15 Best Flowers To Grow From Seeds (With Picture+Basic Care)

Catching your garden filled with plants and flowers is fulfilling. Many planters buy plants from a nursery, online stores, etc., which may create a big hole in your pocket.

Being a plant lover, you always think of more plants in your garden, but how can you have them without making a big hole in your pocket?

If you want to fill your garden without expending a lot, you can do it by purchasing more seeds than plants.

You can develop many flowers from seed with ease, and many plants self-sow, blooming in your garden for years. So, in this article, I will share the 15 best flowers to grow from seeds.

Cornflower

Cornflower is a beautiful plant with blue flowers blooming from late spring to mid-summer. They are easy to grow and maintain, and they reseed and spread rampantly if not noticed.

To develop it from seeds, sow it in early spring and nourish them with proper care. You will find them blooming in 2 months.

Light: Keep your cornflower in partial shade or indirect sun. Direct sun in the afternoon can lead to sunburn and other problems. Avoid too much shade as it can lead to weak and leggy plants.

Watering: Water cornflowers at regular intervals during hot weather. The main motive is to keep its soil evenly moist and never soggy. 

Fertilizer: Cornflowers can survive without any feeding. If you wish to feed them, you can use liquid fertilizer monthly. Consider providing them only when the soil is poor.

General care: Cornflowers are hardy and can withstand low and high temperatures. The ideal humidity is quiet to moderate for cornflowers. In high humidity, water only when the soil is dry.

Calendula 

Calendula has beautiful yellow and orange flowers known for their medical and cosmetic use. It is easy to grow and care for calendula.

Sow the seeds in the ground or container. With proper care, you will find them growing at moderate speed. 

Light: Calendula develops best in direct sun. They grow best in good lighting but need shade in the hot afternoon sun. 

Watering: Water young calendula frequently to allow them to establish strong roots. Once they mature, water when the soil is dry. Use your finger to check the soil moisture before watering.

Fertilizer:

1. Feed calendula only if they are growing in poor soil.
2. Feed them with balanced fertilizer monthly in the growing season.
3. Avoid overfeeding as it can also lead to leggy and spindly plants. 

General care: Calendula grows best in mild temperatures in summer. They cannot tolerate high heat and can even die in sweltering climates.

Cosmos

Cosmos are easy-growing plants with daisy-like flowers in various colors. Anyone can grow them from seeds by simply sprinkling the seeds in the garden, and they will germinate and bloom through the fall.

They can be produced from seeds scattered in the garden, and we see them blooming through the fall. They can be grown in poor soil conditions, too, but in the right conditions, they will flourish.

Light: Cosmos appreciates direct sunlight and will have fewer blooms in low-light and shady locations. They can tolerate the afternoon sun of hot summers.

Watering: Water matured cosmos plants once in long periods of dryness. They need minimal watering to thrive. Only young plants need frequent watering to develop.

Fertilizer: Cosmos do not need feeding, and they may suffer if fed too much and have fewer blooms. They can even grow in poor soil. Feed them only if the plant is struggling to grow for a long time.

General care: Cosmos thrive in hot temperatures, and they can prosper in all humidity conditions. Deadhead the cosmos plant for prolonged blooming.

Flax flowers

Flax flowers produce delicate blue flowers that last for a day. They bloom from May through September and are easy to grow and maintain. Densely sow its seeds in spring for a healthy flax seeds plant.      

Light: Keep flax flowers in full sun but with shade. Full sun with shade or medium light is good enough to grow healthy flax flowers. Low light will deter the plant’s health and lead to weak plants.

Watering: Water young flax flowers evenly to keep the soil moist. Once established, they need occasional watering. You can also add mulch to retain moisture and control the weed.

Fertilizer: Flax flowers need fertilizing only if the soil mix is poor. Feed them with balanced fertilizer monthly in the growing season.n

General care: Flax flowers suffer in scorching and dry weather and prefer cool, humid conditions. Ensure proper watering during hot and dry weather.

Marigolds

Marigolds are known for their cheerful, brightly colored flowers. They complete their life cycle in one growing season.

They can be easily planted from seeds or bought from a nursery, and they are fast-growing and will mature in a few months after planting from seeds. 

Light: Marigolds like and prefer full sun. If growing them from seeds, keep them in full sun. In shady locations, they will not grow healthy and will have fewer flowers.

Watering: Water marigolds regularly when young. Keeping them dry for long days will affect their growth. New plants need proper watering, but established plants can thrive in short periods of drought. 

