Easy Plants To Grow.
1. Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a very easy plant to grow, this is why they are great to get children involved in growing seeds in the garden. There are many different varieties from short multi headed to extremely tall varieties. Plant indoors from early January or outdoors when the frosts have past. Although the later they are planted the later the flowers will come. They can be planted in pots and left on the window sill, follow the rules to harden off before they are planted outside in position. To harden off place outside and leave them there during the day when the sun is shining, bring them back indoors overnight and repeat for a few days until you leave them outdoors permanently, although a mini greenhouse is perfect for doing this task. Cheap to buy and can be zipped up at night to protect from late frosts. And they are very cheap to buy usually under £10 if you shop around. Sunflowers as the name suggest need sun, but I have grown them in partial sun and they have done just fine. Remember to tie them back even from when they are small as sharp wind can easily break them when they are young plants before they become established.
2. Sweet Pea
Sweet Pea is another easy plant to start with. Another one that needs to be started early in the season. Soak the seeds overnight and then plant into pots and leave either on the window sill or in a warm place to aid germination of the seeds. Once the plants are big enough then harden off and plant out. Just be careful with the young plants as they can become leggy really quickly, usually do to lack of light. This normally happens when the seeds are on the window sill opposed to a greenhouse as the sun only comes in from one side.
3. Nigella
Nigella is another easy plant to grow, although I have found it is better to sow directly into the area of the garden that I want it to grow and not to grow in trays prior. So I will sprinkle a few here and there around the garden and dig the seeds into the soil. I have done this for the last few years and I always get a good display. I now have them self seeding into the garden where I first planted them and they seem to come up every year now. I still put a few more here and there just to make sure I have some each year.
( Photo Courtesy of Google )
( Photo Courtesy of Google )
4. Aquilegia
Aquilegia or granny's Bonnet is a very simple plant to grow. Easy from seed and a prolific self seeder. Once you have it, you will never lose it. Which is great as it flowers mid to late spring so it is great for early colour after most of the Spring bulbs have finished. Aquilegias are very low maintenance and will need little doing to them during the year. After the flowers have finished and the seeds long gone I will remove the flower spikes cutting them right back to the ground leaving the leaves. In the autumn I will cut away the majority of the leaves as they will die off in the winter anyway and also any dead wood that remains behind just to keep them tidy.
5. Eschscholzia
- Eschscholzia or California Poppy is another really easy plant to grow. California Poppies will grow in almost any soil no matter how poor, in fact I have a neighbour that has them in the flowers beds and they have seeded into the block paving on the drive and in the summer, many plants are growing and flowering in the drive itself. Another plant to sow direct into the area that you want them to grow. Like with most plants deadhead regularly to encourage more flowers to come. Towards the end of the season the deadheads can be left to go to seed if you wish and left to self seed around. At the end of the season you may also wish to trim the plant back as it will over winter, if you do not trim it back a little it will become quite leggy.
- ( Photo courtesy of Google)
6. Nasturtium
Nasturtiums are a pleasant and bright easy to grow plant, the flowers are also edible so you can decorate your salads in the summer with the flowers. Sowing is also easy, start them in pots around 4-6 weeks before the end of the frosts and then pot on once big enough and harden off before planting into place. Alternatively the seeds can be planted directly into place where you would like them to grow, plant around half an inch deep ten to twelve inches apart. Nasturtiums prefer full sun but will grow in partial shade but will not bloom as much. If growing in containers you may need to trim them back a little, remove faded blooms to encourage more flowers. At the end of the season, remove the whole plant and discard. ( Photo courtesy of Google )
7. Marigold
Marigolds are probably one of the easiest plants to grow, although there are around 50 different varieties this gives everyone the opportunity to find at least one or two they like. I will not go into details here about the varieties as that will make it more complicated, the idea here is to keep it simple. Sow in trays indoors and prick out once they reach around two inches tall. Marigolds can also be sown direct into the area you want them to grow. Marigolds need full sun to get the best from them, the more sun the more flowers. Deadhead the plants as required and when watering them try to water them at the base of the plant and not from above. Young Marigolds are susceptible to being demolished by slugs and snails who tend to find Marigolds particularly tasty. This I why I tend to grow them in trays first and them plant them out when they are a little bigger and able to survive a little munch.
8. Hardy Geranium
There are over a hundred different varieties of Hardy Geraniums, They flower very well and you can find one for all conditions, full sun, partial shade and even some that will do well in full shade. You can grow from seeds but to be honest the small plants are so cheap it is easier to buy them. This way you can get a few different varieties. Once in the ground Geraniums need very little care during the year, just at the end of the season cut back the dead sections and it will come back again next year. Some
geraniums can grow very quickly so cut back if you wish
to keep them small ( Photo courtesy of Google )
geraniums can grow very quickly so cut back if you wish
to keep them small ( Photo courtesy of Google )
9. Fuchsias
Fuchsia's are another easy plant and quite resilient addition to the garden. They can be grown in full sun, partial sun and semi shade, however they will not fare well in full shade. Fuchsias also come in many varieties, from small plants all the way through to tall upright bushes and climbers. It is a good idea to plant the stem of the plant just below the surface of the soil so they are protected more from the frost over the winter. Obviously some are annuals and some are perennials so be sure to pick the right one for you. Fuchsias will grow in most soil but will benefit from feed and good quality compost as all plants will do. More information can be found about Fuchsias can be found following the link below.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-fuchsias
( Photo courtesy of Google )
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-fuchsias
( Photo courtesy of Google )
