I love reseeding species! What’s not to love about them? They grow well during the growing season and produce dozens of flowers, leaves, and seed pods. Its seeds fall to the ground where they germinate or hide until the preferred climate arrives. they give you free plants with little effortturning your bare garden into a lush oasis.
Native plants are the best self-seeding species.since they spread naturally without human intervention in their habitats. Plant them in your garden and they will self-seed in new places each year. They can even spread seeds in local wild spaces that need more native species!
Traditional varieties are another ideal option. They, like native plants, grow seedlings with characteristics similar to them. If you plant an heirloom with red flowers, it will most likely grow seedlings that also have red flowers. However, hybrid plants are not genetically stable; they are more likely to plant new plants with wildly different traits. You can let them self-seed as a fun experiment to see what kind of new plants grow!
It doesn’t matter what species you want self-seedThese seven methods will guide you through the process. Let’s dive in and encourage our favorite flowers to spread!
Grow self-seeding species
Whether a plant self-seeds depends on some conditions. It must adapt to the local climate, soil and garden. Gardeners in temperate climates with few winter frosts should try planting tropical or subtropical species that do not need the winter cold to sprout. These perform best in warm areas as they sprout with heat and humidity.
Gardeners in cold climates with recurring winter frosts should try replanting species that require cold stratification. Cold stratification is a term for the freezing period that some seeds need to germinate in spring. They sense freezing temperatures and the warmth that follows spring, signaling that it is time to sprout.
Here is a chart showing some of the best species to try first. Use it as a starting point and experiment with other rare plants to find your favorites.
| common name | scientific name | Does it require cold stratification? |
| purple coneflower | Echinacea purpurea | No, but it helps germination rates. |
| showy milkweed | Beautiful Milkweeds | Yeah |
| black eyed susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Yeah |
| poached eggplant | Limnanthes douglasii | No |
| garden balm | Irresistible balm | No |
| feverfew | Tanacetum parthenium | No |
| Thought | Viola unknown wittrockian | No |
| spotted geranium | Geranium maculatum | Yeah |
| goldenrod | solidago species | Yeah |
Stop spent flowers withering
Plants form seeds in their flowers. The pollen falls on the stigma, the female sexual organ, where it fertilizes the ovules inside the flower called ovules. After fertilization, these ovules develop into embryos called seeds. This is what we use to propagate our favorite species.
This unique process only occurs if the flowers persist after wilting. When you spent flowers to encourage more flowers, stop the fertilization process. They expel more flowers as they try to make up for the lost seeds.
If you want to replant plants so that they self-seed, you must let the flowers witherThey brown and fall to the ground. This applies to annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. Leaving the flowers too allows more insects and pollinators to visit themincreasing your chances of successful pollination and fertilization.
Deadheading is usually fine early in the growing season as there is still enough time for the plants to form more flowers. Stop deadheading in late summer or early fall so they can create embryos before the first frosts arrive.
Feed the soil
The rich, porous, absorbent soil is perfect for sowing seeds. When it is of high quality with small particles, it is conducive to the growth of new seedlings. The seeds fall into it and find the humidity, nutrients, and air they need. You will create the perfect home in advance so that these new plants can thrive from the moment they germinate.
Feeding the soil is a great way to maintain high quality soil. Add amendments like compost, leaf moldeither worm castings to help soil structure while feeding. Organic particles like these persist and create air spaces underground. Plant roots grow in these spaces where they access air and moisture as they need it.
Sometimes flower beds lack the nutrients needed by the species being replanted. TO soil test kit It’s a great way to see which ones your garden has and which ones it’s missing. Then, you can add the correct amounts of specific amendments or fertilizers you need to avoid oversaturation of the site. Compost and leaf mold add nutrients and structure to gardens, although they take longer to leach into the soil than fertilizers.
Don’t Add Too Much Mulch
Mulch is amazing, but too much can prevent self-seeded plants from sprouting! You’ll want to add the perfect amount of upgrades to increase their yield while ensuring they have access to rich soil.
Some amendments, such as a thin layer of compost or leaf mold, allow seeds to grow despite the mulches. Seedlings germinate in porous, nutrient-rich materials, sending roots into the soil beneath the mulch. Other mulches, such as wood chips or synthetic typeshinder the germination of seeds preventing access to soil particles.
For best results, use soil amendments in which seeds can germinate. I can’t emphasize this enough How good compost and leaf mold are for the garden! Other organic types are fine as long as they are in a thin layer. The seeds will fall through the few pieces and germinate under the cover.
Concerns about overfertilizing sites with organic amendments are valid. Too much can cause nutrient imbalances that damage sensitive roots and germinating seedlings. Wear vegetable fertilizers or leaf mold for best results, as they lack the harmful side effects of manure and work well in large quantities.
Help plants self-seed
If germination rates are low this season, consider giving your plants a hand. This simple trick increases seed starting success rates and is relatively easy to do. Simply collect the seed heads when they are ripe and spread them throughout your garden. Lightly tamp them with your foot in in-ground beds or by hand in raised beds.
This action gives you some control over where garden species are planted. Wherever you scatter the seed heads, New seedlings are likely to sprout in fall or spring.. Try this with any plant that germinates on the surface of the soil.
This method works well for vegetable and ornamental crops. Try it with onions, chard and spinach. If you have some seedlings after harvest point, let them flower and seed them for free vegetables throughout the year.
Some seeds need soil on top to germinate and thrive under cover. Let them fall to the ground and place mulch and amendments on top of them—you will create their ideal home and help them sprout.
Sow the seeds yourself
While self-seeding plants usually don’t need help, you can take the initiative by increasing their population levels. Saving some seeds gives you a backup in case the seedlings don’t sprout when you expected.
Start by collecting seeds from wilted flowers when they are ripe. The ripe ones are hard but a little soft and usually fall off the heads when they are ready. Some species, such as garden balsam, have explosive seed pods that explode when you touch them. Be careful while collecting to ensure you find as many as possible.
Let the seeds drythen place them in an airtight container or envelope. Store the containers in a cool, dark place until you are ready to plant them. Most will last a year or more if stored properly, meaning you can save some in the fall for new plants in spring.
Keep an eye on seedlings
Weeds and garden plants look similar when they are young, and it’s easy to confuse them! I found this out the hard way one year when I pulled out all my catnip seedlings thinking they were dead purple nettles! It is better to let the weeds grow a little so that they can identify them properly. This is especially true if you are trying to encourage reseeding of plants.
However, weed removal is important and helps germinating seedlings have access to all the sunlight, soil and water they need. Find a sweet spot when the weeds are still young but identifiable, and remove them before flowers and seeds grow.
Weeds do excellent mulch if they do not have seeds or rooting stems. Grab them, separate their roots and throw them back into the ground (as long as they are not an invasive species). They will decompose and help your favorite garden plants thrive.
