13 Seeds You Should Wait to Start Until Late Spring
Are you looking for seeds to start in late spring? From summer harvests to avoiding frosts, there are several reasons why late spring is perfect for planting. In this article, horticulture expert Matt Dursum covers the seeds you should wait to start until late spring.

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Depending on where you live and its climate, late spring can be a wonderful time to start planting. In many regions, it’s when the threat of frost passes. It’s also when the sun shines brighter.
Many species, such as corn and sunflowers, evolved to germinate in late spring, after the last frost. Other species can germinate in the cold but will mature in summer if you plant them in late spring.
As the cold weather subsides and the leaf buds turn to leaves, it’s time to get in your garden and start planting. Below are 13 seeds you should wait to start until late spring.
Sweet Corn

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common name Sweet Corn |
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botanical name Zea mays |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 5-8’ |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
It’s hard to imagine a crop more associated with summer and America. Corn is one of the oldest crops in the Americas. It was domesticated from Mexico to the Southern Andes in South America over 6,000 years ago from a wild grass called teosinte.
When the Europeans invaded the shores of North America, corn was one of the first foods they encountered. Within half a century, it spread throughout the world. Today, people worldwide use corn in iconic dishes but nowhere is more committed to it than the Americas.
Start corn seeds in late spring to get a summer-long harvest. Try directly sowing outdoors several weeks after the threat of the last frost. In 5 to 10 days, you should have your first seedlings appear. Corn needs about 1 inch of water every week.
Sunflower

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common name Sunflower |
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botanical name Helianthus annuus |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 2-12’ |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
There are around 100 species in the Helianthus genus, what we call sunflowers. The ones we love today for their big, delicious seeds and bright yellow blooms is Helianthus annuus. These popular flowering plants are native to the Americas. They produce edible seeds and flower pedals that will add a touch of color to your salads.
Sunflowers are composed of thousands of tiny flowers known as florets. They grow on a single stalk that can reach up to 12 feet, and sometimes more. They prefer full sun and are relatively easy to care for if they get enough sun, nutrients, and water.
Sow your sunflowers directly on the soil in late spring, one to two weeks after the last frost. Combine three seeds every two feet and plant a quarter to a half inch deep. You should get tiny stalks in two weeks and by summer, your entire garden will be filled with attractive blooms reminiscent of a Van Gogh painting.
Dill

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common name Dill |
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botanical name Anethum graveolens |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 18-60” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Dill is one of the best herbs you can grow in a summer garden. It’s native to the Mediterranean and is one of the oldest culinary herbs in the world. There are records of the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians using it as a medicinal herb over 3,000 years ago.
Dill grows best sowed outdoors one to two weeks after the last frost. It thrives in slightly acidic soil that’s well-draining and full of nutrients. In 65 to 75 days it will mature in your garden. Once it’s ready, harvest its leaves as a fresh ingredient for salads and soups, or dry them out for your spice jars.
One of the best parts about dill is that it attracts helpful pollinators. After its flowers fade away, you can let it go to seed and reseed itself. Try growing dill around summer vegetables such as cucumber, asparagus, and cabbage.
Zucchini

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common name Zucchini |
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botanical name Cucurbita pepo |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 6-10’ |
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hardiness zones 3-10 |
Zucchini is a summer treat that I love growing. As much as I love growing rare and novelty edible plants, it’s hard not to love the tasty green squash and flowers zucchini provides. Besides being easy to grow and delicious, it’s one of the oldest vegetables on earth. There’s evidence that early societies in South America grew the crop domestically as long as 10,000 years ago.
Plant zucchini seeds in late spring. It prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil with tons of organic nutrients. The highly productive vine grows best in full sun with a consistent watering schedule. Once the plant matures, you’ll have trouble keeping up with harvests.
Try harvesting its young vines to make homemade squash vine soup. Add the flowers to soups and stir-fries or deep fry them tempura style. If you have an abundance of zucchini squash left over, it’s time to make everyone’s favorite zucchini bread!
Pinto Beans

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common name Pinto Beans |
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botanical name Phaseolus vulgaris (Pinto Group) |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 2-6’ |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Pinto beans are one of the best crops to grow in a summer garden. Plant them near your squash and corn several weeks after the last frost. They thrive in warm soil, so late spring is usually the best time to get them in the soil.
Plant them in well-drained soil where previous bean plants haven’t grown. This will limit their exposure to pests and diseases in the soil. They require moist soil for up to two weeks as they germinate. Grow them on a trellis or fence or let them climb other tall plants in your garden.
These edible beans are native to South America and are one of the oldest food crops in the world. To eat them, you have to cook the beans for several hours until they’re soft. Beans contain toxins that have to be removed by cooking.
Marigold Flowers

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common name Marigold Flowers |
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botanical name Tagetes erecta |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height Up to 1’ |
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hardiness zones 3-11 |
Marigolds are fantastic summer bloomers, full of vivid red, yellow, and brass hues. They contain the chemicals pyrethrum and limonene, which help rid your garden of harmful pests such as root-knot nematodes in their second season. What’s even more impressive is they attract helpful pollinators at the same time.
These colorful flowers are native to Central America. In Mexico, marigolds are an important flower of the annual Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, festival. The ancient Aztecs called them cempasúchil and used them in festivals and ceremonies.
Plant these flowers in late spring around your edible garden. Make sure they get plenty of sun. Other than that, they are easy to take care of. They can handle long droughts and will bloom all summer long.
Garden Peas

