I went to school today – wildflower school.  I joined the first webinar offered by wildflower seed producer Miriam Goldberger of Wildflower Farm, near Coldwater, ON.  Gardeners from North Bay to Peterborough ON, and from Maine to Texas in the US, were online to learn more about the importance of wildflowers to the environment and to our gardens.

Why are wildflowers so important? 
Our native wildflower species – like milkweed, beebalm and yarrow – are pioneer plants.  They co-evolved with our native pollinators and beneficial insects so that they are particularly attractive to bees, butterflies and other helpful creatures.  Drawing these insects to your garden helps support healthy plant growth, as well as fruit and vegetable production.  Wildflowers are part of the web that makes the garden work.

As Miriam G pointed out in the webinar, the best known insect-plant relationship is the one between Monarch butterflies and milkweed (Asclepias ssp).  It is the decline in Monarchs that has helped to raise awareness of 'host plants'  – native  plants that provide food and habitat for specific beneficial insects.

You don't have a plant a whole meadow to get the benefit of wildflowers.  And, the seeds are easy to grow.  Two methods are used:  the winter sowing method, usually required for germination of perennial plants and the direct sow method used for annual plants.  (See related posts below.) 

Wildflowers have successfully adapted to everything our soils and climate can throw at them; this alone makes them worthy of our attention.  Of course, you do need to match the right plants to your growing conditions.  I found the Seed Selector tool on the Wildflower Farm website quite helpful.  Native plants are not just for sunny meadows;  there are wildflowers that thrive in shade, in sandy locations and in clay soils.

There you have it.  Will this be the year you add a wildflower species to your garden?  Think how proud you will be if you grow the plants from seed.

Want to learn more?

Access the Wildflower Farm webinar 
(May take time to load fully)

For a list of native plants that grow successfully in Northwestern Ontario, visit the native wildflowers page at Eco-Superior.

Suggested Wildflower Seed Sources
Gardens North – Brockville ON
Prairie Originals – Manitoba native plant and seed grower
Wild about Flowers – specializing in native Alberta wildflower seeds and plants  

Related Posts on There Blooms a Garden
Winter sowing and Winter sowing...revisited
Direct sowing

Here we are in that 'seedy season' again.  Across the country, garden groups are coordinating their annual seed-swapping events.  Perhaps you have attended a Seedy Saturday in your community to share or purchase seeds.  These gatherings are a happy punch of gardening when the temperatures are still too cold for planting

If a seed exchange is something new for you, here's a little on what to expect and how to prepare.

At a seed exchange, people share seeds they have saved from their own garden.  These seeds are usually free.  Groups that support urban agriculture (think veggie plots in backyards and community gardens) join in with Canadian-sourced organic seeds for sale.  You can come home with vegetable and flower seeds and information on cultivation. 

Before you go, it's a good idea to 'learn the lingo'.  These seed terms are relevant whether you attend a swap or purchase seed from a supplier.

Heirloom and heritage ― These terms tend to be used interchangeably, says Canadian Gardening magazine, "to refer to varieties that have been grown reliably for at least half a century; some can be traced back much farther." 

The best resource for learning more about heritage seeds, seed conservation and exchanges, is the non-profit Seeds of Diversity, which encourages "the cultivation of heirloom and endangered varieties of food crops" through community events, membership and online seed sharing.

Open-pollinated ― This generally refers to "seeds that will 'breed true.' When the plants of an open-pollinated variety self-pollinate, or are pollinated by another representative of the same variety, the resulting seeds will produce plants roughly identical to their parents." (Wikipedia)  These varieties retain a more diverse, stronger genetic heritage.  Seed catalogues and packets will usually indicate if seeds are open-pollinated.

Hybrid seed ― This refers to the process of seed production.  Hybrid seeds are "produced by parent plants that have been naturally or artificially cross-fertilized to create desired features in the offspring," according to Canadian Gardening.  It is through this process that new cultivated varieties (or cultivars) are established.  But as you may know, the seed from hybrid plants is frequently sterile if different species are crossed.  They will not grow 'true to type' if they germinate and if they do, most often the plants revert to characteristics of their "grandparents."  Gardeners wanting a particular hybrid will purchase fresh seed each year.

