Gardeners Suggest 3 Options For Growing Godetia From Seed, Including Sowing In Autumn
Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
Contributions From EMILY CUPIT
Emily is a Gardening Writer, Photographer and Videographer from Derbyshire, UK. She is the Founder of Emily's Green Diary - a community of more than 75,000 people who share in her gardening journey.
Godetia grandiflora is a hardy annual worth considering for UK gardens, as it produces flowers in summer that are lilac or pink, sometimes with white centres.
They will thrive in full sun or partial shade, in moist but well-drained loam or sandy soil with an acid pH.
If you would like to grow these annuals from seed, there are three different options to consider:
- You can directly sow the seeds in a prepared bed in early-mid spring, or potentially in autumn in areas with milder winters.
- Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date in your area, and then transplant them to the garden after the last frost in your area.
- You can also sow the seeds under glass in autumn, overwintering them with protection for flowers a little earlier than typical for spring sowing the following year.
When To Sow
Godetias are typically sown in either early spring or in autumn.
When precisely you sow them will depend on where you live and also on whether you have chosen to directly sow the seeds where they are to grow in your garden or are growing them indoors for later transplantation.
I’d recommend sowing the seeds of godetia directly into a prepared bed or border where they are to grow, in early to mid-spring or in autumn if you live in a milder area.
However, depending on the conditions where you live, you may find it easier and have better germination rates if you sow a little earlier in spring, indoors or under cover, and transplant the young godetia to your garden once all risk of frost has passed.
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Equipment Required | Seeds, seed tray or pots, growing medium |
| When To Sow | March-April or September |
| When To Plant Out | April (if not directly sown) |
Here are three different options to consider depending on the growing conditions where you live:
1) Directly Sow Seeds
If you decide to directly sow godetia seeds, then the first and most important thing is to choose a suitable place to grow godetia and then to prepare the growing area.
This plant grows best in slightly acidic, moist but well-drained, and poor to moderately fertile soil.
It can be grown in full sun or partially shaded conditions.
The main thing to avoid is overly hot or humid conditions.
Make sure the area is not over-fertilised too, and avoid sowing close to legumes or other nitrogen fixers.
Make sure the area is clear and weed-free, then sow your seeds as desired, making sure that you place the seeds on top of the soil since these seeds need light to germinate.
Sow sparsely, and thin the seeds as required to leave an eventual spacing of around 15-20cm between plants.
2) Sow Indoors In Spring
If direct sowing proves challenging where you live, you can sow indoors around 6-8 weeks before the expected last frost date in your area.
The reason that direct sowing is recommended for godetia is that they can be susceptible to damping off, so indoor sowing can be trickier than it is with many other seeds.
Ensuring good hygiene with tools and containers, choosing a suitable seed-starting compost with added vermiculite or grit, growing under bright light in a well-ventilated space, keeping temperatures at 12-21°C, and watering from below can all help to prevent issues.
If you choose this option then you should transplant the young godetias to their final growing position in the garden (after hardening off) after the last frost date where you live.
3) Sow Undercover In Autumn
Another option that people sometimes take when growing godetias from seed is sowing under glass in autumn.
“Sowing in autumn and then transferring to a ventilated cold frame can be a good way to minimise damping off as it allows a good amount of airflow around the seedlings,” shares Colin Skelly, Horticulturist and Consultant.
“Being careful not to overwater is important as temperatures cool down.”
Again, ensuring good hygiene and providing the right growing conditions is crucial to avoid problems before germination or when seedlings are small.
Overwinter the young plants and these can then be planted into their growing positions in spring.
