So dull and dark are the days this month, you’d be entirely within your rights to hang up your trowel for the season. Still, if you want next year’s garden to burst into life, November is your sweet spot, particularly if you’re the kind of person who prefers those flower seeds you can chuck down and forget about.
Yes, while harvesting seeds is likely near the top of your list of November gardening chores, now is actually a pretty good time to sow them, too. In fact, many hardy flower seeds actually need the cold to germinate properly (a process called stratification, which mimics what happens in nature when seeds drop in fall and wait out winter before sprouting).
Think of it as lazy gardening at its best: scatter, forget, and enjoy the magic come spring. Here are seven foolproof seeds you can sow and forget about this month, depending on which USDA Plant Hardiness Zone you’re based in…
1. California Poppy
The California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a naturally seeding perennial in USDA zones 8-10 that is every bit as colorful as it is easy to maintain, and it absolutely belongs at the very top of our list of flower seeds you can chuck down in November and forget about until the following year.
All you have to do is choose a spot in full sun and sow your seeds (you can get a large bag of 20,000 Red Chief Eschscholzia Seeds by Seeds2Go via Amazon) over bare, well-drained soil, and they’ll do the rest. Just be wary, though; this flower has a deep taproot and ferociously reseeds.
2. Black-Eyed Susan
The black-eyed Susan flower (Rudbeckia hirta) is a true pollinator magnet that’s become synonymous with golden summers, but don’t be fooled; they are more than hardy enough to handle snow and freezing nights.
Scatter the seeds in late fall, rake them in lightly, and you’ll be rewarded with bright, daisy-like flowers by midsummer. You can pick up a bulk bag of 400,000 Black Eyed Susan Seeds from Sweet Yards Store on Amazon, and take care to give them a spot that promises a neutral soil pH and full sun to light shade.
3. Purple Coneflower
A classic cottage-garden annual that’s almost impossible to mess up, the seeds of the easy-to-grow purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) germinate best after a cold spell – making them perfect for November sowing.
Pick up a bag of over 2,300 NatureZ Edge Purple Coneflower Seeds on Amazon, then, and start chucking them about in a sunny spot with poor or lean soil. Then, sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge that those signature blooms will pop in late spring.
4. Lupine
Native to North America and beloved by bees, lupines (Lupinus polyphyllus) absolutely thrive on neglect. Their hard seed coats soften with winter moisture, helping them sprout when the soil warms, which makes November a great time to get them in the ground (especially if you fancy seeing them bloom around mid-spring).
Take a moment, then, to browse all of the lupine seeds available at Walmart, and make sure you sow them in a sunny, well-drained spot.
5. Eryngium
Eryngium plants, also known as sea holly flowers, are one of those beautifully spiky plants that adds drama to your landscape. And, yes, you’d best believe their seeds can be sown directly in the garden in November, depending on where you’re based in the country (these seeds require a warm moist stratification for one month followed by one month of cold moist stratification).
Once your eryngiums are established, they will flower year after year and naturally self-seed around your garden. Pick up a packet of Eryngium Blue Thistle Hollies from Walmart, then, and get ready to enjoy this pollinator magnet for years to come.
6. Snapdragon
If you fancy growing snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) in your garden, you’re in luck; many experts say November is a brilliant time to get these seeds in the ground for brightly colored flowers in 2026.
While it’s worth working organic material into the bed prior to planting, they are pretty self-sufficient otherwise, happily growing in zones 3 to 8 and coming back every year from self-sowing. You can pick up a packet of Large Mixed Snapdragon Flower Seeds for Planting from the Sow Right Seeds Store on Amazon.
7. Milkweed
Essential for monarch butterflies and other beneficial insects, milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) needs a cold period to wake up, making them another candidate for November sowing.
Simply pick up a variety pack of Milkweed Seeds For Monarch Butterflies from Walmart, scatter in full sun and forget about them until spring. Your patience will be rewarded in the form of tall stems topped with clusters of vivid orange flowers and a thriving pollinator hub. Win!
While these are all absolutely flower seeds you can chuck down in November and forget about until spring, you should still take care to mark where you’ve sown with a small stake, or photo on your phone. Otherwise, by spring, you’ll have done an Alice in Wonderland and forgotten where you “forgot.”
Otherwise, put your faith in nature; take a moment to wander the garden before the bleak midwinter takes hold, toss those seeds down and walk away. Your future self (and the bees) will thank you.
