Propagation: Starting Seeds 2013, Part 3, 2 by

wrote:
I spent the last hour reading all the above post with all its dizzying numbers of perennials and annuals seed sowing. I am really surprised that everyone sows both types in the spring. No one thinks of sowing hardy perennials in late summer.

Guess what? I sowed many perennials starting in August. I concentrated mainly on annuals and veggies in the spring because I was selling those for the summer trade. This is when I was living in Nebraska and operated a commercial greenhouse.

I started all perennials in August and transplanted them to a coldframe where they spent the winter. The coldframe was built out of free railroad ties. No cover. These seedlings were husky plants the following spring. I potted them up to 3" square commercial pots to sell. I specialized in drought resistant plants for the climate I was living in. For some reason in the Midwest plants were only sold in the spring. Customers liked the idea of planting perennials late summer and early fall.

When I moved to Wyoming and bought a house I followed almost the same ritual. There were not one flower in sight. First action was to built a simple coldframe situated against my link fence. This one had a frame with shade cover. I started 54 different varieties of perennial split between spring and late summer (Aug). I sowed 12 of each for my self and my daughter. It took 4 ft of lightning on 4ft shelving, plus my plant stand. My office smelled like a greenhouse. Those that I started in the spring, were mature enough to be transplanted to the coldframe. By August and September they were old enough to survive the winter on their own. The August sown seedling then went into the coldframe where they spent the winter.

All became husky plants the following spring. Many of those that were spring sown were mature enough to bloom the following season. This is an ideal way to start perennials for those of you that don't have room to grow a bunch of different plants during spring.

This idea came when I was living and garden in Massachusetts. There, nurseries sold plants both spring and fall. Mainly perennials in the fall. I did likewise in Nebraska.

1] The coldframe from railroad ties.
2] My plant stand with greenhouse behind.
3] My current coldframe before I planted. It will be filled with DL seedlings come May 31st.

Edited to add that I operated the greenhouse in Nebraska during the 80's.

This message was edited Apr 22, 2013 10:52 PM