Best Flower Seeds For Container Gardening

How to sow seeds direct into pots

For a quick-growing, low-maintenance display, you can direct-sow seeds into a pot. We show you how.

Published: Sunday, 24 March, 2019 at 3:00 pm

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
At its best
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
At its best	Plant is not at its best in January	Plant is not at its best in February	Plant is not at its best in March	Plant is not at its best in April	Plant is not at its best in May	Plant is at its best in June	Plant is at its best in July	Plant is at its best in August	Plant is at its best in September	Plant is not at its best in October	Plant is not at its best in November	Plant is not at its best in December
To do
To do	Do not To do in January	Do not To do in February	Do To do in March	Do To do in April	Do not To do in May	Do not To do in June	Do not To do in July	Do not To do in August	Do not To do in September	Do not To do in October	Do not To do in November	Do not To do in December

Growing flowers from seed is a great way of saving money, and summer planting doesn't get easier than this. You can sow most half-hardy and hardy annuals straight into the container in late March (delay until April if the weather stays cold) – the first shoots often appear within days, with flowers from early June right through until October.

Place the container in full sun where your summer annuals can soak up the warmth, and get enough light to open their petals.

Find out how to grow the perfect pot of seed-sown summer annuals, below.

You Will Need

Crocks
A bell cloche
Vermiculite or fine grit
Seed compost
Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
Flower seeds
Container

Step 1

Place a couple of crocks in the base of your pot to aid drainage. Fill the pot with a good quality, peat-free multipurpose compost, topping off with a 3cm layer of seed compost. Water the compost thoroughly and allow to drain.

How to sow seeds direct into pots – adding compost to the pot

Step 2

Using vermiculite or sand, divide the surface into thirds. Sow three types of seed – one in each section, spacing them at 5cm intervals.

How to sow seeds direct into pots – sowing seed on the surface

Step 3

Cover the surface with a fine layer of vermiculite.

How to sow seeds direct into pots – covering the seed with vermiculite

Step 4

Protect the seeds with a cloche until they have germinated. Thin overcrowded seedlings to 10cm, by gently prising them out using a pencil. Firm in the rest.

How to sow seeds direct into pots – covering the pot with a bell cloche

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