If you want brilliant summer blooms that return year after year, you should get started by starting your perennials indoors in late February or early March. By nurturing your seedlings now, you can have outdoor-ready plants by the time the last frost hits in April. For stunning bursts of color in your garden, choose from these perennials that can be seeded indoors now and moved to your garden when the weather warms up.
Black-Eyed Susans
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“Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are a classic for any garden!” says Sara Rubens, certified garden coach and founder of Seed to Sanctuary. “These cheery yellow flowers with dark centers bloom year after year and are super easy to grow.”
To start black-eyed Susans from seed indoors, sow the seeds 10 weeks before your last frost, and plant seeds ¼ inch deep in seed trays, Rubens advises. Germination takes 1 to 3 weeks.
- Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 3-9
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Water seedlings deeply once a week.
- Soil: Neutral or acidic, well-draining and moist
Coneflower
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Coneflowers (Echinacea) are the perfect pick if you want cheerful, daisy-like flowers that bloom in the summer. These brilliant blooms can range in color, with coneflower varieties in pink, purple, white, orange, coral, and red. Once they are established, coneflowers are drought-tolerant and hardy.
“When starting them from seed, you’ll want to make sure they’re kept consistently moist and positioned near a consistent light source, as they take a lot of sunlight to be able to germinate properly,” says Chrissie Handley, lawn care specialist at Online Turf.
- Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 3-9
- Light: Full, partial sun
- Water: At least once a week until the plants are established
- Soil: Neutral or acidic, well-draining
Tickseed
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“If you want bright yellow, orange, or red flowers that bloom all summer long, tickseed (coreopsis) is a must-grow,” says Rubens. “It loves the sun, thrives in sandy soil, and doesn’t need much fuss.” Tickseed is a long-blooming flower in the family Asteraceae.
To grow it from seed, start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost and plant seeds ½ inch deep. Seedlings will pop up in two to three weeks. Once they sprout, Rubens recommends moving them to a sunny window and keeping the soil moist as you prepare them for outdoor planting.
- Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 2-11
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Water seedlings regularly every few days to prevent the soil from drying out.
- Soil: Neutral or acidic, well-draining and sandy
Lavender
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Lavender (Lavendula spp.) provides striking purple flowers, grey-green leaves, and a soothing scent. For brilliant violet summer blooms, start lavender seeds indoors about 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost, or according to the specific guidelines on your seed packet.
“Lavender likes shallow planting as they need a substantial amount of light to germinate, so you should plant them near the surface and lightly cover them in soil,” advises Handley. “They also like to be kept lightly moist. Watering them too heavily, especially when the seed is so shallow, can cause the soil to become boggy and for the plant to not germinate properly.”
- Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 5-9
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Mist seedlings once a day with water.
- Soil: Alkaline, dry, well-draining
Delphiniums
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For colorful spring and early summer blooms, plant delphiniums. These tall flowering plants, also known as larkspur, come in a range of hues, from white and pink to intense blue and lavender.
“Delphiniums love a cooler temperature when germinating, so starting them in winter is ideal. Starting them indoors also means you can control the temperature to make sure they’re kept cool,” Handley says. “Delphiniums take a while to flower, so planting them indoors early means you’re more likely to see the blooming flowers in time for summer.” Keep them in a cool, dark area and, once they’ve sprouted, you can then introduce them to a lighter area.
- Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 3-9
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Water: Water deeply once or twice a week during the seedling phase.
- Soil: Neutral, moist, loamy, well-draining
Baby’s Breath
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“You’ve probably seen these delicate white flowers in bouquets, but they also make gorgeous ground cover in the garden,” Rubens explains. “Baby’s breath (Gypsophila spp.) comes in white or soft pink and self-sows once established, so it keeps coming back year after year.”
To grow baby’s breath indoors from seed, start 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost. Lightly cover seeds with about ¼ inch of soil and keep them moist. In about 2 weeks, you’ll begin to see sprouts.
- Hardiness Zone: USDA zones 3-9
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Keep the soil moist and water at least once a week during the seedling phase.
- Soil: Neutral or alkaline, well-draining
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