Reseeding perennials question

I am wondering when to plant seeds I have collected from the perennials blooming in my beds (and some seeds I have received from others.) I haven't had any luck planting them in those little seed pots and then transferring them as they always seem to either die or get spindly looking. Since perennials reseed themselves naturally, can't you just plant the seeds in the beds now, let them sit over the winter, and watch them come up in the spring? :o)
Too easy huh?

Also are these plants marigold or daisies? I got them from my brother's garden and they reseeded themselves.
Bonnie

I had the same problems as you with my attempts to start perennials in peat pots. I started winter sowing three years ago and have had real good luck with it. Once I got some going, I started letting them self-sow and then transplant the new plants while they are small in the early summer. They do so much better than the ones I tried to grow in peat pots.

They look like Zinnias.Not a marigold or a daisy.
Lynn

If you find it easier to put the seeds out now into the garden, then I would rake the soil till it is nice and fine, then put the seeds into this and mark where you have put them, very slightly cover the seeds with fine soil and water, or water the soil before you sew the seeds, then keep an eye out for the emerging seedlings, after they are large enough to handle, you can separate them and replant them where you want them to flower next spring. good luck. WeeNel.

Thanks both of you. I don't really know about winter sowing but am going to read up on it. I am going to try both ways!

could the flowers be some sort of black eyed susans?

bobyrd,
I'm sure you're farther south than I am. I don't put my seeds out for winter sowing until late November or December to keep them from sprouting too soon. You know how our cold snaps come in spurts and the first year I did this, I put some of my seeds out in October and they sprouted only to be done in by frost :-(

Great. That gives me more time. I also want to try the seedballs and bought clay to do that today. I am going to have lots of beautiful plants in the Spring one way or another!

I hope you do. I've been working on flower beds since we moved in four years ago. My current pet project is a butterfly bed. I love working in my flower and vegetable gardens. Good luck on those flower seeds and post us some pictures when they all come up. What kinds of flowers are you planting?

I have seeds from several kinds of daisies, buttefly bush, batface culpea,candletree cassia, mixed zinnias,
hibiscus, senna sunshine tree, digitalis, bee and butterfly mix, and mist flowers of some kind. I may be a little overyly ambitious!

We all have our successes and failures. I get lot's of enjoyment from trying many types of flowers and learn a lot along the way. I wish you success.

Bonnie,

The photo at the top of this thread (orange) is a zinnia http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/255/

Thanks,Dale,all I could think of was zinnia,but I am not an expert.

Lynn

Thanks Dale,
That flower grows like gangbusters here and makes and impressive show for a long time.

By the way, I read on one of the other forums that you are a Caladium, Coleus enthusiast. I love caladiums and coleus but have never tried to grow them seriously. I have a lot of shaded, and filtered sun areas in one of my big beds and I would love to plant a mixture of the two. Can you recommend any that would do well in shady areas?
Bonnie

Lynn, with thousands of plants and (seems like) a million hybrids no one can be expected to remember them all? I guess that is why these threads are open to everyone. Who can remember all this stuff, by themselves?

Bonnie, yes I am a Coleus enthusiast.

I grow Caladiums because they perform well here in FL. Most of the caladium bulbs that are planted in the US are grown 40 miles east of Tampa. They have breeding programs at the University for caladiums.

We have a sandy soil that is very good for both Coleus & Caladium. I like the look of small leaved, trailing coleus with the big 'elephant ears' of caladium.

This next summer I will have to try and mix a few new ones...

Dale,
I just love your pictures,but sometimes I think I am guilty of a little....maybe just a pinch ^_^ of zone envy.Just keep on showing us your beautiful plants.

Lynn

Lynn,

No need to have envy, they are not 'my' plants all my photos are taken in public gardens or at a clients. I live in a shoe box at the end of a long dark alley. (:-)

Places like Disney>

Dale,
The combinations are beautiful.

Dale,
I don't think I really mean't envy,but you take such great pictures I sometimes can't believe it.I am so hopeless at photos,even with an old,but very good camera.^_^

Lnn

Lynn,

I am very old, with a good camera. So we do have some things in common.

Bonnie, thanks.

I'm no spring chicken myself.

Lynn