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Scabious won't germinate

EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
in Problem solving
Hello, could anyone tell me if scabious is especially difficult to germinate? I'm growing a few different flowers from seed this year and am mostly doing OK, but not a single scabious has germinated. I've tried them on a sunny windowsill, in a cold Polytunnel, and then in a propagator under an LED light. I have tried with 50/50 sand and compost, and with a higher proportion of compost. They are nice big seeds, so are not getting blown or washed away. Does it need to be on the drier or wetter side? How much should they be covered, if at all? Any suggestions gratefully received 🙂
Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


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  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    edited April 2018
    Hi Emirion, are your seeds fresh or have you had them a while? I usually sow mine onto moist compost and cover with a fine layer of vermiculite or compost. Before I had a propagator i used to put them in a plastic bag on the window sill. Try a couple of seeds on a wet piece of kitchen roll placed in a plastic bag to see if your seed is viable, they should sprout after a few days if they are.
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    Hi, they're new this year and from a good supplier. I'll do the test though, good idea. Assuming they are viable, I've got perlite, will that do for covering them? The garden centre didn't have vermiculite this year. Just bog-standard potting compost? Scabious must like you! 
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    Compost would be better than perlite to cover with, I just use perlite mixed in the compost to make more free draining. Good luck!
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Poundland has vermiculite at a very reasonable price.
     I sowed annual Scabiosa atropurpurea fata morgana from Chiltern, and they were up in less than a week. I sowed individually in plug trays and then potted on into 3 inch pots this week.  I used Levington pro M3 compost (peat based) and then covered with a sprinkling of vermiculite.  I used a plastic cover on the seed tray, but no bottom heat.
  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    It sounds like it might be the seed then, I'll see if he kitchen paper test works. 
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Having just logged into this thread I am also having the same problem as Emerion.  I have three different types of Scabious - blue butterfly, field and I think it is called Black Night although it is a very deep red flower.  All the seed was collected within the last month and none have germinated. I will try the kitchen paper test and report back as I don't think Emerion posted a result for the test.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Think natural, PP, left to their own your plants will drop seeds, lay in the ground over winter then after the cold spell and them the warmer Spring they will start to germinate. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Fresh seed sown now, left in a cold frame or a sheltered place outdoors, will usually germinate in the Spring.
  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276
    Field Scabious has always germinated easily I've found. But Devil's-bit I can't get to sprout for love nor money.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Lyn, I am sure you are right - left to their own devices most dropped seed does eventually germinate - I guess I am in a hurry - I will try the paper towel method but if that fails to produce any seedlings then I will scatter the seed on newly raked soil in the Spring.  The Field Scabious was in a seed mix that we sowed last Spring. Thanks for all your suggestions.
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