15 Annual Flowers You Still Have Time to Grow From Seeds

Haven't started your annual flower seeds yet? There's still time to plant fast-sprouting seeds for blue nigellas, lemon-yellow marigolds and other annuals to brighten your garden and containers until frost.

Seeds are budget-friendly (compare the cost of seed packets to blooming plants), and they give you many more varieties to choose from. We've rounded up 15 annual flower seeds that germinate fast and bloom within two or three months. Read the directions on the seed packets to know when and how to plant. Sow them in loose, well-draining garden soil amended with compost or a potting mix designed for outdoor containers. Water as directed, and deadhead the faded flowers to encourage more blooms.

The time it takes for each kind of seed to germinate and bloom varies, depending on the weather, soil, and other factors. Count backward from the average date of your first fall frost to the date you'd like to plant to be sure the seeds have time to flower.

Some of these plants in our list are tender perennials in warm USDA Gardening Zones 10 to 11, but they're treated like annuals in cold climates because they can't survive frost.

Days to germinate: 4 to 7

Days to bloom from sowing: 60 to 75

Easy-to-grow zinnias (Zinnia elegans) are great for beginners, ideal for cutting gardens, and they're available in a kaleidoscope of colors. Some have daisy-shaped blooms, while others are semi-doubled or fully doubled. They need full sun: Wait until the soil has warmed up to about 70 degrees F before sowing the seeds. Zinnias don't transplant well, so plant the seeds 1/4" deep where you want them, spacing or thinning them later to about a foot apart. Tall varieties often need staking. Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer if needed, but don't overdo it, or you'll have more leaves than flowers.

Days to germination: 7 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 50 to 80 for most

While there are 50 or more species of marigolds (Tagetes), many gardeners plant the three popular ornamental types: French, African or Signet marigolds. For the fastest flowers, sow French marigold seeds for flowers in 50 to 60 days. Signet and African marigold seeds can take 70 to 100 days. Sow the seeds directly in your garden or outdoor containers after there's no chance of spring frost and when the soil has warmed up to at least 65 degrees F. Marigolds adapt to most soils, but do best when the pH measures 6.0 to 7.0. Bury the seeds 1/8" to 1/4" deep in a spot with full sun. Check your seed packet to know how far apart to space the variety you're growing. The plants are somewhat drought-tolerant, but water them regularly until they're established and during long, dry periods.

Days to germination: 5 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 28 to 45

If your growing conditions are just right, sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritime) can go from seeds to blooms in as few as 45 days, faster than most other flowering annuals started from seeds. The plants love cool weather, but let the soil warm up to about 60 degrees F before sowing them outdoors (although the seeds are hardy enough to survive even if you get a late spring frost). The seeds need light to germinate, so press them gently into the soil to make good contact. Sweet alyssum can be used as a ground cover or in borders, beds and containers, where their small white, pink, rose or purple flowers will exude a honey-like fragrance. If the plants stop blooming when the weather heats up, they'll start blooming again when temperatures drop. While sweet alyssum seeds can handle frost, the plants cannot, so most gardeners treat them as annuals.

Plant sunflower seeds in full sun in your garden or containers, and cut the flowers for vases or harvest the seeds for snacking — if you can beat the birds to them. Depending on the variety, sunflowers grow from about a foot tall to over 16 feet. They prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Direct-sow the seeds in soil amended with compost or organic matter, and mix in a little fertilizer at planting. During the growing season, fertilize sparingly. Plant the seeds 1 to 1-1/2" deep and 6 inches apart in loosened soil to accommodate their long roots. If you're planting in rows, check your seed packet for how far apart to space them. You may need to stake or support tall stems and grow your sunflowers in a spot that provides shelter from strong winds.

Days to germination: 7 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 50 to 60

Want flowers for a cutting or cottage garden? How about willowy, wildflower plants like cosmos that will attract bees, birds and butterflies? One popular species is Cosmos bipinnatus. After all chance of a spring frost has passed, scatter the seeds in your garden, no more than 1/4" deep. When the seedlings grow to a few inches tall, thin them to 12 to 18 inches apart. Tall varieties may need staking. These delicate-looking plants prefer moderately poor, dry soils, so don't overwater. Deadhead the faded flowers to encourage more branches and blooms, or leave some to form seeds and self-sow. This variety, 'Sonata Mix,' has white, pink, rose and cherry-colored blooms. If you grow cosmos in containers, be sure they have good drainage, since they prefer being on the dry side.

Days to germination: 5 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 75 to 100

Morning glories are vining annuals, so give them a trellis, fence or other support, and grow them in a spot sheltered from strong winds. Since the seeds have a hard outer coat, soak them overnight in water or scrape them with sandpaper before planting. After all danger of frost, sow them 1/4" deep in full sun and moderately fertile soil, spacing the seeds 6 inches apart. Give them some balanced liquid fertilizer when you plant, in the amount specified on your product, but don't overfertilize to avoid more leaves than flowers. These plants self-seed readily, so if you don't want more morning glories, snip off the faded flowers before they form seed pods, or rake lightly underneath them if seedlings pop up. Choose from dwarf or large varieties with yellow, deep red, purple-blue, orange, cream, white, mahogany or bi-colored flowers. We love the 'Grandpa Ott,' (shown here), an heirloom variety from Bavaria.

Days to germination: 7 to 21, but typically 7 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 70 to 80

Commonly called spider flower, cleome (Cleome spp.) is easy to grow, although the seeds are sometimes a bit slow to sprout. Some gardeners use cold stratification to improve germination. This involves putting the seeds in a damp paper towel, enclosing it in a plastic bag and keeping it refrigerated for a week or two before planting.