If you have seeds to share this year, what could be better than preparing your own seed packets?  I've gathered three seed packet templates designed for personal use.  Just download and print.  Be warned that some assembly is required!  You might want to get a seed packaging party together. Have fun as you spread a little seedy love!

Photo credits ― All seed images from morgueFile.com
For email subscribers ― Be sure to view this post online at www.therebloomsagarden.com if you have any difficulty accessing the downloadable files.

I am about to do something radical. I'm going to plant seeds now – in the middle of winter – and place them in the snow to germinate. It's called winter sowing and, after listening to local gardener Lois Kennelly explain the basics, I'm convinced it's worth a try.

The goal, Lois explains, is to create mini greenhouses from plastic containers saved from fruits and salad greens. The containers are filled with moistened potting soil mixed with perlite or with a commercial seeding mix. (Do not use a purchased soil mix that contains fertilizer or a water retention product.) Seeds are sown into each container and covered with soil to the required depth.

Labeling the seed type is important; duct tape marked with a permanent marker works well. With covers securely in place, the containers are placed in the snow under Mother Nature's care.

The winter sowing method is simple and low cost.  It requires no grow lights or expenditure on extra hydro.  It is ideal for those of us with little indoor space to spare for seed starts.  And it's a positive way to leverage our long northern winters!

Why does winter sowing work? 
Many seeds only become viable after exposure to chilling temperatures. The winter months naturally provide this vernalization, this necessary cold-temperature treatment that promotes flowering.

Winter sowing is an ideal germination method for perennial and hardy annual seeds.  It is especially effective for herbs such as parsley and oregano, cold germinating vegetables like spinach, chard and kale, alpine species and biennials like hollyhocks which need two seasons to produce flowers.

What seeds should you choose?
Trudi Davidoff, who is credited with discovering winter sowing, offers advice on how to read the clues given in seed catalogs. Terms such as "Needs Pre-chilling (freeze seeds, refrigerate seeds, stratify for x amount of days or weeks), Needs Stratification, Will Colonize, Self-Sows, Sow outdoors in early Autumn, Sow outdoors in early Spring while nights are still cool ..." are all clues that the seed type is appropriate for winter sowing.  You can find much more advice about seed selection at the excellent website, WinterSown.org.  Do remember to consider your hardiness zone when choosing seeds. 

For easy-to-follow steps and illustrations, I recommend reading Kevin Lee Jacobs' Winter Sowing 101. You'll note that Kevin uses plastic milk jugs as mini greenhouses.  Many plastic containers will work, as long as the plastic is sturdy enough to support the weight of soil and plants. Lois recommends only using clear plastic containers to allow maximum light to reach the seedlings.

Winter sowing does require a little organization; not all plants need to be sown at the same time. Kevin's updated post on A Garden for the House offers good advice on the best time to sow specific plants.

Winter sowing is definitely something new for me.  Like any new gardening approach, it calls for a little research and a little experimentation.  The USDA describes this method as a way "to foster a naturally timed, high percentage germination of climate tolerant seedlings."  What could be better for our northern gardens?  Why not give it a try?

Visit WinterSown.org for comprehensive lists of perennials, hardy annuals and vegetables suitable for winter sowing.
Browse or post a question on the Canadian Winter Sowing forum on GardenWeb.com.
What is your experience with winter sowing?  Please share in a comment.

I know you've heard them ... Those seed packages whispering their siren-song promise of summer blooms.  Do you turn away, thinking that starting flowers from seed is just too much trouble? 

Direct sowing – a seeding method in which seeds are sown directly into prepared soil – will be familiar to vegetable gardeners.   Leaf lettuce, carrots, beets, peas and beans are all sown right into prepared garden plots.  There they grow on until picking time.  Some maintenance required, of course.

