Plant These This Spring!
It's more important than ever to find moments of joy and beauty in our daily lives. One way to do that is by planting flowers in your garden. Not only do they brighten up your space, but they also play a crucial role in supporting pollinators, like bees and butterflies. At the Snake River Seed Co-op, we offer a wide selection of spring flower seeds that are perfect for the intermountain west climate. Here are some of our favorites:
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Zinnia: These bright and cheerful flowers come in a variety of colors, from bold oranges and yellows to soft pinks and purples. They're also easy to grow and provide nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
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Buckwheat: This fast-growing annual plant is a favorite of bees and butterflies, it produces delicate white flowers. Buckwheat is a favorite of organic farmers for summer planting after spring crops have come out. It grows extremely quickly, smothering out weeds. Can be cut down as mulch, tilled into the soil as green manure, or allowed to flower to feed bees and other insects. Phosphorus accumulator.
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Amaranth: This striking plant produces tall, vibrant itty bitty flowers that bloom from summer through fall. It's also a favorite of pollinators, and its leaves can be used in salads or cooked as a nutritious vegetable.
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Cosmos Sensation Mix Cosmos is a long-blooming, old-fashioned cottage garden cut flower, adding color to garden beds and borders. 3-4’ tall. It's also a favorite of beneficial insects, and the white ones attract bees!
- Strawflower Mix: Strawflowers have petals that resemble the texture of straw when mature and hold their color and texture even when dry. A mix of different colors (red, pink, lemon, lilac and more!) makes for grand crafts and dried flowers. This flower is also slightly frost-tolerant, so it continues to bloom into fall! Pollinators love them! Plant next to your tomatoes for a bumper crop.
These flowers are not just beneficial for pollinators, they are also a way for us to show gratitude and acknowledge the reciprocal relationship we have with nature. So why not try planting them in your garden this spring?
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Choose a sunny location with well-draining soil.
- Directions vary per variety, many suggest directly sowing seeds after the last frost, or starting seeds indoors 4-8 weeks prior.
- Keep the soil moist but not too wet, and avoid over-watering to prevent disease.
- Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continued blooming.
- Enjoy the beauty and benefits that these flowers bring to your garden and pollinators.
Browse our full selection of spring flower seeds today and bring joy to your garden and pollinators!
