fuchsia (Fuchsia × hybrida) 14 weeks
- Gaillardia, Annual (Gaillardia pulchella) 4 weeks
- Gazania (Gazania rigens) 6 weeks
- Geranium, Ivy (Pelargonium peltatum) 12 weeks
- Geranium, Zonal (Pelargonium × hortorum) 12 weeks
- Godetia (Clarkia amoena, formerly Godetia amoena) 6 weeks
- Gourd, Ornamental (Cucurbita pepo and Lagenaria siceraria) 3 weeks
- Grass, Fountain (Pennisetum villosum, P. setaceum) 6 weeks
- Grass, Hare’s Tail (Lagurus ovatus) 6 weeks
- Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) 10 weeks
- Hibiscus, Red-Leaf (Hibiscus acetosella) 10 weeks
- Honeywort (Cerinthe major) 10 weeks
- Impatiens, African (Impatiens auricoma and its hybrids) 8 weeks
- Impatiens, Common (Impatiens walleriana) 10 weeks
- Impatiens, New Guinea (Impatiens × hawkeri) 10 weeks
- Jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum and others) 6 weeks
- Jewelweed, Ornamental (Impatiens glandulifera) 4 weeks
- Joseph’s Coat (Amaranthus tricolor) 4 weeks
- Kale, Ornamental (Brassica olearcea acephala) 4 weeks
- Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden-Gate (Persicaria orientale, syn. Polygonum orientale) 4 weeks
- Knotweed, Pink (Persicaria capitatum, syn. Polygonum capitatum) 10 weeks
- Larkspur (Consolida ambigua and C. regalis, formerly Delphinium) 6 weeks
- Laurentia (Laurentia axillaris, syn. Isotoma axillaris) 14 weeks
- Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflora) 18 weeks
- Lobelia, Bedding (Lobelia erinus) 8 weeks
- Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) 4 weeks
- Mallow, Rose (Lavatera trimestris) 6 weeks
- Maple, Flowering (Abutilon spp.) 12 weeks
- Marigold, African (Tagetes erecta) 4 weeks
- Marigold, French (Tagetes patula and T. patula × erecta) 4 weeks
- Marigold, Pot (Calendula officinalis) 6 weeks=
- Melampodium (Melampodium paludosum) 6 weeks
- Mignonette (Reseda odorata) 6 weeks
- Milkweed, Tropical (Asclepias curassavica) 10 weeks
- Millet, Ornamental (Pennisetum glaucum) 8 weeks
- Million Bells (Calibrachoa × hybrida) 8 weeks
- Mimulus (Mimulus × hybridus) 8 weeks
- Morning Glory, Climbing (Ipomoea tricolor, I. nil, etc.) 3 weeks
- Morning-Glory, Dwarf (Convolvulus tricolor) 5 weeks
- Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus and others) 2 weeks
- Nemesia (Nemesia strumosa and others) 6 weeks
- Nicandra (Nicandra physaloides) 6 weeks
- Nielle des blés (Agrostemma githago and others) 6 weeks
- Nierembergia (Nierembergia hippomanica and others) 10 weeks
- Nolana (Nolana paradoxa and N. humifusa) 4 weeks
- Palm, Cabbage (Cordyline australis, syn. C. indivisa) 20 weeks
- Pansy (Viola × wittrockiana) 8 weeks
- Pelargonium, Ivy (Pelargonium peltatum) 12 weeks
- Pelargonium, Zonal (Pelargonium × hortorum) 12 weeks
- Penstemon, Annual (Penstemon hartwegii, P. × gloxinioides, etc.) 12 weeks
- Periwinkle, Madagascar (Catharanthus roseus) 12 weeks
- Petunia (Petunia × atkinsiana and others) 10 weeks
- Phacelia (Phacelia campanularia, P. tanacetifolia and others) 4 weeks
- Phlox, Annual (Phlox drummondii) 6 weeks
- Pincushion Flower, Annual (Scabiosa atropurpurea) 6 weeks
- Pink, China (Dianthus chinensis) 8 weeks
- Policeman’s Helmet (Impatiens glandulifera) 4 weeks
- Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachys) 10 weeks
- Poppy, California (Eschscholzia californica) 2 weeks
- Poppy, Mexican (Argemone mexicana and others) 6 weeks
- Poppy, Opium (Papaver somniferum, syn. P. laciniatum, P. paeoniflorum) 6 weeks
- Poppy, Shirley (Papaver rhoeas and P. commutatum) Sow outdoors.
- Poppy, Tulip (Hunnemannia fumariifolia) 6 weeks
- Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora) 6 weeks
- Sage, Mealy (Salvia farinacea) 12 weeks
- Sage, Painted (Salvia viridis, syn. S. horminus) 6 weeks
- Sage, Scarlet (Salvia splendens) 6 weeks
- Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) 10 weeks
- Shoo-Fly Plant (Nicandra physaloides) 6 weeks
- Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) 6 weeks
- Snapdragon, Climbing (Asarina, Lophospermum and Maurandya) 11 weeks
- Snapdragon, Fairy (Chaenorrhinum origanifolium, syn. C. glaerosum) 16 weeks
- Sneezeweed, Yellow (Helenium amarum) 8 weeks
- Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) 6 weeks
- Spiderflower (Cleome hasslerana and others) 4 weeks
- Statice, Annual (Limonium sinuatum and others) 4 weeks
- Stock, Brompton (Matthiola incana) 6 weeks
- Stock, Virginia (Malcomia maritima) 4 weeks
- Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum, syn. Helichrysum bracteatum) 6 weeks
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus and others) 4 weeks
- Sunflower, Mexican (Tithonia rotundifolia) 6 weeks
- Sunray, Pink (Rhodanthe chlorocephala rosea and R. manglesii, syn. Acroclinium and Helipterum) 6 weeks
- Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus) 4 weeks
- Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) 8 weeks
- Throatwort, Blue (Trachelium caeruleum) 10 weeks
- Tickseed (Bidens aurea, B. ferulifolia and others) 6 weeks
- Tickseed, Garden (Coreopsis tinctoria and others) 6 weeks
- Toadflax (Linaria reticulata, L. maroccana, etc.) 8 weeks
- Tobacco, Flowering (Nicotiana alata, N. sylvestris and others) 6 weeks
- Tongue, Painted (Salpiglossis sinuata) 8 weeks
- Toothache Plant (Acmella oleracea, syn. Spilanthes acmella) 11 weeks
- Verbena, Hybrid (Verbena × hybrida) 10 weeks
- Verbena, Tall (Verbena bonariensis) 8 weeks
- Wishbone Flower (Torenia fournieri and others) 8 weeks
- Zinnia (Zinnia elegans, Z. haageana, Z. angustifolia, etc.) 4 weeks
- Zinnia, African (Melampodium paludosum) 6 weeks
- Zinnia, Creeping (Sanivitalia procumbens) 6 weeks
If you follow the dates suggested in the list above, that should give you annuals of just the right size for transplanting to the garden.
Now that you know the recommended sowing date for your favorite annuals, pull out a calendar and count backwards to find the best time to sow them in your area.
Thank you for the information, it’s very useful to me!
I am in fact grateful to this site which has shared this fantastic information here.
Gardening is a fun job, I love it.
Pingback: Organize Your Seed Packets According to Their Sowing Date – Laidback Gardener
Hi there very cool web site!! Guy .. Beautiful ..
Superb .. I will bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally?
I am glad to seek out a lot of helpful info here within the publish,
we want develop extra techniques in this regard, thank you for sharing.
. . . . .
This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!!
Finally I’ve found something which helped me. Kudos!