Seed Sowing Table for the Flower Garden 
By F. F. Rockwell, nation 
[Editors’ Note. — This table is designed to help the beginner to make an intelligent start. Flower seeds are put up in packets, which in the trade have a 
certain standard of contents, for each kind of seed although that is not expressed. Some effort is here made to explain this. The cultural indications will, of 
course, be read in connection with culture directions in general. The reader is' advised to use the table with the associated article in the January number of 
The Garden Magazine.] 
Name 
Group* 
General 
Method* 
No. Seeds 
in a pkt.f 
Season 
Height 
in 
Inches 
Color 
Distance 
Apart to 
Plant or 
Trans- 
plant 
Notes; and adapted for use in 
H P 
X 
150 
May-June 
6 
Yellow 
12 ins. 
Early border. 
H A 
X z 
250 
June-frost 
12 
Blue, white 
6-12 
Compact, dense edging. 
H A 
X z 
1,000 
May-frost 
8-10 
White, lilac 
4-8 
White, low borders. 
H P 
X Y 
300 
May-June 
12 
Golden yellow 
6-12 
Around rock work, very hardy. 
H H P 
X Y. S 
1,000 
July-Sept. 
12-36 
Various 
10 
Graceful border plant; cutting. 
H P 
X Y, S 
500 
June-July 
18-36 
Various 
8-1 5 
Borders and cutting. 
H H A 
X Y 
300 
July-Sept. 
18-30 
Various 
12-18 
Cutting and masses. 
HA 
YZ 
400 
July-August 
15-24 
Blue, white, pink 
6-10 
Borders and cutting. 
H H A 
X Y 
150 
lune-Sept. 
10-18 
Various 
15-20 
Foreground and borders. 
HH B 
X, s 
500 
April -July 
6-10 
White, pink, red 
4-6 
Low border. 
H A 
YZ 
250 
lune-frost 
18-24 
Orange, yellow 
12-18 
Masses or borders. 
II A 
Y Z 
750 
June-Sept. 
12-18 
Yellow, orange, brown 
8-10 
Cutting, borders. 
California Poppy (Eschscholzia) . 
H A 
Z 
500 
August 
12 
Orange, yellow 
6-8 
Solid beds. 
H P 
X. S 
1,000 
June-August 
18-36 
White, blue, pink 
8-12 
Beds and borders. 
H A 
X Y 
1,000 
June-Sept. 
6-18 
White, crimson, carmine 
4-12 
Solid masses, white. 
Candytuft (Iberis) 
H P 
X 
600 
May-June 
9 
White 
6 
Hardy border. 
HHP 
X YZ 
250 
June-frost 
12-20 
Various 
6-10 
Cutting. 
II H A 
XZ 
20 
July-frost 
4-7 ft. 
Green and bronze foliage 
2-3 ft. 
Screening, tropical. 
T A 
X Y 
1,000 
June-frost 
12-36 
Various 
12-18 
Cutting, borders. 
Chrysanthemum (annual) .... 
H A 
X Y 
400 
August-Oct. 
24-40 
Various 
12-18 
Cutting, borders. 
H P 
X 
400 
August-frost 
is 
White, rose, purple 
8-10 
Showy, cutting, borders. 
H A 
YZ 
1,000 
June-Sept. 
10-36 
White, yellow, red, purple 
8-18 
Bright, low, and tail borders. 
Coreopsis (perennial) 
H P 
X Y, S 
500 
lune-frost 
24-36 
Golden, yellow 
12-15 
Hardy border. 
T A 
X 
200 
August-frost 
2-8 ft. 
White, pink, red 
18-24 
Backgrounds, cutting. 
T A 
X 
50 
luly-frost 
2-5 ft. 
Various 
24-48 
Cutting. 
Forget-me-not (Myosotis) .... 
H H A 
X z, s 
1,000 
April -July 
6-12 
Blue, white 
6 
Dainty, low edging. 
Foxglove (Digitalis) 
H I' 
X 
1,000 
lune 
18-36 
Pink, white 
IO 
Border, background. 
Four o’clock (Mirabilis) .... 
H A 
YZ 
25 
fuly-August 
20-30 
Yellow, white, red 
IO 
Border. 
Gaillardia 
H A 
Y Z 
200 
luly-frost 
18-24 
Yellow, crimson 
10-12 
Cutting, beds, borders. 
