Annuals from seed for containers

Hi all,

Has anyone any suggestions for easy annuals to grow from seed for a colourful display this summer? I tried zinnia last year and a wild flower mix. I'll do the wildflowers again as they're very low hassle but probably not the zinnia as they weren't so impressive in my hands although I liked the mix of colours.

Ideally several colours and good for insects/pollinators. Not against getting multiple seed packs and mixing if they can be grown in the same tray. Just looking to boost colour and interest for wildlife and got empty pots to fill!

Thanks for the advice

 

Are we talking direct sown or grown on from seed trays, before planting up into containers.

 

I was thinking grown on from seed trays to containers. The other option is to skip the seed stage and buy and mix plug plants to mix in containers..Some sites have suggestions for what to mix but then you've got to source the various plants from somewhere which your local garden centre may or may not have.

 

I have grown candytuft and cosmos in containers, sowing directly once the weather warms up. Both very popular with insects.
Also french marigolds are easy and flower for ages.

 

The success plan probably depends on what kind of final containers you have (how big), the position (sunny or not), and the watering you can offer. Container growing means watering at least once a day during the summer, holidays included. Absolutely fabulous abdominal workout in particular if you don't have an outdoor tap

Dead easy annual seeds I have grown include Nastrutiums (big seeds best sown individually in small pots or cut milk bottles with holes or toilet paper rolls etc), Calendula, Cornflower, and any "Free seeds with every issue" type of annuals you get with magazines. All can be sown in supermarket fruit/ veg trays and then potted on in clumps into bigger containers and then into their final outdoors containers after hardening off.

Corncockle is great and showy and Nigella is also lovely with the bonus of pretty seedheads when the flowers are gone. Both are quite tall so perhaps not for a window box.

If you are after an all summer long display, a safe bet is to include some shop bought bedding plants as plugs, dotted in between home grown seed plants. You can buy some cheaply from any supermarket, or grow on small plug plants for example from JParkers.

Let us know what kind of containers you are planning and your likes/ wishes/ dislikes and the lovely lot in this forum will share their experiences.

 

Thank you, yes candy tuft and marigolds look like good options. Seem to come in a mix of colours too

 

I'm going to be trying verbena "pendula mixed" for the first time this year.

 

Calendula and Nastrutiums look good. I might consider some bedding plants too. My reasoning to grow from seed I guess was for flowers that you tend not to get as bedding plants. I think this is true of zinnia but maybe you can buy them this way. I can move the containers around but full sun would be the main. I'd need to go have a look at what I have but sure I have some ceramics that are about 30x30cm

 

Nice, look good. I see they're trailing which I always think means they need to be in a hanging basket but I guess they can spill over a tall enough container..

 

Yes, as they like to say in the gardening TV shows, you need "a thriller, a filler and a spiller" !