You'll Be Surprised What You Can Sow in Winter for Glorious Blooms Next Year – Get Ahead of the Curve by Sowing Flower Seeds in December

You may think that December is far too late in the year to plant flower seeds, but that is not the case. There are many flowers you can sow in winter to bring you earlier blooms in spring and summer.

Most flower sowing in December is done indoors, and plants are started in a greenhouse or a heated propagator. Some, though, do need a period of cold and can be planted in a cold frame or directly in the ground, provided it is not frozen.

We aim to show you that December is not too late to sow flower seeds. This list features seven flowers to sow in December to fill your garden with blooms over the next season. A little bit of sowing can provide light relief from other seasonal stresses, and the rewards are bountiful blooms come spring. Let’s see what to plant in December.

7 flowers to sow in December

Many of the flowers on this list are best sown indoors, such as in a greenhouse or on a bright windowsill. Some can be sown in a cold frame or sown outdoors, and we’ll make sure to point out those that can be started in colder conditions.

Getting the heat and light levels right for seeds is a trickier aspect of winter sowings, as natural levels are lower in December. The likes of heat mats, heated propagators, or grow lights are useful when you sow seeds indoors in winter to help you get good germination rates and healthy seedlings.

1. Cranesbill

Cranesbill, also known as hardy geraniums, are low-maintenance perennial plants and simple to grow from seed. There are thousands of hardy geranium varieties, ranging from small alpine plants to ground-cover plants and large specimens for flower beds and borders.

Cranesbill seeds can be germinated in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. They require a period of cold stratification, which can be achieved by storing the pots in a colder, but protected, location over the winter.

Sow seeds into pots or large modules and cover them with a thin layer of soil. Keep the seeds moist, but not waterlogged, and wait for them to germinate in late winter or early spring once the temperatures rise.

See the range of cranesbill geranium seeds at Amazon

See the range of cranesbill geranium seeds at Walmart

2. Dusty miller

Dusty Miller, also known as Silver Ragwort or Silverdust, is a mounding perennial plant with silver foliage and small, yellow flowers.

Dusty Miller can be cultivated as a perennial in zones 8 to 11 or grown as an annual in colder climates. It makes an excellent addition to container gardens or hanging baskets, while it can also be planted in borders, where its silver foliage provides a striking contrast with other plants.

You can sow dusty miller seeds indoors in December in trays or pots filled with seed starting compost. Do not cover the seeds, as light is essential for germination. And provide them with temperatures between 65°F and 75°F, ideally in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill.

Pot up the seedlings as required once they are large enough to handle or outgrow their pots or modules, and plant them outside after the last spring frosts.

See dusty miller seeds at Amazon

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See dusty miller seeds at True Leaf Market

3. Impatiens

Impatiens are popular bedding plants that come in vibrant colors to perk up flower beds (including shadier corners of borders), containers, and hanging baskets. They are bright, cheery, prolific, and low-maintenance, especially as they are self-cleaning annuals that don’t need deadheading.

Impatiens are great for mass plantings, but the cost can add up if you get them all from garden centers. You can grow impatiens from seed, but it is a long process, and you need to start early. It usually means starting in winter, and earlier sowings mean earlier flowers.

Sow impatiens seeds into module trays, which is preferable to avoid root disturbance. Another option is using biodegradable pots, such as these 3.15-inch biodegradable pots on Amazon.

The seeds want temperatures of 70-75°F to germinate, and then 62-68°F for the seedlings to develop healthily. Grow lights will also be required in the absence of a greenhouse or a bright window.

See the range of impatiens seeds at Amazon

See the range of impatiens seeds at Walmart

See the range of impatiens seeds at Burpee

See the range of impatiens seeds at True Leaf Market

4. Meconopsis

Meconopsis, commonly known as the Himalayan Blue Poppy, is a glorious poppy with elusive blue flowers. It is not the easiest type of poppy to grow, but if you fancy a challenge with a stunning reward, they are sown from December to February.

Meconopsis do require stratification over winter, but also need protecting from excessive winter wet. Sow seeds onto the surface in pots or trays, but only cover them with a fine layer of compost or grit. Place the containers in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse; they want the cold and frosts but not the winter rain.

Aside from meconopsis, December is also a great month to start growing poppies, with the likes of Icelandic poppies, Oriental poppies, and Shirley poppies suitable for sowing in winter. Follow the above instructions for any of these.

You can get meconopsis seeds at Amazon to sow this month

5. Snapdragons

Snapdragons, or antirrhinums, have been popular for many years, as they can offer a multitude of colors and heights in border displays, plus they make great cutting garden flowers that can last up to two weeks in a vase.

These cottage garden favorites are not the easiest flowers to grow from seed, but they do offer the chance to grow a much wider variety of snapdragons than you typically find sold as transplants in garden centers or nurseries.

Snapdragon seeds are tiny, so take care when sowing them thinly over the surface of seed compost in trays, modules, or pots. Gently press the seeds into the compost and cover with a very fine layer of soil or vermiculite. Take care to water plants from the bottom, to prevent disturbing the tiny seeds.

Snapdragon seeds prefer temperatures of 68-75°F for germination, but they can take some time to germinate, so it often pays to start early. Pot up seedlings into individual pots, and pinch out plants once they have four sets of true leaves to encourage branching and get snapdragons flowering to their full potential.

See the range of snapdragon seeds at Amazon

See the range of snapdragon seeds at Walmart

See the range of snapdragon seeds at Burpee

See the range of snapdragon seeds at True Leaf Market

6. Sweet peas

It may surprise some gardeners to know that you can start growing sweet peas in December to get a head start on the growing year and get earlier blooms of these summer-flowering favorites.

Planting sweet pea seeds indoors in winter rewards you with strong plants to transplant outside in spring and earlier, fragrant blooms to enjoy and pick from May onwards. And it can be done with any sweet pea varieties.

Plant sweet pea seeds in deep pots or root trainers in December, as their fast-growing roots dislike disturbance when transplanting. Plant the seeds around an inch deep into the soil and keep them moist. The seeds need temperatures of 60-65°F for good germination, which can be done in a greenhouse or on a bright windowsill.

See the range of sweet pea seeds at Amazon

See the range of sweet pea seeds at Walmart

See the range of sweet pea seeds at True Leaf Market

7. Violas

Violas are a great choice for delicate, bright plants to bring color in the cooler months of the year. There are perennial and annual varieties, and many types will return year after year as they are self-seeding flowers.

Violas are related to pansies, but have smaller flowers. They come in all different colors, and viola blooms are edible flowers that are perfect for garnishing cakes, adding to salads, or putting in cocktails.

To propagate violas in December, sow seeds lightly into trays, modules, or pots and cover them with a layer of compost or vermiculite. Unlike others in this list, viola seeds want darkness for germination.

Give the seeds temperatures of 60-70°F. If you use a heat mat, pick one with a thermostat. Viola seeds fail to germinate if the temperatures get too high, so control is essential. Pot up the seedlings once they have their first set of true leaves, or thin seedlings in pots, and grow them on at temperatures of 55-60°F.

See the range of viola seeds at Amazon

See the range of viola seeds at Walmart

See the range of viola seeds at Burpee

See the range of viola seeds at True Leaf Market

If you want more inspiration for seed sowing this month, why not start some crops too? Our guide to vegetables to plant in December highlights a great selection of crops you can sow this month. Sowing vegetables in December rewards you with earlier harvests next year.