Getting your display of ornamentals right is all about the choices you make in fall. Many annuals and perennials benefit from being started as we approach the quiet end of the year. It gives them a chance to grow stronger roots and shoots, so they can storm ahead the following spring. Plants that are a little more mature in the weeks of early summer can better fend off pests and bugs. Ultimately, it also means they produce flowers earlier in the season, which is the main goal of fall sowing.
Despite this, we may hesitate when it comes to preparing for seed sowing in the fall. After all, why not wait until the sun and soil are warm in spring, and there’s less risk of frost damage? We have to remember that in wild settings, seedheads will naturally dry, burst open and fall to the ground at the end of summer. These seeds are either ready to germinate or lie dormant until conditions are right again, only starting into life after a cold snap. So fall sowing is just taking advantage of the natural cycle to create a thriving spring garden.