Among annual flowers, there are many varieties that are happy – and even prefer – to be sown directly into warm, weed-free soil, provided the risk of frost has passed.  Some plants, like poppies or morning glories, don't like to be disturbed once they have germinated; they grow best if seeded directly into the bed where they will grow through the season.
 
It sounds simple, doesn't it?  And it is!  Although it's best to refer to the specific sowing directions on the seed packet.  For instance, some seeds require light to germinate.  In this case, gently press seeds into the soil to ensure they make contact and will not wash away.

Water gently and mark the spot – it's easy to forget what beauties you have planted.  Be sure to keep the soil moist until the seed germinates.  Tender seedlings have little root support and can dry out very quickly.

Here is a small collection of flowers that sing to me. They promise to grow well in any sunny garden. 

All cultivars of Nigella – or Love-in-a-Mist – are delightful.  They are excellent cut flowers and their unusual seed pods can be enjoyed in dried bouquets.  'Mulberry Rose' grows 60 cm and produces large 5 cm double blooms in shades of rose and pink.  Exquisite in a mass planting.  Hardy in Zone 2.  Also look for Nigella hispanica 'African Bride' – picture pure white flowers with black centres and dark purple seed pods.  Delightful.

Now turn your head for cosmos.

Originating from Mexico, cosmos is the perfect direct-sow flower for the novice.  Most cultivars are tall (90 cm) and add height to any cottage garden planting.  At 60 cm, the shorter varieties like 'Sonata' and 'Antiquity' blend more easily into a mixed flower bed.  They are excellent for containers and make a wonderful cut flower.  If you have space, plant lots.

'Antiquity' starts out dark in colour and gradually softens in tone.  Cosmos bloom early and continue to produce flowers into September.  They self-seed quite readily too.  Take a minute to admire other cosmos cultivars.

For delicate fragrance, you can't beat easy-to-grow nasturtiums. 

Beautiful in beds and containers, nasturtiums are an old-fashioned flower that are making a comeback as a plant in the edible landscape.  Buds, blossoms and new leaves are all edible.  Their peppery taste is wonderful in salads.  They are good in stir-fry dishes too.

There are two types of nasturiums:  Tropaeolum majus is a trailing type that can be trained to climb.  Tropaeolum minus is a bush type with a mounding habit.  Nasturtiums flower best in full sun, but still grow well in partly shaded locations.  They love cool, damp, well-drained soil that is not too rich.  If grown in rich compost or soil amended with manure, they will tend to produce lots of leaves and fewer blooms.

New cultivars such as 'Peach Melba' are subtle in tone, but if you want more colour, consider deep red 'Empress of India' which is a semi-bush type or the dwarf  'Alaska Mix' with its variegated leaves.

Think sunflowers are just for kids?

Sunflowers make a dramatic addition to the garden and the bouquet.  Most sunflowers produce abundant pollen, but many pollenless varieties have been developed for cutting, making them tidier to bring indoors.  "Peach Passion' is pollenless.  It produces 10-15 cm blooms with a peachy glow in 70-80 days.

Other sunflower varieties for cutting include 'Strawberry Blonde' with its unusual burgundy petals with light tips, and the tawny-coloured 'Procut Bicolor'.   Double-flowered forms have fluffy disk flowers in their centres, rather than a dark smooth disk.  Double varieties such as  'Teddy Bear' and the extra tall 'Giant Sungold' do produce pollen and seeds. 

Wondering about height?  Have a look at this handy height comparison chart.

Ah, and then there are poppies ... Papaver somniferum.

Poppies are considered a self-seeding annual.  Once established, they will self-sow most generously.  Unwanted plants are easily weeded out and thinning will give plants the space they need to grow.  But really, their "volunteerism" is part of poppies' charm.  Grow in well-drained soil in sun.  No need to fertilize.  Water plants moderately in hot, dry weather.

Who could resist the rich shade of purple in 'Lauren's Grape'?  These 60-90 cm sweeties are definitely going into my garden.  Which flowers are singing to you?