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common name Garden Peas |
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botanical name Pisum sativum |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 1-6’ |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Garden peas are a must for summer gardens because of their edible pods, edible flowers, and edible greens. Basically, the entire plant is edible. For foodie gardeners like me, it’s hard to get enough of these summer garden staples.
There are hundreds of varieties and cultivars to choose from. There are snap peas, snow peas, English peas, and other common varieties worth mixing up in your garden. Each one has its own flower color, pod shape, and flavor.
Although peas are a cool-season crop as well, you can enjoy them through summer if you plant them in late spring. Sow them deep into well-drained soil that’s full of nutrients. They can handle full sun or partial shade, making them suitable for gardens near forests and tall trees.
Lettuce

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common name Lettuce |
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botanical name Lactuca sativa |
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sun requirements Partial shade |
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height 4-12” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Lettuce comes in hundreds of varieties and cultivars. It’s the base ingredient in salads from around the world, making it a must in your spring and summer garden. These plants grow fast, so planting them in late spring will give you bountiful harvests leading into summer.
These edible leafy greens come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors. As diverse as they are, they share a common trait: they’re easy to grow!
Plant them in well-drained soil rich in organic material. They love growing with the help of earthworm compost and other organic fertilizers. Keep the soil moist and consider using mulch to keep the moisture in the soil.
Flowering Cosmos

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common name Flowering Cosmos |
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botanical name Cosmos bipinnatus |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 8” – 6’ |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Flowering cosmos are stunning flowers that grow in poor soils. They are perfect for growing around your garden beds and even around driveways. They have colorful blooms that appear in white, purple, red, and even chocolate colors!
Native to Mexico, botanical collectors brought cosmos flowers to Europe in the 18th century. From there, the flowers grew in popularity, eventually reaching gardens around the world. The first cosmos came to the US via Mexico in the late 19th century.
After the last frost, sow your seeds directly into the soil and rake them. Give them a good watering and keep the soil partially moist until they germinate. Once they are established in your soil and mature, they can tolerate a moderate drought.
Gladiolus

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common name Gladiolus |
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botanical name Gladiolus spp. |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 3-6’ |
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hardiness zones 7-10 |
Gladiolus are magical summer bloomers with bright flowers and wispy foliage. Their flowers look like Victorian frilled cuffs and their leaves like long sharp swords. There are around 300 species and even more cultivars to choose from.
These magical summer flowers grow from corms which should go in the ground after the last frost. Once they mature, they can grow up to 6 feet and tower over your other plants. Grow them along with other flowers for perfectly balanced flower beds.
Plant them in well-drained soil once the temperatures start to warm up in late spring. They need full sun and plenty of water throughout the summer growing season. Add compost throughout the year moderately to encourage big, beautiful blooms and healthy foliage.
Dahlias

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common name Dahlias |
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botanical name Dahlia pinnata |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 1-4’ |
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hardiness zones 8-11 |
Dahlias produce heavy blooms with multiple colors and styles. You can plant tons of varieties together in late spring to create a forest of flowers in the summer. They attract some of your garden’s most loved pollinators including hummingbirds and bees.
These stunning flowers are native to the Americas, from Mexico to South America. French colonizers brought them to Europe in the 18th century and people couldn’t get enough of them.
Dahlias will last through summer and early fall. They produce a rayed pattern of flowers around the center. The tall stems can grow as high as 6 feet in some varieties. They need consistent watering, warm temperatures, and nutrient-rich soil to flourish in your garden.
Canna Lilies

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common name Canna Lilies |
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botanical name Canna spp |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2-8’ |
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hardiness zones 6-10 |
Canna lilies are not true lilies but part of the Cannaceae family of plants. They’re native to the Americas where they’ve been cultivated for thousands of years. They have majestic blooms that grow on massive stalks that can become the tallest flowers in your garden. Healthy plants have dramatic green foliage that grows full and bushy.
Besides their blooms, canna lilies attract tons of beneficial pollinators to your garden. There are many cultivars to choose from. They come in a diverse range of colors, from white, red, orange, and dark red to black.
Plant them in late spring after the threat of frost is gone. They thrive in areas with full sun or partial shade. They love plenty of water and mulch around their stems. Besides lots of water, they need well-drained soil high in organic matter and plenty of compost.
Begonias

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common name Begonias |
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botanical name Begonia spp |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height Variety dependent |
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hardiness zones 10-11 |
Begonias are tropical flowers that you can grow as annuals. They are native to the wet and humid forests of Central and South America but have become popular garden flowers around the world. They have magical flowers, with multiple sizes and colors, with big blooms and radiant foliage. With around 2,000 species and plenty of varieties and cultivars, these flowers are perfect if you love variety in your summer garden.
These tender perennials can’t tolerate cold temperatures. Plant them in late spring, long after the last frost has ended. Start them indoors several weeks before the last frost and transplant them outside once they’re ready. Don’t forget to harden them off before getting them in the ground.
Although some species can thrive in full sun, most prefer partial shade. All species prefer light soil with tons of organic material. Keep the soil evenly moist and avoid over-saturating. Once they mature, you’ll enjoy healthy flowers through the summer and into the fall.