How can I grow a long lasting plant from seeds? What kind of seed should I buy?

Answer 1

The longest lasting plants are perennials - they grow year after year. Optimal time to start is indoors in January and some varieties may not bloom until the following year. I have grown lavender, datura, purple and white cone flowers, butterfly bushes and the list goes on. Just requires a bit of patience.

If you want an annual - this lasts only one summer, there are many really excellent flowers that will last all season e.g., cosmos (lots of choices re: height and colour), they bloom all summer into fall as long as you remove the spent flowers - the same applies to many annuals. Sunflowers are great fun - all sorts of new colours and heights to select from. Larkspur is great. I love scent, try nicotiana sylvestri extremely tall but scent in the evening is lovely. Many of the nicotiana varietys are scented.

I could go on and on, there are so many.

I have been growing plants and flowers sucessfully from seed for 15 years. The first book I bought was "Seeds, The Ultimate Guide to Growing Vegetables, Herbs & Flowers" by Sam Bittman. I still use it and its a great reference book with good photos, really worth reading.

Be sure to research the plant first to make sure it meets your personal criteria - colour, height, scent or no scent.

Have fun!

Answer 2

The answer to growing long lasting plants can be found at About.com where there is extensive coverage of the topic. In the beginning the seeds need soil, water, heat, and nutrients. Once they emerge they need light (for extended periods) and some hardening should be done to make your plants sturdy. As to the kind of seeds to plant, well that depends upon what you are interested in (vegetables, flowers, trees ...), the hardeness zone for your particular area (if planting outdoors), light or shade area, pH of the surrounding soil, water supply and demand of the surrounding plants. You can also find a lot of light coverage at About.com or indepth coverage at the National Gardening Association site.