Help for a beginner gardener.

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crc898ca Barstow, CA Sep 25, 2008

This is my first time starting to grow flowers by seed and I need all the help I can get. I live in Barstow, CA in the desert. I think according to the USDA I am in zone 8b but according to the arbor day one I am in zone 9. My sunset zone is 11 I think. I brought some Aster, Bachelor Buttons, Cosmos, Helichrysum, Kingfisher Daisy,Lavender Lady, Marigold, Petunia, Rudbeckia,Shasta Daisy, Sunflower,Sweet William, and couple different types of Zinnia for the flowerbed. Also I am planning to plant some morning glories and moonflower around my metal fence and hope they will grow. I am very excited and can't wait to start growing them but I was wondering if it is too late to directly put seeds down in the flower bed outside and if anyone got any helpful advice to start growing them. Also I need to know what I got to do to start growing these flowers. I also was wondering if 4 o clock flowers will grow on the fence.

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dp72 Woodway, TX(Zone 8a) Sep 25, 2008

You don't want to plant your seed in the SPRING? Does it never freeze where you live? Most of America is shutting down the plants you mention for the winter.

4 o'clocks are too woody to grow like a vine on the fence. They might be propped up AGAINST the fence, or tied to it with strings.

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1AnjL (AnjL) Fremont, CA(Zone 9b) Sep 25, 2008

I have 4 oclocks growing everywhere... planted a few seeds one year and well.... they always come back bigger every year.

with them, you can grow on the fence...but if its a chain link fence or wood slat fence, they will get really woody and take over the chain link...or push slats out of the wood slat (picket) fence.

Morning glories die off and leave dead branches all over fences/trellis. so if your looking for year round greenery/color you may want to choose another type of vine. you can grow a strong evergreen vine, and grow morning glories with it...so the evergreen will hide the ugly dead vines once MG's die off. The MG's will come back from seeds every year.

as for the other seeds, i would either starte them after the holidays indoors...or winter sow them outdoors...but maybe wait until Jan to do this so you'll get blooms next spring.

if your looking for year round color...maybe find some flowers that bloom in fall and winter to fill your beds until spring comes... there are lots that will flower in your zone in winter and fall.

let me know if you need help finding some :) as I may have some seeds here I can share :)

Welcome to DG.....You will LOVE this site!

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