By now the seed catalogues for 2024 have mostly been sent out, although many seed houses only trade via their websites. The thrilling business of planning next year’s plantings can begin – a great gardening solace in the winter.
Seeds are unfortunately 10 per cent more expensive this year, but there seems to be no evidence of fewer seeds per packet (shrinkflation).
Flower seeds compare favourably on cost with potted plants and there are many perennials that can be seed-raised.
Some perennial flower seeds will not flower until the following year, but there are others that flower in the first year if raised in a heated propagator in late winter, including Coreopsis, Gaillardia, Knautia and scabious.
Others won’t reliably flower until the following years – Aquilegias, Penstemon and Verbascum for example. These are sown in late spring or early summer and for planting in their final positions in autumn or the following spring, but the resulting border will be all the stronger for the larger plants formed in the longer growing period.
Where a number of perennial plants are needed, when planting for fresh cut flowers for example, seeds come into their own including Astrantia, Scabiosa caucasica and Verbena bonariensis.
Seeds being relatively inexpensive allows gardeners to be adventurous with perennials without spending a great deal. For example, Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra ‘Burning Hearts’ (false sunflower), Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant) and Sidalcea (prairie mallow) are arguably less grown than they should be, being full of interest.
Named cultivars propagated by cuttings, divisions or other non-seed methods, sold in pots, and are usually somewhat superior, so justify their cost. However, seed-raised plants will also perform well, and F1 hybrids will come true from home-saved seeds.
Tender plants that need a little heat, particularly at night, include seed-raised dahlias, which are reliable and produce tubers to save for the following year, and Tagetes, including Lemon Gem and antirrhinums, which retain their popularity in spite of rust disease.
However, plug plants are a cost-effective solution for many plants that need a heated greenhouse when raised from seed, such as impatiens and petunia.
Herbs from seed compare well for economy with potted plants, even if only one or very few plants are required.
Growing from seed allows successional sowings through summer for continuous fresh leaves. Favourites such as basil, dill and parsley are needed in relative abundance, as is coriander, but for some reason relatively few seeds are supplied per packet.
However, by shopping round, more economical packs can be found – it does not pay to be loyal to any particular seed company unfortunately. Being cheap, herb seeds are a low-risk way to try new herbs not grown before – chervil and hyssop are well worth trying.
Seed companies report that most customers buy the same vegetable seeds year after year with a minority trying new ones, but they feel they have to have a few new improved varieties each year to keep their offering fresh.
Many growers are unimpressed by new varieties, which are often relatively expensive hybrids, and prefer the well tried, reliable open pollinated crops such as Amsterdam carrots, Musselburgh leeks, and Gardeners Delight tomatoes, which have good flavour even though they may lack the heavier yield, attractive appearance and sometimes sweeter flavour or softer texture of more modern varieties.
Also, newer varieties often have valuable additional properties, such as resistance to clubroot disease of brassicas, leek rust or onion downy mildew, or have hybrid vigour that enables them to crop even in adverse conditions. Where these factors are important, exploring modern cultivars is worthwhile.
