by Sonja Bell

Created on: February 22, 2011   Last Updated: February 23, 2011

There are very few people who cannot appreciate the beauty of a colorful flower garden. Many even find the tending of one to be therapeutic. However, there are very few species of flowers that give off those beautiful colors from early spring straight on into fall. This can leave gaps in a flower bed, depending on the season. As a result, many gardeners decide to plant flowers that will bloom at different times during the warmer months to keep their garden blooming all season long. But in order to get flowers to wait to bloom until autumn, when does one plant the seeds or bulbs?

The first step on the journey to answering that question is determining the zone in which you reside. These zones are based on the minimum and maximum temperatures an area can reach. Use this interactive map to determine your zone. Once you have established the zone, research the type of flower you are interested in planting to see if it will survive in that zone. Some flowers cannot survive in colder climates, and some cannot tolerate the heat of warmer climates.

When you obtain your repertoire of fall-blooming plants, the following chart should give you a rough estimate of when you should put the flowers in the ground. There may be some variations, however, so make certain that you check the seed or bulb packet, as this will usually contain planting information specific to the flower.

Zone:...............Plant between:

1......................April – May

2 – 3................May – June

4 – 5................June – September

6 – 7................July – September

8 – 10..............August – September

11....................September – October

Keep in mind that many flowers should be planted inside about six to eight weeks before being planted outside. Be sure to take that into account when determining the planting time frame for your zone. After that six to eight weeks, place the plant outside in a sheltered area for about another week or so to harden it to the outdoors. Transplant the flower in the desired location (watching for how much sun or shade it gets, depending on the species of flower!) with some fertilizer and water.

Even if the weather is really nice, don't be tempted to jump the gun on planting your flowers outside. You should have plenty of blooms in the spring and summer to tide you over before your fall bloomers need to go in the ground. Keep on the right schedule, and you can enjoy a beautiful flower garden all season.

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