How to raise cut flowers from seed

How to raise cut flowers from seed

Learn how to grow your own cut flowers from seed, in our practical How-to guide.

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
At its best
At its best

Plant is not at its best in January

Plant is not at its best in February

Plant is not at its best in March

Plant is not at its best in April

Plant is not at its best in May

Plant is at its best in June

Plant is at its best in July

Plant is at its best in August

Plant is at its best in September

Plant is not at its best in October

Plant is not at its best in November

Plant is not at its best in December

To do
To do

Do not To do in January

Do not To do in February

Do To do in March

Do To do in April

Do not To do in May

Do not To do in June

Do not To do in July

Do not To do in August

Do not To do in September

Do not To do in October

Do not To do in November

Do not To do in December

Cut flowers really brighten up a home, and growing your own can save you a fortune on floristry bills. There are plenty of varieties suitable for cutting, including ‘everlasting’ flowers, which can be cut and dried to use in arrangements all year round. Also, many attract bees, butterflies and other insects, providing a valuable resource for our native wildlife.

Raise cut flowers from seed in small pots or trays during spring, and the plants will be ready to plant out in May. Use them to fill gaps in summer borders or grow larger quantities in rows on the allotment or veg plot. Stagger sowings by a few weeks to give you a regular supply of blooms.

Many of the best summer blooms are easy-to-grow hardy annuals and, with seeds costing less than £2 per packet, you can enjoy a mass of colour even on a tight budget.

Cut flowers that are easy to grow from seed include Ammi, Antirrhinum, cosmos, larkspur, Nigella, scabious, sunflowers and zinnia. For flowers to dry, consider quaking grass, sea lavender, strawflower and Rhodanthe.

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You Will Need

  • Modular tray
  • Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
  • Flower seeds
  • Vermiculite or fine grit
  • Plant labels

Step 1

Fill a pot or seed tray with seed compost, and tamp it down.

How to raise cut flowers from seed - tamping down compost
How to raise cut flowers from seed – tamping down compost

Step 2

Sow seed sparingly, following the instructions on the seed packet for sowing depth. Moisten your fingers to help pick up individual seeds.

How to raise cut flowers from seed - sowing seed
How to raise cut flowers from seed – sowing seed

Step 3

Cover the seeds with vermiculite or horticultural grit, and label the tray.

How to raise cut flowers from seed - adding horticultural grit
How to raise cut flowers from seed – adding horticultural grit

Step 4

Stand the tray in a shallow dish of water so the compost saturates without disturbing the seed. Allow to drain and then keep the tray on a sunny windowsill or in a heated propagator until germination.

How to raise cut flowers from seed - standing the tray in water
How to raise cut flowers from seed – standing the tray in water
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