I live in New Delhi, India. I want to know which flowering plants can I sow in pots during the month of March. How to take care of them?

Hi, alkavijh, and Welcome. Could you please tell us a little more about your climate there? Which months are rainy, and which times of the year are dry? How hot does it get? How cold? Humidity?

It seems that you are at a similar latitude to my location here in Florida, but our climates will be quite different because you are not near any oceans.

I am now growing nasturtiums, snapdragons and calendula because this is our coolest time of the year. They will all peter out as the springtime progresses, and they cannot stand the summer heat and humidity.

Hello alkavijh! It does help to know what is your high temperature in your area. Though I imagine like in my old homeland, by that time we are entering the start of hot and humid summer that starts to peak by April. Pretty much most flowering plants likes lots of sun, good moist media, and you may have to do daily watering, since the heat and humidity can be intense, with application of fertilizer at the beginning.

I can suggest Jasmine sumbac, marigolds, some orchids like vandas, cattleyas and dendrobiums (but do provide some shade during the hottest time of the day), calamondin tree - it does have jasmine-like blooms then followed by the little tart fruits; tropical hibiscus. Oh, you can certainly try Adeniums and Plumerias too.

As to ongoing care for the plants, I would suggest too, that you try and search for various gardening blogs on the internet relative to your location. Our growing conditions here are rather different.

At the most, at times, when temperatures peak beyond 30C with the humidity factor added on top, most plants will just stop growing or doing any blooms till the conditions improve.

alkavijh said:I live in New Delhi, India. I want to know which flowering plants can I sow in pots during the month of March. How to take care of them?

Hi, Alkavijh! Welocme to ATP!

I don;t know for sure that Dave's calendar is valid for New Delhi, but it will take into account your spring and fall frost dates ... umm ... if you have frosts!

Based on what my SO tells me about visiting India, heat will be your biggest determining factor for what will grow when.

And I know for sure that he would appreciate hearing how well it works out for you, if you use some of his dates. Dave Whitinger does all or most of the software for this site, but I think his oldest son helps, sometimes, now. Dave and Trish his wife are the administrators for this site, both SUPER nice people and often chat online.

I think this will take you to the garden planting calendar calculated to respect frost dates. How well it deals with rainy seasons or monsoons ... you have monsoons, don't you? ... I don't know.

http://garden.org/apps/calenda...

Unfortunately, this calendar is all about vegetables, and you want to grow flowers. So unless you can equate some flowering plant's needs to those of, say, eggplants, it won;t help you much.

Sorry that, so far, we mostly have questions and not answers!

My thinking is that, if you are relatively new to gardening, start with seeds that are EASY to start! I think those are mostly annual plants.

Perennials often have very tiny seeds that are very fussy about being willing to germinate ("dormancy" and "stratification"). And then some perennials are slow to grow and bloom. But not all perennials. The easy way to grow perennials is to buy a very small plant that will eventually look like what you want (small usually means cheaper). Then grow it for a year or two until it is gorgeous! Then, you might be able to divide that plant and gift the babies to friends, or FILL your yard with them.

Here are some easy annuals that I like.
Zinnias
Marigolds (tall ones are Tagetes erecta. Short "French" marigolds are Tagetes patula
Alyssum (Lobularia maritima[/u])
Lobelia erinus (so many deep blue colors!)
Bachelor Button ([i]Centaurea cyanus)

Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea might be very invasive. They can form HUGE carpets of vines crawling over anything in thier path - or be well-behaved vines that are easy to grow.
Cosmos

You had better ask around to see whether they can stand up to your heat. I'm afraid that where I live, summer nights often dip below 50-60 F (13 C) and summer days seldom go above 80-90F (30 C).

I'm just curious: is your winter hotter than my summer?

Morning Glory Ipomoea purpurea 'Star of Yelta' or
Tall Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea 'Grandpa Ott')

Dear All,

Thanks for your quick responses, In New Delhi, summer is going to follow and peak months are April to July. During these months the temperature is really unbearable can go above 35 too sometimes to 40 or highest to 42 where all things burn up. I shift my all plants in the shady area and some of them inside too. They need lot of care and water about twice. No humid, it is too dry. So greenery around makes us feel fresh of this dry and hot climate. Rains are expected to be in the month of July end - August.

So, for your hot and dry summer time, if you started those annuals that Rick mentioned above, they would very likely bloom well for you right through the hot weather if you can keep them watered enough. Nasturtiums are another nice flower that blooms well in hot, dry conditions. Plus the flowers and leaves are edible as well.

Once the rains started, the annuals would probably peter out, and some of the more tropical flowering plants like Pentas will do well.
Star Flower (Pentas lanceolata)

Scroll down the page on the above link to see a bunch of the different colors of these very durable flowers.

Thanks !

Wow, 95 - 105 F! I bet most plants WOULD like shade and frequent watering!! And maybe misting or spraying.

Good luck!

>> I shift my all plants in the shady area and some of them inside too.

Just out of curiosity, what plants do you like now?