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Help with growing Verbenas

allyrlallyrl Posts: 9
in Plants
Hey gardeners! I've grown verbena bonariensis seedlings for the first time this year. I've grown them indoors on the windowsill and a couple of weeks ago pricked out some of the larger ones and put them in small pots in the greenhouse. Unfortunately they went very floppy and I lost one tray of them. The stems changed to a reddish purple colour, wondered if this is normal? They're not doing very well at all. The rest have continued on indoors, last night I potted them all on and kept the pots on the windowsill. I was using a spray bottle to water when they were small, perhaps the roots weren't strong enough? Any help with what to do next would be fantastic. I'd hate to lose the rest!

Posts

  • SmudgesDadSmudgesDad Posts: 61
    Are you sure it’s not too hot in your greenhouse, we’ve had some corking weather lately.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    Mine self seed and many have a purple tinge. That's not a problem.
    I would put at least some of them outside.
    When you plant them, make sure they'll have plenty of sun.
    None of mine choose to grow on the light- shady side of my garden but on the sunny side they seed in containers and between paving slabs. It would seem that they don't like it too wet either.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    edited May 2018
    I have some seedlings still to pot on and they do have reddish purple stems. I have always found them slow to germinate so congratulations on getting this far.

    I think SmudgesDad has a point about it being too hot for them. With the ones you have left I would put them outside during the day and bring them in at night for a few days. Then I would look for a sheltered shady spot and leave them outdoors until you feel they are strong enough to plant out.

    I like to hold a few back in pots over Winter as they never seem to reappear the next year for me. Saying that, one did and I also found one little seedling, so I am pleased. The are lovely plants.

    Good luck with yours.

    edit: I didn't see your post B3 and agree they like to be planted in the sun. I suggested shade just to protect them in pots while they are small.
    SW Scotland
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Not sure how big they were before you pricked them out, but you should wait until the 1st set of true leaves has appeared. The very first pair of leaves are the seed leaves, the next pair are the true leaves. Once they've appeared, after a couple of days there should be more than a single root so they should be able to be transplanted.

    I also find they self seed everywhere. There are even masses of them coming in the lawn close to borders.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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