Fertilizer: Marigolds can thrive without any feeding. You can feed them with balanced fertilizer if the soil is of inferior quality. 

General care: Marigolds like hot temperatures but may suffer in areas with hot summers. They can flourish in all humidity levels, but high humidity can lead to root rot. Keeping them in good airflow and deadheading will promote flowering.

Morning glory

Morning glory is a beautiful plant with trumpet-shaped flowers with a mild smell. They can be sown before the last spring and self-sow and spread quickly. They increase, reaching up to 10 feet in their growing season.

Light: Morning glory needs more sun to grow and flower abundantly. Their flowers will open only in direct sunlight and keep them in full sun for 6-8 hours a day.

Watering: Water morning glory weekly with once-inch water or check the soil moisture before watering. They need more watering in their growing period, and established plants can tolerate some dry spells.

Fertilizer: Morning glory can be fed with low-nitrogen fertilizer monthly in the growing season. If they are not blooming up to the mark, use high-phosphorus fertilizer.

General care: Morning glories can withstand both cold and warm temperatures. If growing them from seeds, plant them only when the ground temperature is at least 65°F. They can grow on all humidity levels and in high humidity, ensuring good airflow.

Nasturtium 

Nasturtium is a beautiful plant with rich colored flowers and grounded green leaves. They are fast-growing and low maintenance, looking great in borders, pots, etc.

They can be grown by planting seeds that quickly germinate and produce flowers in no time. They do not like transplanting, so growing them from seeds is preferred.

Light: Nasturtium prospers best in full sun and has an abundance of blooms in abundant light. Keep them beneath shade when the sun is intense.

Water: Nasturtium likes frequent watering. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. They can also thrive in drought conditions. Proper watering will enable their growth and flowering.

Fertilizer: Nasturtium can grow and bloom without feeding. However, they might appreciate some feeding if growing in inferior soil. Feed them with a balanced fertilizer in the growing season. Too much feeding can lead to bushy plants but fewer blooms.

General care: Nasturtium grows well in cool months and may struggle in dry and humid conditions. They favor average humidity.  

Nigella

Nigella has fluffy flowers in blue, purple, pink, and white colors, and they bloom for several weeks from late spring.

They can be grown quickly from seeds under the right conditions, and they scatter seeds, filling the space rapidly.

Light: Nigella prefers full sun to have abundant blooms. They can also thrive in partial shade when the sun is too intense.

Watering: Nigella needs watering at regular intervals in dry and hot months. During cool months water them only when the soil is dry. Avoid over-watering and ensure proper drainage.

Fertilizer: Forage nigella while planting with a balanced fertilizer. When it begins growing, feed it once in the growing season with a balanced fertilizer.

General care: Nigella prefers temperatures between 65°F and 72°F. While sowing them, ensure the temperature has reached 60°F.  

Sunflowers

Everyone, especially plant parents, loves sunflowers. They produce large cheerful flowers in several colors. With some checkpoints, you can grow them from seeds.

They are fast-growing and will mature within four months after the seeds germinate. Also, protect the seeds from birds, wildlife, etc., using proper measures.

Light: Keep sunflowers in full sun for best flowering and growth. Please keep them in good lighting for at least 6 hours each day, and low light inhibits both their maturation and flowering.

Watering:  Water nigella regularly, as it will facilitate their flowering. If kept in long periods of drought, they can even stop flowering. Check the soil moisture before watering to avoid long dry spells.

Fertilizer: Sunflowers grow best with proper feeding. Feed them with high phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in the growing season. If the plant grows in poor soil, use a slow-release fertilizer to nourish them.

General care: Sunflowers grow best in temperatures between 70-78°F. They can tolerate high humidity but should be growing in well-draining soil to prevent root rot. 

Sweet pea

Sweet pea is an easy-growing climbing plant with colorful and fragrant flower clusters. It can quickly grow from seeds, and the best time to plant it is in early spring, and it will grow at a moderate speed.

They come in almost every color except yellow, but not all varieties are scented. 

Light: Sweet pea grows best in full sun and needs at least 6 hours of direct sun on most days. On hot summer days, they appreciate some shade.

Watering: Water sweet peas weekly to keep the soil evenly damp. Proper watering in the growing season promotes their growth and blooming. Check the soil’s wetness before watering to avoid overwatering conditions.

Fertilizer: Feed sweet peas with balanced fertilizer throughout the growing season. A high potassium fertilizer will help the plant become assertive and healthy.

