Gardening Ideas Gardening Flowers The Procrastinator's Guide to Quick-Germinating Seeds for Blooming Beds by Summer By Grace Haynes Grace Haynes Grace is a former Associate Homes Editor for Southern Living. She covered a variety of topics for print and digital, from design and flower arranging to cottage gardens and pets. Before moving to the Homes team, she joined Southern Living as a copy editor. Off the clock, find her strolling through neighborhoods around the South to admire the houses and snapping photos of colorful front doors. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on September 1, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Hope isn't lost for those of us who spent fall watching football and winter indoors instead of prepping our garden for spring. Gather a few seed packets of these summer blooms and get started this weekend. 01 of 10 Sunflowers Robbie Caponetto For early-summer blooms, plant seeds in rich, moist soil following a good rain after the last spring frost. The stalks may require staking as they grow tall and top-heavy. Cut sunflowers for seasonal arrangements. 02 of 10 Zinnias Robbie Caponetto Lollygagging gardeners can wait until late spring or even early summer to sow the seeds of heat-loving zinnias. Generously water and fertilize for bright color until fall. 03 of 10 Spider Flowers Robbie Caponetto Spread quick-sprouting spider flower seeds in warm soil along the fence line of your garden because they self-sow rapidly and grow into large, showy shrubs. Snip a few blossoming stems for textural bouquets. 04 of 10 Marigolds Hector Manuel Sanchez Deadhead spent flowers to make marigolds last fromsummer until fall's first frost. Fill a vase with a cluster of these aromatic blooms. 05 of 10 Nasturtiums Matthew Ashmore / EyeEm / Getty Images Plant easy-to-grow nasturtiums in hanging baskets with sandy, well-drained soil. Get moving on these classics—they prefer cooler temperatures and will wither in peak summer heat. Coax the seeds into sprouting faster by soaking them in water overnight before planting. 06 of 10 Cosmos Photography by Alexandra Rudge/Getty Images Colorful cosmos attract both birds and butterflies. Preserve the vibrant blooms by cutting as soon as they open and placing in cold water. 07 of 10 China Aster barbaraaaa/Getty Images Brighten up beds with china aster's fluffy pompon-like blooms. Give them moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Be careful not to overwater, which makes these flowers susceptible to disease. 08 of 10 Morning Glory Alison Miksch Natives of tropical and subtropical regions, morning glories perform well in a hot Southern climate. Speed up the growth of their hard seeds by soaking them overnight or making a small cut in the coating before planting. 09 of 10 Blanket Flowers Ralph Lee Anderson Give low-maintenance blanket flowers good drainage, and that's about all you'll have to do. They thrive in heat, don't need regular water, and are deer resistant. 10 of 10 Dahlberg Daises Ralph Lee Anderson Bring on the sweltering temps for Dahlberg daises, which thrive in the Coastal and Tropical South' heat. Sow seeds in well-drained soil for blooms from late summer through fall. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit