Northeast Seed Collective

Growing native plants is incredibly rewarding! Much depends on your conditions, in terms of what to grow. It’s good to assess the type of soil/moisture/light you have so that you find the right plants for the right places. Where I am we have different planting areas w/various conditions, but my current favorites in our midsummer sunny plots are the Echinacea purpurea, the various rudbeckias, the swamp milkweed and the hoary skullcap. Some things are trickier to grow from seed than others, but anywhere you get seeds from should have a comprehensive germination guide. Lots of our native plants here need a cold period, like they would get in nature over winter in order to germinate, so it’s important to know what each type requires. I like to sow in late autumn, cover pots with mesh and leave them outside all winter. You can also look up milk jug sowing, lots of people have great success with that method! The Wild Seed Project is another great educational resource too. Happy gardening!