I'm on the North Shore. I got a couple of large pots. I filled them half up with dirt, then layered them with some bulbs. I put some more dirt on top of that. Then I got a bag of wildflower seeds, for part sun part shade, and sprinkled the seeds on top, and I put a small layer of dirt on top of that. Then I watered all that. So, the bulbs should start blooming from early spring to late spring/early summer, then the wildflower seeds should take over from there, right? Anyways, from everything I've read about wildflower seeds, is I should plant them in the fall so they will get all the fall rains. This will make them germinate and start their root system, and prepare themselves for the winter. Then everything should start growing after winter. Well, I planted my bulbs and seeds September 26th. Today I took a look at my pots and noticed some little sprouts popping up. I'm a little concerned now. Should this be happening now? Am I going to start having flowers now, or will everything be OK for the late spring/early summer? Thanks for any help anyone can provide.
My guess is that they will be fine. If they get big enough to flower, let them, and they will re-sow themselves. However, if they do not get big enough to establish themselves before the winter sets in, you may be disappointed in the spring. But you can always add a few more seeds to your pot in late February or March. Personally, I might have waited until late October to sow seeds or even February/March to ensure they don't prematurely germinate due to some warm days. Also, the less time they spend in the pot, the less likely they will rot or be eaten. I hear the weather this winter will be wetter and colder than normal so you'll have to adjust your methods accordingly. And depending where you are on the North Shore, you might have more snow than normal. That's the fun with gardening, the seasons can be different from year to year, and it keeps you on your toes :-)
thanks for the advice. I'll just let them be, and see what happens in the spring. As you said, I can always add more. I've still got lots of the seeds left. Right now, they're about an inch high. They look like little weeds, and I'm tempted to pull them, but I'll resist that urge. This is my first time in using seeds. I'm pretty sure that atleast my bulbs will grow.