General care: Sweet peas like warmer temperatures and can withstand light frost but may suffer in scorching temperatures. Pruning and cutting flowers will stimulate more flowering. Pinching the tips of the stems will increase branching, resulting in more flowering.

Zinnias

Zinnias are warm-season flowers in impertinent colors. They can flourish with minimal care as they are pretty adaptable.

They can be produced from seeds quickly due to their easy-to-grow attitude. They can withstand many unfavorable conditions without complaint. They bloom from late spring to fall.

Light: Zinnias appreciate locations with the direct sun but will grow in shady sites too. For best flowering and growth, please keep them in a sunny spot.

Watering: Zinnias can grow sufficiently with supplemental watering. They are highly drought tolerant, and keeping their soil wet promotes powdery mildew, root rot conditions, etc.

Fertilizer: Zinnias are low maintenance and will grow even without feeding. You can feed them occasionally with balanced liquid fertilizer. Add compost to produce flowers even faster.

General care: Zinnias will stand tall no matter how hot the weather. They will keep on blooming and flourishing in unfavorable conditions too. Deadhead the flower for the prolonged blooming period. They thrive in humus-rich soil.

Columbine 

Columbine has bell-shaped blooms with small leaves. They bloom in mid-spring and are a favorite amongst bees and hummingbirds.

Grow them in containers, hanging baskets, etc. They are quickly grown from seeds and need proper lighting conditions to germinate. 

Light: Columbine will have abundant blooms when kept in partial shade. They can grow in full sun too, but need some shade to avoid sunburn. 

Watering: Water columbine in regular intervals until they mature. Once established, you can skip watering; watering them after short periods of drought is enough for them.

Fertilizer: Columbine likes frequent fertilizing. They will have thicker leaves and abundant flowers if fed with balanced liquid fertilizer monthly throughout the growing season.

General care: Columbine grows well in water and cooler temperatures, and it will produce more flowers in such conditions. Prune the plant after blooming to keep the plant attractive.

Sweet alyssum

Sweet alyssum is an enduring plant creating a colorful carpet of little flowers. It has lance-shaped gray-green leaves and flowers within two months of sowing. They are easy to grow and maintain and will bloom yearly in cool climates.    

Light: Sweet alyssum appreciates full sun but with proper watering. If the sun is too intense, keep the plant in the shade, and low light can lead to fungal problems.

Watering:

1. Water sweet alyssum in a regular period during dry spells.
2. Water only when the soil is halfway dry to avoid overwatering problems.
3. Ensure proper drainage and good airflow.

Fertilizer:

1. Feed sweet alyssum throughout its growing season.
2. Use a water-soluble balanced fertilizer by diluting it to half the recommended strength.
3. Avoid overfeeding as it can inhibit flowering.

General care: Sweet alyssum can grow well in a temperate climate, cannot withstand too much heat, and may even stop flowering. Sweet alyssum can expand in all humidity levels but should be watered less in high humidity.

Four o’clock

Four o’clock is a fast-growing plant with trumpet-shaped blooms, and their flower opens in the late afternoon until the following day. It is easy to grow from seeds, with regular watering and monthly feeding.      

Light: Four o’clock grows best in full sun, i.e., at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Keep them in some shade if the sun is intense. Low light can make the plant leggy and weak.

Watering:

1. Water in the morning when the top few inches of the soil are dry.
2. Do not let the soil dry out completely.
3. Do not water mindlessly, as it can lead to rot, fungal problems, etc.

Fertilizer: Feed four o’clock with a balanced fertilizer from spring till fall. If they are growing in rich soil, they do not need fertilizing.

General care: Four o’clock favors warm and cool temperatures. They may die in freezing temperatures. They can tolerate high humidity as long as the moisture level is satisfactory.    

California poppy 

California poppy has silky-textured flowers and fern-like leaves. They are easy to grow, even from seeds, and they do not have many growing demands but will perform best in a specific environment.

Light: California poppies flourish and bloom best in full sun. The more sunlight, the better. Poppies grown in dim conditions often look bumpy and easily succumb to infections. 

Water: California poppies need little watering and thrive in drought easily. In hot summer, they usually go dormant.

Fertilizer: California poppies do not demand to feed. They can successfully grow in poor soil. Adding fertilizer in 2 months is okay, but not more than that.

General care: California poppies, unlike most plants, flourish in poor soil, and it needs mild temperatures between 50°F to 75°F. Ensure sharp drainage and good airflow around the plants during high humidity.

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Reference: Flower seeds- Biology and Technology, Seed and Seedling Biology