Why do seed packets say “Wait until night and day temperatures are above 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) before planting” when seeds, dropped from a plant the previous year, spontaneously sprout and survive when it’s considerably colder?
Specifically, I’ve been waiting patiently to plant sunflowers, because the seed packets say it’s been too cold until right about now. BUT, at the base of where a sunflower grew last year, several seedlings popped up WEEKS ago! I’ll plant some seeds today, and I’m really curious how long it will take them to germinate, and how long it’ll take them to catch up to this over achiever.
County Gardening 
I’m no botanist so haven’t anything to offer in way of an answer but have a similar question about watering. I’ve heard advice that it’s not good to water at night because it can encourage rot and disease because the water evaporates slower. But night rain doesn’t seem to be a problem and some say watering in the sun causes the leaves to burn but they seem to do fine when the sun comes out after a shower. So many questions.
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Right???? Plants don’t pay attention to ‘instructions’ do they? 😆
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Nature does, what it does best and it knows better than us! I always start seeds too early in my eagerness. Many survive. I think that sunflowers are toughies but specialty varieties may be different.
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That makes sense Rosie. It would be interesting to run a trial, letting seeds from different varieties overwinter in the ground to see which ones popped up, and when.
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Hubby gave me a mixed set for Christmas and the fancy varieties have been terrible to germinate and look rather weedy. I have some self-seeded ones coming up and they just look so much more healthy.
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In ‘nature’ seeds fall to the ground period. They don’t dig down 6 centimetres, at 10 centimetre intervals – they grow where they fall. Some will grow in tree trunks lol
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Trees, especially native trees, no question. It’s these non-native annuals that make me wonder, though.
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Do you know whether your over-achiever is a native sunflower? My impression is that our natives are earlier and more vigorous than some of the ‘fancy’ sunflowers people plant.
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These must be seeds from ‘Ruby Eclipse’ supposedly a pollen free hybrid. It’s the only sunflower I grew last year…unless the packet was mislabelled…
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It will be interesting to see if you get ‘Ruby Eclipse’ flowers, or some throwback from the hybrid. Or maybe you have a critter/bird-planted stranger! Any way you look at it, that’s one strong seedling.
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Yes, I’m looking forward to seeing the flower!
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Good question! I think the protection of other plants must help. One of nature’s many mysteries!
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MANY mysteries! 😆
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I haven’t followed package directions in years…though I think the warmth of the soil has a lot to do with germination.
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I imagine the soil in this spot (south facing, against a raised bed) helped, but still, we’ve had several nights well below freezing since it emerged! I may start paying less attention to seed packets as well!!
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That answer is probably microclimate..the seed packet instructions are a joke in South Florida! Though I think it is a bit strange when things germinate here.
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Self sown seedlings are more likely to succumb to frost by starting early. Those sown a bit later are less likely to experience frost. Also self sown seedlings grow slower during cooler earlier weather, so are more susceptible to mollusks and fungal pathogens than those that grow faster after getting sown.
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That’s what I would’ve thought – but tell it to this sunflower – already
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Oh, it is likely aware, but took its chances instead. Just because it did not get frosted or eaten does not mean that it was not more susceptible to such damage than those sown later.
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Interesting thought Chris. Maybe your seedling has already adapted to the conditions in that particular spot. There is so much about plants we don’t understand! I already have a few annuals planted out, and now a possible frost is forecast for the weekend! Yikes!
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Frost this late! Double yikes!!
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