The Garden that Re-seeds Itself

I'm a lazy gardener. I love plants that re-seed themselves. When it comes to perennials, I try for the same effect and choose plants that self-sow...

Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze'
Item # 88473 		Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze'
Blaze Little Bluestem Grass

each $5.49
3 to 6 $5.29
7 or more $4.99

Item # 82025 		Ratibida columnifera 'Mexican Hat'
Prairie Coneflower

each $4.99
3 to 6 $4.79
7 or more $4.59
Agastache neomexicana
Item # 11813 		Agastache neomexicana
New Mexico Hummingbird Mint

each $7.99
3 to 6 $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Echninacea Purpurea
Item # 46050 		Echinacea purpurea
Purple Coneflower

each $7.99
3 to 6 $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Penstemon Sampler Collection
Item # 99521 		Penstemon Sampler
Beardtongue Sampler

each $29.84
  • Topic: Perennials
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: reseed, seedlings, perennials, plants, self-sow, garden, naturalistic style, plant combinations
  • Date: August 2006

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I’m a lazy gardener. I love plants that re-seed themselves. Years ago, before I knew marigolds returned, I planted a bunch among my tomato plants. The following year all these tiny seedlings showed up. Marigolds on their own. Great! I didn’t have to bother planting more.

When it comes to perennials, I try for the same effect and choose plants that self-sow. Before my recent gopher invasion, I had the best luck with Yarrow and Echinacea. It’s not necessary to fuss over these; they do just fine on their own.

Not for Neat-nicks

Not everyone likes plants that re-seed, though. A friend of mine prefers a tidy, organized garden so plants coming up on their own willy-nilly don’t belong there. A re-seeded garden definitely carries a touch of wildness. It’s a garden that stays close to the natural cycles, randomness and all.

David Salman, President of Santa Fe Greenhouses and High Country Gardens, says, “In general people who want plants that re-seed need to be prepared for a naturalistic style of gardening. It’s fun to see where new plants show up and what plant combinations materialize. It’s a little wild.”

Choosing Plants

Nearly any perennial in the catalog listed as “seed propagated” can be encouraged to reseed in your garden, although some are far more willing to self sow than others. Be aware that some species can become garden thugs (marked with an *) because they can reseed so prolifically that they can become weedy and crowd other plants. However, this may be a virtue in very harsh conditions where previous efforts to establish other perennials have failed.

The following are good ones to plant if you want your perennials to re-seed readily.

  • Foxglove (Digitalis)
  • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
  • Beardtongues (Penstemon)
  • Hummingbird Mints (Agastache)
  • ‘Parker’s Gold’ Yarrow*
  • Tickseed (Coreopsis)
  • Maximilian’s Sunflower (Helianthus)
  • Sage (Salvia)
  • Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera)
  • Delphinium
  • Blue Flax (Linum)
  • Perky Sue (Hymenoxys)
  • Columbine (Aquilegia)
  • Jupiter’s Beard* (Centranthus)
  • Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
  • Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida)
  • Native Grasses such as ‘Blaze’ Little Blue Stem (Schizachyrium) and Indian Grass (Sorgastrum)

Natural Cycles

Fall is an excellent time to plant seeds and plants of re-seeding perennial species.
Many perennial seeds will germinate in the fall and their plants will bloom the following spring and summer. Some wild flowers such as the penstemon need moist, cold conditions to overcome the natural germination inhibitors present in their seeds. The cold breaks it down. “Fall is a good time to sow perennial seeds and wildflower seed mixes,” said Salman. “as some of those seeds need that winter dormancy to help them germinate the following spring.”

When spring planting penstemon and others that need chilling (cold stratification), he says you can replicate winter cold by refrigerating seeds in a plastic zip-lock bag mixed with slightly damp sand or vermiculite for about six weeks prior to planting.

Salman also suggests planting some seeds of your mix in a separate pot so you can recognize the seedlings that come up and be able to identify them in your garden. “You don’t want to mistake them for weeds and accidentally pull them,” he said.

Design

Several design considerations need to be noted when planning for re-seeding plants.

  • Give re-seeding plants some room; let them spread. In time some thinning may be necessary as some may have a tendency to take over.
  • Plant biennials two or more years in succession so you’ll have several plants blooming while others are only in leaf. After a few years of reseeding themselves, you will always have some plants in bloom.
  • When planting different species together, match their cultural requirements: needs for water, sun, and soil needs should be similar.

For gardeners who like more casual landscapes, planning spaces for plants that re-seed themselves is ideal. Besides, it lets you feel like you’re working right alongside nature, and there’s nothing more natural than that.