Globe Amaranth (Everlasting) 
H A 
Z 
100 
July-Qugust 
18 
Pink, purple, white, orange 
10-25 
Cutting, masses. 
Godetia (Satin flower) .... 
II A 
YZ 
1. 000 
luly-October 
12-24 
Red, white 
8-12 
Masses. 
T A 
Z 
25 
July-frost 
5-1 S ft. 
Yellow, white, varigated 
12-24 
Colored fruits and shade. 
Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath) . 
H A, H P 
Z 
1. 000 
Succession 
12-24 
White 
6-15 
Cutting with other flowers. 
H P 
YZ 
100 
July-Sept. 
3-4 ft. 
Yellow, shades 
8-1 5 
Background, borders, cutting. 
Helianthus 
II H A 
Z 
100 
August-frost 
2-10 ft. 
Yellow, shades. 
2-4 ft. 
Cutting, backgrounds. 
Hollyhock (everblooming) .... 
H A 
X Y 
100 
Aug.-Sept. 
3-7 ft. 
Various 
12-18 
Against walls, tall screens. 
Larkspur (annual) 
H A 
XZ 
500 
fune-July 
18-36 
Blue, white, pink 
6-12 
Blue cutting. 
Larkspur 
H P 
X, s 
400 
July-Sept. 
3-4 ft. 
Blue, shades 
12-18 
Tall, border, background. 
Lavatera 
II A 
X z 
300 
July 
3-6 ft. 
Rose 
8-12 
Screening, tall background. 
Lobelia 
H H A 
X Y Z 
1,000 
fune-Sept. 
6-18 
Blue, white 
4-8 
Low edges and masses. 
Love-Lies-Bleeding (Amaranthus) 
H A 
Y Z 
500 
June-July 
3-5 ft. 
Yellow, scarlet 
10-15 
Screens and masses. 
Love-In-a Mist (Nigella) .... 
H A 
Z 
500 
June-Sept. 
12-24 
Blue, white 
10-12 
Borders. 
Lupine 
H A 
Z 
20 
June 
12-24 
Blue, pink, white 
4-8 
Low masses, cuttings. 
Marigold 
H A 
X YZ 
300 
July-frost 
10-36 
Pale gold, orange 
6-18 
Masses and edging 
Mignonette 
H A 
X Y Z 
600 
July-Sept. 
I2-l8 
Golden, reddish yellow 
6 
Fragrant, cutting. 
Monkshood 
H P 
X. s 
100 
July-Aug. 
36 
Blue, white 
10-13 
Borders. 
Moon flower 
H A 
X. s 
10 
August-frost 
15-30 ft- 
White, blue 
6-18 
Climbing and shade. 
Morning Glory 
II A 
xzs 
200 
luly-Sept. 
10-20 ft. 
Various 
4-12 
Quick climbing, screen. 
Nasturtium 
HH A 
z 
40 
luly-frost 
12-60 
Various 
5-12 
Cutting, masses, climbing. 
Nicotiana 
H A 
X Y 
2,000 
July-frost 
3-5 ft. 
White, red 
8-12 
Fragrant masses. 
Pansy 
H A 
X z, s 
250 
May-June 
6 
Various 
6-8 
Edges, low masses, cutting. 
Petunia 
H H A 
X Y Z 
1,000 
luly-frost 
12-24 
White to magenta, mixed 
8-12 
Masses, low screens. 
Phlox Drummondi 
H A 
X Y 
250 
luly-frost 
12-36 
Various 
8-12 
Solid beds, medium ht., edging. 
Phlox 
H I* 
X 
25 
July-Sept. 
12-30 
Various 
12-18 
Hardy border, background. 
Pink (Dianthus) 
H P 
X Y Z 
300 
August-frost 
IO-l8 
White to rose 
5-8 
Cutting. 
Poppy 
H A 
Z 
1,000 
luly-Sept. 
6-10 
White-scarlet 
4 
Low masses. 
Poppy, Iceland 
H P 
X Y, S 
500 
May- Sept. 
12-18 
White, yellow, orange 
6 
Cutting. 
Poppy. Oriental 
H P 
X Y, S 
500 
June- August 
24-36 
Crimson, shades 
I2-l8 
Mixed border, backgrounds. 
Portulaca 
H A 
Y Z 
2,000 
July-frost 
6-10 
White, yellow, red 
4-6 
Edging, covering, sun, sand. 
