| Most annuals that are also native in similar Mediterranean climates will actually germinate best if sown in fall to correspond with the start of the typical fall rains. Some common California annuals to consider might include Eschscholtzia californica, Clarkia spp, Nemophila, Limnanthes, Phacelia, Stylomecon heterophylla, etc. Lots of South African annuals such as Heliopsis, Nemesia strumosa, Linaria reticulata, Venidium, Zulusianskya, are all easy if you don't get heavy frosts in winter. There are certainly plenty of true Mediterranean annuals that we easily grow for winter bloom here in northern California, such as Anagallis monellii, Cerinthe major purpurescens, Echium plantagineum, Iberis umbellata, Scabiosa atropurpurea, Mathiola, and Agrostemma githago. If you would like to see photos of many of these on one web site, you could check them out at www.annie'sannuals.com, where these are all available for fall into spring planting. I've found that adding soil amendments and preparing an in-situ planting bed which receives some irrigation in late September or early October is an easy time to sow seeds and get enough growth for late winter bloom if you stay warm enough. At the nursery, these plants are sown in late summer to be ready in 4 inch size pots as early as September for fall planting. If planted out in late August or early September, many of these plants are already in full bloom by early October, and will remain blooming until March/April. We typically only get light frosts during this period, and days which are generally cool and only into the high 50's/low 60'sF. |
