First seed sowing and growing

[Muhammad Imran]

AOA

I want to do my first seed sowing experiment in coming days and am very excited about it. Could you ppl please tell me what reasonably easy (not too easy) options do I have now or the next month. for me everything will go in containers.

Please tell me the plants, time of sowing, can be sowed directly in pot or first seedling etc etc.

Thanks

[Farhan Ahmed]

I suggest Sunflowers, very easy and they let you experience the entire germination process due their larger size.
Many seeds can be attempted right now, but cool season annuals won't reach their full size due lesser time remaining in the season.
So i suggest easy to moderate difficulty varieties that tolerate hot weather. Notable is Zinnia which can be sowed Starting February.
Hollyhock, cosmos and marigolds are other easier plants. Don't attempt cool season annuals.
Regarding zinnias it is recommended that you sow them in situ( their final position) as they don't like transplanting, moreover they are very susceptible to damping off diseases. Make sure you use good media/compost to avoid that. You can sow 5-6 seeds in a pot and leave the healthy ones after germination. The process known as thinning.

[dragoonsers]

Yup good advice given above. I'd second it and add that just be patient for maybe two weeks then start sowing summer annuals. For beginners, sunflower is perfect- try to get seeds of the red- orange kind as they're very impressive and good to show off as well :p

Zinnias are easy as they germinate within five days imo. And give really pretty flowers.

For first time, go for big seeds. They're generally easier to germinate. If you can get your hands on moonflower or morningglory, go for it. Really good vines, easy to grow and lovely blooms! Good luck!

[Muhammad Imran]

Thank you both for the precious advice.

A bit further info:

@farhan Zinnia, how many plants(seeds) should do in a container ultimately after thinning? and what should be the minimum size of the container?

@ dragoonsers Speaking of vines, are the particular ones good enough for containers? as this is my only option.

Regards

[Farhan Ahmed]

Preferably 10 inches diameter, 2-3 plants, pinch them for a fuller plant.

[dragoonsers]

Never grown these in containers so can't say. Perhaps google it!

[Farhan Ahmed]

they can be grown in containers......they are annual. Select bigger pot if you want

[Izhar]

For Zinnias:
6 inches diameter pot: one plant
12 inches diameter pot: three or four plants

For Sunflower:
12 inches diameter pot: two or three plants

For Vines:
12 inches or bigger: one plant

[Munir]

+ In an earlier discussion on a similar topic, one opinion was that one should better get the seedlings from the nursery, rather than growing own seedlings from the seeds purchased or saved. Some reasons/factors are as under:
1. Seedlings of all seasonal plants are readily available in the market.
2. Seeds used by the nurseries are generally of good quality and mostly imported,thus give better results than seeds saved at home.
3. One can use the same imported seeds as used by nurseries,but the seed shops being much lesser in number than nurseries, may not be in easy reach,like nurseries.
4. There is a lot of hassle in the entire process till own seedlings are ready for trasplantation,including: preparation of pots/mix,sowing,proper location, protection against weather/pets, watering & fertilizing if needed.
7. Similarly the hassle of collecting own seeds & preserving them properly for many months, for future use.
5. Not sure of as good results of sowing at home even with purchased seeds,due to above factors & less skillful handling than the whole time professionals at the nurseries.
6. The nurseries sell the seedlings at reasonal rates,thus affordable for normal home gardens.
7. However, if one wants to economise in case of a large garden or experiment it or any special seedlings are not commonly available in the nurseries eg, Calceolaria in Pindi, then it is an exceptional case.
+ Inshort, purchasing seedlings from the nursery has more advantages-less risks, compared to producing the same from seeds at home. Those experienced know it well, but I feel the novices/beginners should not venture in this excercise.

[Muhammad Imran]

Munir
Thanks for your practical advice and your input.
If the objective is achieving the optimum costs vs benefits, economies of scale and efficient marginal effort, then these are very good suggestions. Forget about seedling, one can even purchase full grown up plants with blooming flowers. Actually, I want to experience the Joy of sprouting a seed which i sowed in front of my very own eyes, the beginning of a life and then it gives its fruits and flowers and eventually it dies. A whole life cycle in a single pot. I wonder what would be left in the hobby of gardening if we exclude seed sowing.