Flower Basics

Gardeners and farmers looking to get the most out of their seed investments may find it useful to treat dormant seeds with potassium nitrate. This substance has been used for years to speed along...

You can grow medicinal plants at your home, or in your office. It is important to make sure that you can produce and harvest seeds from your medicinal plants so that you can continue to have...

Yubi summer joy rose is a type of moss rose that makes an excellent ground cover. Growing up to 12 inches high, the plant is easy to care for, requiring only full sun and well draining soil. In...

Whether you are an interested hobbyist, a curious gardener or a burgeoning botanist, finding a unique seed can spark a quest for knowledge. Seeds fuel the horticultural world around us, bringing...

Removing faded and dying flowers, known as deadheading, extends the flowering period of the snapdragons and improves the look of the garden. Snapdragons produce flowers to be pollinated and...

from seed to flowers

Blanket flower (sometimes called blanketflower, Indian blanket flower, or firewheel) is an annual or perennial that's quite easy to grow. With its daisy-like flowers in bright colors (red, orange,...

The extra seeds left after planting the garden and the seeds saved after harvest can be stored for use in the next growing season. With minimal preparation, seeds can be stored up to 1 year with...

Coleus come in different varieties, but they all can be started from seed. Plants that are started from seed will be ready to plant outside by June 1, if they are started indoors by January 31. If...

Gardeners with their own greenhouses can escape winter and anticipate greener days to come when they sow new plants. Seeds can be planted from February to April. This gives them a jump start on...

Some plant seeds such as Datura, Poppy, Morning Glory, Moonflower, Venus Flytrap, Black Coral Pea, Blue Bonnets, Geranium and Sweet Pea need to be nicked, breeched, or scarified before you plant...

Sweet peas have little flowers that resemble butterflies. They are an old-fashioned flower that climb over the landscape, twines around fences and trellises or grows as a bushy plant. Sweet peas...

Cannas are a tropical plant with large, decorative leaves and showy, repeat blooms. They are perennials in warmer climates and annuals in cool parts of the country. They require full sun and...

Borage is a small flowering herb that has wrinkly, grayish-green leaves and bright blue or purple flowers. Borage is used in salads and stews for cooking and is also used for medicinal purposes....

If you want to save some money on next year's garden, then try saving your annual flower and vegetable seeds this year. Annuals are flowers that only have one growing season. Without seed, the...

Indian blanket flower (also called firewheel, gaillardia aristata or grandiflora) is a perennial or annual that's easy to grow and drought-tolerant. It has daisy-like flowers in bright colors...

Pink swirl hibiscus flowers can add a flamboyant splash to any yard or garden. These tropical plants can grow in many different situations if they receive the right care. Choose from plants or...

Wild violets are strong, colorful plants that add beauty to any lawn or garden. They often have dark green leaves and sweet flowers in a multitude of colors. They will, however, spread over the...

Carnations are simple flowers that are very easy to seed and grow. Most are perennials--meaning they last for more than two years--but some are annuals. They are versatile: You can plant them in...

Peonies are an old-fashioned flower that are grown from established root systems because many peony plants no longer produce seeds. However, wild varieties of peonies and some domestic varieties...

Plants have a variety of ways in which they reproduce. There are plants that reproduce by seeds and some that do not. If a plant reproduces using seeds, then there are specialized structures in...

Flowering plants are a focal point of landscapes and gardens during the spring and summer; despite their abundance, not all flowers are the same. Annual plants are the most common type of plant...

The white snakeroot plant, also known as richweed, is a hearty plant that's easy to grow. All parts of this plant, however, are highly toxic, so caution must be used when handling, caring for and...

Crested Cockscomb flowers are an amazingly beautiful and hardy flower that make a stunning addition to any garden or landscape. They are lovely during the growing season and also make a statement...

Marigolds' reputation for garden simplicity doesn't stop at planting and growing. Marigold seeds are one of the simplest seeds to collect and and save. For gardeners who have never tried...

The beautiful Clivias are native to South Africa and flower at the end of winter just when Spring start. There are various types and colours. Clivias can be grown by way of division or from...

