Help a nube w/ starting flowers

Hi and thanks for reading this. I'm not new to farming BUT I am new to growing flowers.
After doing some research I've learned that some flowers need sun to germinate while others are ok in soil so they are in the dark. Some say they need heat while others are ok in cool ground. I can't find the exact list for what I'm growing so I'm hoping that some here can give tips on when to plant (preferably in reference to frost dates as I'm in zone 8b and if your in zone 5 the dates would be different) and how (do they need sun or covered w/ dirt?) (any tips on pH, fert etc). And thanks again ya'll :)

Here is my list (some are technically not flowers but I am using the flower part of them (ie dill)) and along with what they are is also why I am using them (as this might help others to using these both for looks but also as companion plants to help keep bad bugs away).

1) Dill (used to attract hover flies, ladybugs, lace wings, parasitic wasps)

2) Parsley (attract tachinid fly)

3) French Marigold (used to attract ladybugs, but also this flowers sent can confuse bad bugs and covers the sent of plants they are attracted to, so these bad bugs don't attack other plants near them)

4) Queen anne's lace (attracts hover flies, lady bugs, lace wings and parasitic wasps)(NOTE parasitic wasps DON'T sting people)

5) Alyssum

6) Aquilegia (Columbine)

7) Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum) (Painted Daisy) aka Pyrethrum Daisy, used to make pyrethrins (organic poison)

Most on your list I have grown by planting outdoor after the last frost.

I have not grown Queen Anne's Lace, Daisy or Columbine though you would be ok using the instructions on the package.

Usually wildflower are the touchy ones.  Sow in October and let Nature do the work.

Best wishes with the flowers and the pollinators will love you!

Thanks Anne, but a problem is I'm buying the seed in bulk and sometimes they don't send information on planting when in bulk form. Some times and some places do but this is the first time I've ordered bulk seed from SEseed.com so I'm not sure IF they send planting info w/ the seed or not :(

C Rogers wrote:


1) Dill (used to attract hover flies, ladybugs, lace wings, parasitic wasps)

2) Parsley (attract tachinid fly)

3) French Marigold (used to attract ladybugs, but also this flowers sent can confuse bad bugs and covers the sent of plants they are attracted to, so these bad bugs don't attack other plants near them)

4) Queen anne's lace (attracts hover flies, lady bugs, lace wings and parasitic wasps)(NOTE parasitic wasps DON'T sting people)

5) Alyssum

6) Aquilegia (Columbine)

7) Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum) (Painted Daisy) aka Pyrethrum Daisy, used to make pyrethrins (organic poison)

1) I usually sow dill on the surface and just tamp it down into the soil. You don't want it deeply covered; just a light dusting of soil over the seeds.
2) Parsley can be finicky for me, so I usually sow in seed trays. I have had luck with surface sowing.
3) Very easy! Just scatter them on the surface and keep them moist long enough for them to sprout.
4) Haven't grown that one, but I assume it is similar to sowing carrots; since it's closely related.
5) Surface sow- don't cover
6) Have never had luck with them. I think it's too hot here.
7) Similar to marigolds with sowing.

** Usually the smaller the seed, the less soil it needs to cover it. The larger the seed, the deeper it can be planted. The ones on your list are all pretty small seeds, so should be fine on the surface, or just barely covered. Mainly you just want to make sure they have good contact with the soil and do not get too dry.
I believe all of them will germinate if exposed to sunlight. Parsley is the only one I'm not positive on. Columbine may benefit from a cold-strat treatment before sowing. You may want to check to see.
Good luck with them! Growing flowers is definitely fun!

1) Dill: I find it tends to germinate most in cool weather. Once you've let it go to seed once, it will keep volunteering year after year. It comes right up through my mulch.

2) Parsley: Seems to germinated in warmer weather. Once it's gone to seed once it will keep volunteering.

3) French Marigold: Lovely to imagine this being difficult or impressive to grow. It will come up, don't worry, and it will self seed like crazy.

I haven't grown Queen anne's lace, Alyssum or Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum) (Painted Daisy).

6) Aquilegia (Columbine): I heard this needs or likes stratification so I have sown it in autumn outdoors or in the unheated greenhouse. Haven't had any luck with it, having tried several times.

My wife is starting a flower farm this year. We just attended a conference where there was a lecture by someone who has been growing flowers for market for 17 years. She said she starts ALL her flowers in a dark, warm box with plenty of moisture. She said to ignore all the light needed for germination stuff. As soon as they sprout you can take them out. She has plywood boxes made in rows and each has a heating mat inside on the bottom.

Thank you everyone. Seeds are on the way. I'm tracking the package daily LOL. Can't wait till they get here. I'll be busy as along with my good bug attractor flowers I'm also starting 10,000 tomatoes that can handle cold, supposedly they can set fruit even at 38deg F. Rest of crops I at least have some time before I gotta get them started.

(7) Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum) (Painted Daisy) aka Pyrethrum Daisy, used to make pyrethrins (organic poison)

Great advice so far and I don't have any more growing advice to add...just that I grew this daisy from seed once, had wonderful plants,sweet little blooms and thought I would use the tea against an infestation of something in the garden.  I followed instructions for preparation using the dried flowers and started carefully spraying...soon both of my hands started having numbness and muscle oddities.  All of the symptoms were gone once I washed up but I watered down the rest of the spray, pulled all of the plants and never grew them again...it scared me!

This was years ago when I still wanted to 'battle' the bugs...I should have worn gloves and a respirator maybe?
I decided I didn't want to use anything that was that potent.

Judith Browning wrote:

(7) Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum) (Painted Daisy) aka Pyrethrum Daisy, used to make pyrethrins (organic poison)

Great advice so far and I don't have any more growing advice to add...just that I grew this daisy from seed once, had wonderful plants,sweet little blooms and thought I would use the tea against an infestation of something in the garden.  I followed instructions for preparation using the dried flowers and started carefully spraying...soon both of my hands started having numbness and muscle oddities.  All of the symptoms were gone once I washed up but I watered down the rest of the spray, pulled all of the plants and never grew them again...it scared me!

This was years ago when I still wanted to 'battle' the bugs...I should have worn gloves and a respirator maybe?
I decided I didn't want to use anything that was that potent.

Yes, it is very potent and I dilute this as it can be dangerous to humans as well as bugs. I have even heard of a little girl who drank this and died because the bottle the poison was in wasn't marked! So please make sure equipment and bottles used are well marked "POISON" and ONLY used for this and never for food or other use!!!

Here is how I make prythrin.

Organic pesticides, ****NOTE**** just because a poison is organic does NOT mean its safe for humans or pets !!! Treat all pesticides with care and any tools/ equipment used in making this is NEVER to be used in food production, wash all tools and anything that touches these well (including hands)!!! That being said, I make my own Pyrethrin. I grow (tanacetum cinerarifolium) aka painted daisies. I then cut the flowers in full bllom, hang them upside down in cool dark dry area till they are dry. Then grind them up (1 qt) in a blender (only used for this!!! read above^^^) ( i got a blender at garage sale for $2. Steep the 1 qt of flowers in 1 gallon of water w/ 2 drops of dish soap for 3-4 days. Make sure to label this as "UNDILUTED POISON" then dilute this 1 qt of poison to 3 qts of water, this kills true bugs, caterpillars, beetles, aphids, mite, white flies, thrips & leaf hoppers.