Fall Planting Flowers: Bringing Color to Your Autumn Garden

As the vibrant greens of summer give way to the rich, warm tones of autumn, there’s an opportunity to infuse your garden with a burst of color. Fall planting isn’t just for vegetables and herbs; it’s also the perfect time to sow flowers that will bring beauty and joy to your garden.

Sowing Seeds: Direct Sowing vs. Indoor Sprouting

You're always going to want to check your seed packet for the best seeding method for that flower. If you got your seeds from a local seed swap and do not have the original packet or information, no worries! You can always look up your flower online and see what is recommended for seeding.

Direct Sowing:
Planting flower seeds directly into your garden is simple and effective. Here’s how to get started:

1. Prepare the Soil: Enrich your garden bed with Tilth’s organic garden soil blend, Grow, creating a nutrient-rich environment for your flowers.
2. Sow the Seeds: Follow the depth and spacing recommendations on your seed packets.
3. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds sprout.
4. Thinning: Once seedlings are a few inches tall, thin them out to ensure each plant has enough space to grow.

Indoor Sprouting:
Starting flower seeds indoors allows you to nurture delicate seedlings before transplanting them outside. Here’s how to do it:

1. Prepare Trays: Fill seed trays with Tilth’s organic potting and seed-starting mix, Sprout, providing a nurturing foundation for your seeds.
2. Plant Seeds: Sow seeds according to the packet instructions, cover them lightly with soil, and water gently.
3. Provide Light: Place trays in a sunny window or under grow lights.
4. Transplanting: Once seedlings have several true leaves and the outdoor conditions are right, transplant them into your garden.

What Flowers to Plant in Fall

Fall is an excellent time to plant a variety of flowers that will bring color and vibrancy to your garden. Here are some choices and tips on when to plant and expect them to bloom:

• Pansies
• When to Plant: Early fall.
• Bloom Time: Late fall and again in early spring
• Tips: Pansies thrive in cooler weather and add cheerful color to your garden.

• Snapdragons
• When to Plant: Early fall.
• Bloom Time: Late fall and can continue blooming through mild winters.
• Tips: These flowers are frost-tolerant and can provide stunning spikes of color.

• Calendulas
• When to Plant: Early to mid-fall.
• Bloom Time: Late fall and early spring.
• Tips: Also known as pot marigolds, calendulas are easy to grow and have bright, sunny flowers.

• Sweet Alyssum
• When to Plant: Early fall.
• Bloom Time: Late fall and early spring.
• Tips: Sweet Alyssum has a lovely fragrance and works well as a border plant.

• Violas
• When to Plant: Early fall.
• Bloom Time: Late fall and again in early spring.
• Tips: These small but hardy flowers can brighten up your garden with their vibrant colors.

Timing Your Blooms

Knowing when to expect your flowers to bloom can help you plan your garden and enjoy continuous color throughout the fall and into the spring. Here’s a quick reference guide:

• Pansies: Bloom in late fall and early spring.
• Snapdragons: Bloom in late fall and can continue through mild winters.
• Calendulas: Bloom in late fall and early spring.
• Sweet Alyssum: Bloom in late fall and early spring.
• Violas: Bloom in late fall and early spring.

 

Planting flowers in the fall is a wonderful way to extend the beauty of your garden into the cooler months and get a head start on spring blooms. By choosing the right flowers and understanding the best methods for starting seeds, you can create a garden that is vibrant and full of life. Start planting your fall flowers today and experience the joy of a colorful and thriving autumn garden.