Sow the seeds after the soil is warm and all danger of frost has passed. Scatter them over the soil and gently press them down, or space them 3 to 4 inches apart. Don't cover them; they need light to germinate. When the seedlings are a couple of inches tall, thin them to 18 inches apart. Cleomes like average, consistently moist soil with a neutral to acidic pH and full sun. These pink, white, lavender or purple flowers appeal to butterflies and other pollinators. The plants self-seed easily.

Days to germination: 7 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 35 to 56

Give nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.) a head start by soaking the seeds overnight to speed up germination. These flowers dislike transplanting, so direct-sow the seeds after all chance of frost has passed. Some nasturtiums have a mounding growth habit, while others trail or climb. Space the seeds of mounding or bushy varieties 6 to 8 inches apart, and space the others 10 to 12 inches apart. Nasturtiums can take full sun and appreciate some afternoon shade in climates where the summer sun is hot and intense. Don't fertilize them; they thrive in poor or average soils that drain easily. Bees and hummingbirds are fond of the flowers, which can be red, orange, pink, maroon, yellow or salmon.

Days to germination: 7 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 80 to 90

Four o'clock seeds (Mirabilis jalapa) are big enough to handle easily. Before you plant them, soak them overnight in water to soften the hard coats and encourage germination. When the soil is warm, direct-sow them in the garden or containers 1/4" deep in a sunny location; they need light to germinate. These old-fashioned flowers get their name from their habit of opening late in the afternoon, come in a variety of colors and they have a sweet, lemony perfume. Plant the seeds 24 inches apart in slightly acidic to neutral soil and don't let them dry out, but don't overwater until the soil is soggy. Feed the plants with a balanced fertilizer, following the product's directions, and feed again as indicated until fall. If your soil is rich, you may only need to fertilize once. Four o'clocks rebloom freely and don't require deadheading. If you live in Zones 9-11, leave the tuberous roots in the ground to overwinter. Otherwise, dig and store them in a dark place that stays above freezing, and replant them next spring, or simply sow new seeds.

Days to germination: 10 to 30

Days to bloom from sowing: 55 to 90

Like some other annuals on our list, California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) don't transplant well and should be direct-sown while the weather is cool, all danger of frost has passed and the ground is workable. Give them full sun in well-draining sandy, rocky or even poor soil. Rake the soil to a fine consistency, scatter the tiny seeds over it and press them in lightly, using a flat piece of wood if they stick to your hands. The seeds need sunlight to germinate, so don't cover them more than 1/8" deep. Once the seedlings develop true leaves, thin them to every 6 to 8 inches. The plants may go dormant in hot weather but don't water them unless or until they start to grow again when the temperatures drop. California poppies need little water and don't require fertilizer.

Days to germination: 10 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 60 to 90

Known botanically as nigella (Nigella damascena), love-in-a-mist is one of the easiest annual flowers to grow. Sow the seeds directly where you want them because the plants have sensitive roots that don't transplant well. Scatter them in a sunny location with average soil or in rows 1/8" deep. Press them down or barely cover them; they need light to germinate. Germination can be erratic, and the seeds may take up to 21 days to sprout. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, thin them to 2 to 9 inches. Nigella is drought-tolerant, but water during extended dry spells. Sow more seeds every 2 to 4 weeks for continuous blooms. The plants will self-seed if you leave the seed pods to dry and burst onto the ground. The flowers are available in white, rose, pink, purple and blue.

Days to germination: 10 to 21

Days to bloom from sowing: 60 to 65

Start annual phlox seeds (Phlox drummondii) directly in the garden when the soil is warm and there's no chance of frost. They need darkness to germinate, so cover them 1/8" deep. While annual phlox prefers sandy soil, it will grow in almost any soil that drains well. Give it a spot in full sun to partial shade. To make these drought-tolerant plants bushy and encourage more blooms, pinch off the tips of the main stems when they're a few inches tall. These sweetly-scented flowers are available in shades of white, red, lavender and bicolors. Use them in a wildflower garden or meadow or as a groundcover since most grow 6 to 18 inches tall. Plus, there are trailing types that work well in borders, containers and rock gardens. Annual phlox flowers from spring into early summer and sometimes reblooms in fall. If the growing conditions are right, the plants will reseed.

Days to germination: 7 to 12

Days to bloom from sowing: 70 to 90

Also called bachelor's buttons, cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) add bright blue to the garden, a hard-to-find color in nature. They're also available with white, red, pink or purple flowers. The plants rebel at being transplanted, so direct-sow the seeds in full sun and moist soil after the ground is warm enough to work. They can take partial sun and benefit from afternoon shade if you live where the sun is hot and intense. For best results, grow cornflowers in rich garden soil with an alkaline pH of 7.2 to 7.8. Mixing compost into your soil is usually enough to enrich it for the whole growing season. Try cornflowers in beds, borders, wildflower gardens or containers and they'll attract helpful pollinators. These cold-hardy annuals can survive a light frost and temperatures from 28 to 32 degrees F., so if your growing season is long enough, sow more seeds in a couple of weeks to keep the flowers coming.

Days to germinate: 7 to 14

Days to bloom from sowing: 45 to 60

Direct-sow calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) after there's no danger of a heavy frost and the soil is warmed. Plant them 1/4" to 1/2" deep or scatter them over the soil and cover them lightly; they need darkness to germinate. The plants take full sun to partial shade and adapt to most soils, but they perform best in moderately fertile, consistently moist soil — but don't let the soil get soggy. They thrive in cool weather and may slow down when the temperatures climb. Once established, calendulas are relatively drought-tolerant. You can find the flowers in shades of gold, yellow, orange, cream and bicolors. Deadhead the finished flowers to encourage more blooms, or let them dry on the plants and self-seed.