Seeds for Planting in Autumn

Many seeds, including wildflowers, are perfect for autumn planting.

There are a number of seeds that are ideal for planting in autumn. Plants that self-seed in your garden, or are perennial, or native to your U.S. Department of Agricultural hardiness zone are a good starting point. A perennial plant is one that comes back from its own root system year after year. Many plants that self-seed are half-hardy annual plants. An annual plant is one that grows, flowers, set seed and dies in one growing season.

Herbs

Sow parsley seed in autumn, then let it self-sow after that.

Parsley, sweet woodruff, sweet Cicely, chamomile, basil, cilantro, dill and cutting celery will self-sow if allowed to set seed the year before. If not, sow seed of these plants beginning in late August. Sow seeds every two weeks through the end of autumn to extend the harvest. It is a good idea to mark the areas where these herbs are sown so you do not mistake them for weeds come spring. In cold northern climates, seeds such as basil, cilantro and cutting celery may not come up if the winter was severe unless these seeds are protected with a cold frame, which is a box-like structure with a clear glass or plastic top.

Vegetables

Lettuce sown in autumn is tender and lasts through the winter if protected.

A variety of vegetables will self-sow in the garden if allowed to set seed. Many of these vegetables will grow large enough before winter sets in for you to harvest, or even over winter inside a cold frame. Spinach, collards, orach, mustards, lettuce, radish, turnip, tomato, tomatillo, rutabaga, carrots, kale, amaranth, arugula, winter squash, beets, broccoli raab, parsnips and pumpkin are good choices for planting in autumn. Sow the warm weather crops such as tomato, tomatillo, collards, amaranth and pumpkin late enough in the fall that the seeds do not germinate until spring.

Flowers

The ideal time for sowing poppy seed is in late autumn during an early snowfall.

Sow seeds of sweet peas, sweet alyssum, calendula, celosia, cosmos, stocks, delphiniums, poppies, sweet William, daisy, snapdragons, larkspur, alyssum, bachelor buttons, nasturtiums, sunflowers and viola in autumn. Once established, these seeds will self-sow in the garden, but it is still a good idea to save a few seeds indoors just in case hungry birds eat them or extreme weather kills them. Some of the perennial seeds will start to germinate as soon as they are planted. This is fine. They will die back during the winter and then come back up in the spring. Planting perennial seeds in autumn directly in the garden is a good way to get them to flower faster.

Woody Plants And Conifers

Maple tree seeds are ideal for autumn sowing.

Growing woody plants, such as trees or shrubs and conifers from seed requires patience and ideal germination temperatures. Many of these plants such as Magnolia, maple, honey locust, black locust and walnut need the temperature fluctuations that an autumn sowing provides. Once the seeds germinate, the young plant will take several years of growing on, potting up and shaping to get it large enough to plant in the garden. Some plants have seeds that are clearly visible, while others such as conifers hide their seeds inside their cones. Collecting the seed at just the right time requires knowledge about the plant, although some companies do sell wood plant and conifer seeds. Remember never to collect seeds that are not your own without permission, including seeds in the wild.

References

• University of Wisconsin Extension Service: Selecting & Planting Seeds of Cone-Bearing Trees; William H. Brener and Gordon R. Cunningham
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Herbs for Fall; James M. Stephens; May 2003
• Clemson University Cooperative Extension: Herbs; Karen Russ; June 1999
• Oregon State University Extension Service: Growing Your Own Vegetables -- Fall and winter gardening
• Washington State University Extension: Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardens
• VirginiaTech Cooperative Extension: Fall Vegetable Gardening; Diane Relf; May 1, 2009

Resources

• Clemson University Cooperative Extension: Growing Annuals; Karen Russ and Bob Polomski; June 1999