Fast Perennials

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Calcifer Mountain View, CA(Zone 9b) Apr 22, 2015

I'm growing perennial flowers from seeds, such as aster, agastache, echinacea, gaillardia, rudbeckia, hibiscus. How do I push the plants to grow fast with deep roots and strong stems? I don't need them to flower but I need sturdy plants that could survive shipping and a harsh winter. Should I start them in big pot so not to restrict the roots development? How much direct sun for a little seedling? How often should I feed them? Use Miracle Grow? Any advice is appreciated! Thank you. :)

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Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Apr 22, 2015

If you have a greenhouse or lath house, or a way to moderate the conditions inside your house you can give these plants the right kind of light, fertilizer and moisture levels that will promote a stout stem and root mass without a lot of soft, succulent leaf. This will also make them more disease resistant.

I would look into the water needs of each, researching the actual species- for example Hibiscus is a common name for bog plants to edibles and from annuals to trees. Make sure each is growing in the right kind of soil.
Have you looked into the shipping restrictions in the destinations? Some places will not allow you to ship plants in real soil. They will need to be either bare root or in something sterile like peat moss, or peat and perlite sort of media.

As for direct sun, at this time of year it is probably fine, but you will want to control the wind and the temperature, so 'full sun' is more likely going to be in a protected spot. As the days continue to get longer, and hotter you might have to put a bit of shade cloth over your growing grounds.

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