Petunias are a summertime favorite. They're available in a rainbow of colors, both double and single varieties. They are one of the easiest flowers to grow, happy in flowerbeds, containers, on in...

When you eat a fruit or pick up a pine cone, do you ever wonder about its function? We eat fruit and decorate with pine cones, however; plants produce them for specific functions other than our...

Anyone who grows marigolds can collect marigold seeds. Marigolds are one of the easier flowers to grow and marigold seeds are some of the easiest to collect. Not every seed you preserve will...

Centaurea, also known as cornflower and bachelor's button, is an annual plant. The brilliant blue blossoms of the centaurea cyanis bloom in late spring and throughout the summer. They can be used...

Amaryllis plants offer a dramatic presentation of large, colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers on long, slender stems, framed by glossy green leaves. Flowers can range from white to yellows, oranges,...

Columbine (Aquilegia), or granny's bonnet, is a flower that blooms in late spring or early summer and has a long bloom season. It comes in two varieties: dwarf and tall. Depending on the type of...

The water lotus is a relative of the water lily. It is prized for its exotic appearance, vibrant coloring and intoxicating fragrance. These plants flourish in sunlight and warm water and do best...

Petunias are capable of producing an abundance of blooms throughout the growing season. The blooms of the petunia plant are available in single blooms, double blooms, solid, striped, veined,...

Petunias are known for their flowers and ease of care. They grow in both annual and perennial varieties, with flowers available in almost every shade. The spreading grandifloras are well-suited...

Known for its broad foliage and brightly colored blooms, canna lilies make stunning additions to any garden. Cannas are considered a weed in many areas, as they are surprisingly hardy and easy to...

Instead of buying seeds from a plant store, propagate geraniums by harvesting seeds from other geraniums. Seeds can be collected when the geraniums are in bloom and just after the seedpods have...

Gardeners save their seeds for many reasons. Some do it to save money, to preserve a gene pool, or to share their seeds with others. Storing flower seeds for viability is a relatively simple...

Rudbeckia, or black-eyed Susan, is a native wildflower that is pretty enough to grow in gardens. Rudbeckia grows into a 2-foot-tall foliage plant with colorful flowers that bloom from summer...

If you want flowers that fill your summer garden with color without filling you with stress, here are some easy, colorful annuals to try. They aren't fussy about soil or water, and most reseed...

Flower seeds can be planted in late winter inside the house, so your flowers get a head start on summer growth, or you can put your seeds directly in the ground once the weather warms up. Either...

Bleeding hearts are simple to grow from seed. They require only a little care and moisture, and not much soil preparation. They do, however, require a winter season, which is important to keep in...

It seems a miracle that a tiny seed has the ability to grow into a copy of the plant that produced it. There are several different stages in the life cycle of a flowering plant. Read on to see how...

Moonflower is similar to morning glory. While morning glories only bloom in the early morning, moonflower blooms at night. It has white fragrant blooms, and it makes a nice deck flower for those...

Blanket flowers are one of my favorite flowers to grow. Blanket flowers bloom all summer long and well into fall. They withstand the cold fall nights well and are one of the last flowers to die...

Flowers are grouped depending on the length of time it takes to complete their life cycles. Tomatoes, marigolds and other annuals have a one-year cycle, then die during frost. Biennials such as...

Flowers are the sexual reproductive organs of a plant. The purpose of a flower is to mix the genetic material from one, two, or more parents creating a more diverse population. Seed bearing fruit...

Flower seeds range from the delicate and finicky to the hearty and unfussy. There are three main requirements to get your flower seeds off to a fast and healthy start: prepare a nutrient-rich seed...

With dramatic flower stalks and attractive gray-green leaves, hollyhocks are a cottage garden favorite. Hollyhocks are a biennial, meaning they grow foliage the first year, go dormant over the...

Taking care of daisies involves saving the seeds from one year to plant for the following season, and the seeds can easily be started in small seed trays until they sprout. Keep daisies growing in...