Primrose 
H P 
X, S 
200 
April-May 
4-6 
Yellow, pink 
4-5 
Edging, borders. 
Pyrethrum 
HHP 
X. s 
200 
August-frost 
12-24 
Various 
8-12 
Edging. 
Rudbeckia (Golden Glow) 
H P 
X 
100 
August-Sept. 
4-7 ft. 
Bright yellow 
12-18 
Screening, masses. 
Salpiglossis 
H H A 
X Y 
1.500 
June-Sept. 
12-24 
Various 
6-12 
Cutting, mixed border. 
Salvia 
H H P 
X 
250 
August-frost 
12-36 
Scarlet, shades 
6-12 
Edging, masses. 
Scabiosa (Morning Bride) .... 
H A 
YZ 
100 
June-August 
15-30 
White, yellow, maroon, blue 
8-12 
Cutting. 
Schizanthus (Butterfly flower) . 
H A 
XZ. s 
1,000 
Tuly-August 
24 
Yellow to lilac, mixed 
8 
Masses, borders, cutting. 
Silene (Catchfly) 
II P 
Y Z 
500 
June-Sept. 
4-5 
White to rose 
5-6 
Masses, broad edging. 
Stock 
H II A 
X Y 
300 
June-Sept. 
12-24 
Various 
6-12 
Fragrant cutting. 
Sunflower (Russian) 
H H A 
Z 
100 
Aug.-Sept. 
3-7 ft. 
Yellow 
24-36 
Tall screens, temporary hedges. 
Sweet pea 
H A 
X Z 
75 
June-Sept. 
3-6 ft. 
Various 
4-10 
Cutting. . 
Sweet William 
HP 
X Y 
500 
July-August 
12-18 
White, pink, red 
6-12 
Cutting, mixed border. 
Thunbergia (Black Eyed Susan) . 
H H A 
X Y 
100 
July-Sept. 
3-8 ft. 
White, yellow, orange 
4-10 
Low trellis, vases. 
Torenia 
T A 
X Z 
500 
July-Sept. 
8-15 
Blue, white 
6-10 
Vases, hanging baskets. 
Verbena 
H H A 
X Y, S 
500 
July-frost 
6-9 
Various 
12-18 
Low, bright masses. 
Veronica 
H P 
X 
100 
August 
24-30 
Purple 
8-10 
Edging. 
Wallflower 
H H I> 
X z 
500 
July-Sept. 
12-30 
Brown, yellow 
6 
Fragrant, cutting. 
Zinnia 
H A 
X YZ 
150 
July-frost 
12-30 
Various, brilliant 
8-12 
Bright masses, low edges. 
*Key Letters A — Annual. B — Biennial. P — Perennial. H — Hardy. HH — Half-hardy. T — Tender. S — Will succeed in partial shade. X — Start indoors or under glass early in spring 
and transplant to flats or pots. Half-hardy and tender sorts require proportionately more heat than hardy sorts; the latter should be given about 50 degrees night temperature. Y — Sow in seed 
border in the open and transplant. Z — Sow outside in spring where plants are to remain, thinning out to proper distance before plants crowd. 
fThe number of seeds is of course approximate. Named sorts and new varieties, which are more expensive, will not run so many to the packet. 
Small seeds require greater protection 
and more care during germination than 
larger ones. They may be sown above 
ground, given protection and covered over 
lightly when they begin to show life. The 
large seeds can be sown with safety in the 
open ground. They will germinate more 
quickly if they are soaked in water for 
twenty-four hours before being sown. 
As soon as the seedlings have made 
their first two rough leaves they should be 
transplanted. Use a pointed dibble and 
always make the hole large enough to easily 
accommodate the roots. Firm the soil 
thoroughly by pressing in the dibble about 
one inch from the original hole. Never 
firm the soil close around the seedling, as 
you will be liable to “hang” the young 
plants. If the roots are thus firmed, subse- 
quent waterings will settle the upper soil 
about the “neck.” In pressing close to the 
tender stem with the fingers you are liable 
to do injury; moreover, the soil gets baked 
and the seedlings cannot grow. When two 
or three lines are done, give water and 
shade. Keep them shaded for several days 
until growth commences again. Gradually 
immure them to full sunlight. 
The soil in the seedbed should be forked 
over to a depth of at least a foot. Rake 
off and level thoroughly; then add one 
half inch of finely sifted soil on top. Seeds 
germinate best in a soil of fine tilth. 
31 
