When you grow perennials from seed, do you wait until fall to plant out?

I am very proud to have a few perennials grown from seed as I find they are very expensive to buy the plant from a nursery.

Now I've got some, I'm wondering if I goofed up by planting some out already. My Ozark Sundrops and Holly hocks seem happy but not so for others.

One in particular is a Columbine. I managed to get 3 plants from seed and I knew exactly where I wanted one to go and planted it out. The other two are waiting in the greenhouse for me to decide where they go.

Well the one outside is doing darned poorly compared to the two still in their containers.

Should I have waited until this fall to plant them out?

Left in the greenhouse are:

2 Phifofia (red hot poker)
1 Gloxina
2 Columbines
3 Hardy Geraniums


and some very small seedlings that are
Cranesbill
Primula
Campanula
Lupins

I can see the logic in waiting for the small ones to really get going but the others?

Totally stumped here.

Thank you
Lori

 

Not sure in your climate Lori, but I would say Autumn planting would not be good for you, better to plant now and let them get well established before the first winter hits.
A plant put out into ground that is likely to get frozen solid in a month or so doesn't sound good to me.
If you have only brought them on from seed this year and they are still small it might be a case of overwintering under cover in pots until next spring.

 

Okay, I'll let their sizes decide what happens. I just worry that all of the hand wringing over getting even these few, will all have been wasted.

Thanks @pete

Now I just have to figure out where they're going

 

Hi,

Would say if they are a good size and growing well then plant out as soon as.

For those that have not put on much growth this year we would keep them in pots in the greenhouse or cold frame over winter, just to be safe.

Bit unsure about your plant names UK vs CA.
We also know Hardy Geraniums as Cranesbill, are yours different ?
As for your Gloxinia, here thats generally grown from a tuber and is classed as a Tender one for the greenhouse ?

 

I agree with Pete. Plant now.
Also, i have to correct you on your grandma
Kniphofia- red hot poker
Gloxinia- not hardy
Columbines- aquilegia

Cranesbill- are we talking hardy geranium, or pelargonium?
I'm being a pedant because common names lead to quite a bit of confusion as multiple plants have the same common name
Sorry for being 'that' bloke

 

Lori I assume you look on sites like these for ideas, only I think you need plants that are going to do well in your climate.
Top 20 Hardy Perennials For Tough Climates
I know you say that buying perennials is expensive but on lots of occasions if you buy a reasonable sized plant you can split it even before you plant it, plus cuttings are easy on lots of them.

 

Aha, I see I've tried to list the Cranesbill/Hardy Geraniums twice. Some are large and others are teensy. Sorry for the confusion.

Thank you for correcting my spelling @flounder. I know everyone loves beng corrected for typos and it keeps them alert too.

@ricky101 Gloxinia = Incarvillea over here. Is that the same over there? This is it in the foreground.

 

Incarvillea is often called the "hardy Gloxinia" over here also, but as usual it causes confusion with the tender Gloxinia.

 

These are my perennials in my cold frame.



I have no intention of planting any out soon. Once they get a bit bigger I will, hopefully, another month/six weeks should see them ready.

 

Hi,

Yes, we grow the tender Gloxinias over here like in that photo, but must confess never heard of Incarvillea ? seem to have unusual fern like leaves.

Looking up on the RHS site, seems its hardy to -15c so should grow ok here; also known as Chinese trumpet flower or Flowering fern.

 

For some reason Incarvillea has gone out of fashion over here, about 20+ years ago it was all the rage.
Nice flower that builds up and gives more stems each year, but maybe the short flowering season is against it slightly.

 

Thank you everyone for your input.

On that list of 20 I noticed a few that I like the look of.

I did have a Gallairdia that gave up the ghost but I suspect that it's roots got attacked by something so I my go for one of those again. The Coralberry, Native Obedience plant and the Globeflower all appeal to me to. I've written these down on a list to use when visiting plant sales.

 

I've grown gaillardia and I must admit I'm surprised its in that list, its always been a bit hit and miss overwintering for me.
So trial and error comes into it to some extent also identifying anything that always grows well in your area that you see locally.

 

Putting in my tuppence worth, I am never in too much of a hurry to plant out young herbaceous perennials as like you @CanadianLori we can have quite severe winters…you even more so! Personally if you have the room in your greenhouse I would tend to keep the trickier ones in pots until next spring and plant out then.
I grow a lot of Lupins from seed for charity plant sales. I sow around May time. By the end of the season they are into 2 or 3 ltr pots. I keep them in an unheated greenhouse until the following spring. I did plant out a few one autumn as a trial and the results were mixed. Some were ok and others had rotted off having not had enough time to bed in.
I also grow Candelabra Primulas from seed for the sales. Again I would tend to keep them in pots as certainly here when small and tastythey can “ disappear” c/o slugs. Of the list that I have knowledge of I would risk planting out the hardy geraniums if you are tight for room in your greenhouse they in my experience are the most likely to survive over winter.

 

Thank you @hailbopp I will do the wait and see.

I want to plant out as many as possible by fall because my greenhouse is not heated from November through to March. It is too costly. I heated it one February and never again as it cost me $200 for that one month. Certainly not an option.

I'll try to figure out how to house them inside, in the cellar, if they can't be planted out by the end of August. I usually use the cellar for my new seed starts during the winter.

I think if I go to a local nursery and look at the size of their plants for sale, it might give me a "if it's okay for them, then it's okay for me" viewpoint.

For now. I'll ponder. I guess