What are the easiest flowers to grow from seed in New Zealand?
Zinnias, cosmos, matricaria, celosia and snapdragons are the five I would hand to anyone who has never grown a flower before. They germinate readily, they forgive a missed watering, they produce for months, and they all give you the long straight stems you need for cutting. Sow them from late September and you will be picking by mid summer.
Those five are exactly what is in my seed kit, and that is not a coincidence. I picked them by growing dozens of things on the farm and paying attention to which ones did not need me hovering.
What makes a flower easy to grow?
Three things, and they are not always the same as what makes a flower pretty.
It germinates without a fuss. Some seeds want a cold period, or scarifying, or a very specific temperature. The ones below just want warm damp soil and light.
It does not sulk. A forgiving plant will cope with a hot week where you forgot to water, or a bed that is not quite as rich as it should be. A fussy one will not.
It keeps going. The best beginner flowers are cut-and-come-again. The more you pick, the more they make. That is enormously encouraging when you are new, because your reward for doing the right thing arrives quickly.
Which five would you actually recommend?
Zinnias. If you only grow one thing, grow these. I grow Benary's Giant for the tall strong stems and big double blooms. They flower from summer right through to the first frost and they get more productive the harder you cut them. About 90 to 100cm tall.
Cosmos. Almost embarrassingly easy. I grow the Versailles series for the long stems and the sheer volume of flower. Once it is up it barely needs a thing from you. 70 to 100cm.
Matricaria, also called feverfew. Frilly little double white blooms with yellow centres. Beautiful on its own and even better as the filler that makes everything else in the vase look intentional. 80 to 110cm. In a mild Hamilton winter mine come back as a perennial, though in colder places treat it as an annual.
Celosia. Pampas Plume gives you soft feathery spikes in pink, coral, peach and cream. It brings texture, which is the thing most beginner bouquets are missing. 90 to 120cm and very productive from summer into autumn.
Snapdragons. A bit more patience required than the others, but worth it. I grow Potomac Summer Berry for the tall spikes in raspberry, rose pink and blush. They are hardy, so they can go in earlier than the rest. 100 to 150cm.
What should a complete beginner avoid to start with?
Not because you cannot grow them, but because failing early puts people off.
Anything that needs to be started under very controlled conditions. Anything that has to go in at exactly the right moment or it bolts. Anything you have only ever seen in a florist and never in someone's garden, because there is usually a reason for that.
Start with things that want to grow. Get a summer of success behind you. Then get adventurous, because by then a failure is just interesting rather than discouraging.
What do I need to buy?
Less than you would think.
Seed raising mix from the garden centre. Something to sow into, and clean takeaway containers with holes poked in the bottom genuinely work. Labels, and cut-up ice cream lids do the job. A sunny spot that gets at least six hours of light. That is the list.
You do not need a glasshouse. You do not need raised beds. I started with a patch of lawn, a lot of compost and a wheelbarrow.
Where should I start?
My Cut Flower Seed Kit is $39.99 and has all five varieties, twenty seeds a packet, with New Zealand sowing instructions written for people who have not done this before. It is designed as the whole answer rather than a starting point you then have to research.
If you would rather pick and choose, individual packets are $7.95. And if you are buying for someone else, the two and three kit bundles work out better per kit, which is worth knowing before Christmas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest flower to grow from seed for beginners?
Zinnias. They germinate quickly, tolerate imperfect conditions, and produce more flowers the more you cut them. In New Zealand, sow from late September and plant out after the last frost.
Do I need a greenhouse to grow cut flowers?
No. All five of these varieties can be started in trays on a sunny windowsill or direct sown into warm soil once the frosts have passed.
How many seeds are in a Harvest Bloom packet?
Twenty seeds of a single variety per packet. The Cut Flower Seed Kit contains five packets of different varieties.
Do you ship seeds around New Zealand?
Yes, seeds and seed kits ship nationwide. Fresh flowers are available locally around Hamilton.
Can I grow cut flowers if I have never grown anything at all?
Yes, and that is exactly who I design my kits for. Every variety is chosen because it is forgiving. Keep the water up while they are establishing and you will surprise yourself.
