@lorenzoantolovi I'm not too sure about inside a shed, during winter the plantlets will need as much light as possible. Check out Winter Sowing by Kevin Jacobs.......great info and very interesting.
@Oh Mary what a wonderful place to live,I lived near Scone Palace,and we did many a day out to Glen Doll and around your area,we absolutely loved it up there.I had a beautiful garden in Scone,it had a burn running through it. I always remember it with great fondness.
The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
Lorenzo - Good luck keeping any of those alive over winter in Glen Isla! Whereabouts are you in the glen? It's a bonny place They'd need to be bigger plants than that to thrive outdoors, as Lyn has said, so you'd really need a greenhouse or a decent cold frame to overwinter successfully. Even then, some probably wouldn't make it. As B'cupdays said - they need adequate light, because if the get leggy, they also get weak - the last thing you want. It's hard to achieve at this time of year,and into winter.
If you can provide enough shelter in late spring, out of the wind, against walls, between other shrubs etc - sow more seed, and keep them in as sheltered a spot as possible to germinate. You could also sow some indoors, and then harden them off later for putting outside It won't be easy, and you may still need extra protection for them, but any that do grow, will be tougher and ready for the weather and conditions there
The Glen Doll/Glen Clova hills are very nice walks VGardener. Been there many times. The Corrie Fee is a stunning place. Not to be missed.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It only takes a little imagination and some bubblewrap to provide shelter over Winter. I use an unwanted Ikea kitchen table (narrow with a latticed bottom shelf) bubblewrapped all round with tacks to put things out to overwinter. The front part rolls up or down depending on the weather.
I am lucky to have a front and back porch, plus a cold frame, but anything will do. So far I have seeded Lupins, Meconopsis, Scarlet Cinquefoil, Circium and Larkspur. I will do Sweetpeas in October. Many seeds need that cold stratification to get going, and I believe they respond to some moistness in the air. They should start to peep through in February and grow on to be healthy sturdy plants. I would add that they are all grown in seed trays. Never in the ground in Scotland.
Hi Lyn, no doubt you are probably right about the Echinacea but I'll do my best with them. I know everyone agrees that they need light (while there is foliage) but what about when all foliage dies back for hibernation. Surely then it does not matter if they are kept inside out of light somewhere out of the cold for the dormancy period or does it??? Also whether I shelter them inside or out (during dirmancy) do I still need to water them during dormancy and how often. Is it simply a cace of water them, wait until the soil is completely dry and repeat.
Fairy Girl. I live on an organic farm 1 mile past Kingoldrum and 1 mile before Lintrathen reservoir. Views to Arbroath, Dundee and Perth, amazing place go live, I'm very very lucky.
Hi Purple Rain, I presume when you suggest sowing more seed, you mean in Jan/Feb in seed trays inside. Also how would you define a decent cold frame? I would have thought 4 x wooden sides with sheet of glass/perspex on top, but may be this offers little protection from cold, please feel free to elaborate.
Hi @lorenzoantolovi. The seeds I have mentioned can be done now and put outside over Winter apart from the Lupins which I keep in a cold porch.It doesn't matter how cold it gets, they will like that, but they need some shelter from the rain and garden pests, which is where a cold frame, or in my case an Ikea table helps.
Your description of a cold frame is exactly what it is, just four sides and a glass top, but if you are handy you could copy some of the ones for sale which have a slant. Some are vertical and some horizontal but they all do the same job.If I have plants in there as opposed to just seeds and it gets very cold, then I throw some horticultural fleece over them (very cheap in Home Bargains, but easily obtained on the net).
I do most seeds in Feb/March, using heat, but the ones I have mentioned can be sown now along with many others. I feel I am teaching a Granny or Grampa to suck eggs as you live on an organic farm though 🙂.
Hi Purple rain. Thanks for the info. What about watering the plants during dormancy. Some of you must be thinking I am a right plonker at this stage. Will set to building a few cold frames this evening. Cheers
Oh my wife is the farmer but it's livestock, so as little as I know it's still way more than her. She's only interested in Highland Ponies and certainly nout to do with gardening, she always takes the Mick out of me, when she met me I used to Ice climb, kayak, downhill mountain bike etc etc and now all I do is gardening and I'm only 38, I've become middle aged since I met her.... 🤣
Lovely part of the world indeed Lorenzo - you're nearer the Kirriemuir/Forfar end. Possibly - I could have seen you from here
I'd reckon the wind will be more of an issue than almost anything, as you've indicated, and it's more about timing and proper protection from the worst of the weather. Snow can insulate, but it doesn't work when it's falling on wet plants, so a good cold frame or greenhouse can benefit. You may find that it's a matter of trial and error with lots of plants. Careful hardening off etc. They won't need much looking after when dormant, but just check now and again. You don't wantthem sitting in wet soil. Most plants cope well enough with cold if they aren't in wet cold. Even here where I am, it's hard to get things germinating successfully and grown on. Patience has to be cultivated along with the seeds! Asking questions is the way we all learn - so never be afraid to ask. It's a big learning curve when you start out, and it's still one even decades down the line!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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They'd need to be bigger plants than that to thrive outdoors, as Lyn has said, so you'd really need a greenhouse or a decent cold frame to overwinter successfully. Even then, some probably wouldn't make it. As B'cupdays said - they need adequate light, because if the get leggy, they also get weak - the last thing you want. It's hard to achieve at this time of year,and into winter.
If you can provide enough shelter in late spring, out of the wind, against walls, between other shrubs etc - sow more seed, and keep them in as sheltered a spot as possible to germinate. You could also sow some indoors, and then harden them off later for putting outside It won't be easy, and you may still need extra protection for them, but any that do grow, will be tougher and ready for the weather and conditions there
The Glen Doll/Glen Clova hills are very nice walks VGardener. Been there many times. The Corrie Fee is a stunning place. Not to be missed.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I am lucky to have a front and back porch, plus a cold frame, but anything will do. So far I have seeded Lupins, Meconopsis, Scarlet Cinquefoil, Circium and Larkspur. I will do Sweetpeas in October. Many seeds need that cold stratification to get going, and I believe they respond to some moistness in the air. They should start to peep through in February and grow on to be healthy sturdy plants. I would add that they are all grown in seed trays. Never in the ground in Scotland.
Fairy Girl. I live on an organic farm 1 mile past Kingoldrum and 1 mile before Lintrathen reservoir. Views to Arbroath, Dundee and Perth, amazing place go live, I'm very very lucky.
Hi Purple Rain, I presume when you suggest sowing more seed, you mean in Jan/Feb in seed trays inside. Also how would you define a decent cold frame? I would have thought 4 x wooden sides with sheet of glass/perspex on top, but may be this offers little protection from cold, please feel free to elaborate.
Your description of a cold frame is exactly what it is, just four sides and a glass top, but if you are handy you could copy some of the ones for sale which have a slant. Some are vertical and some horizontal but they all do the same job.If I have plants in there as opposed to just seeds and it gets very cold, then I throw some horticultural fleece over them (very cheap in Home Bargains, but easily obtained on the net).
I do most seeds in Feb/March, using heat, but the ones I have mentioned can be sown now along with many others. I feel I am teaching a Granny or Grampa to suck eggs as you live on an organic farm though 🙂.
Possibly - I could have seen you from here
I'd reckon the wind will be more of an issue than almost anything, as you've indicated, and it's more about timing and proper protection from the worst of the weather. Snow can insulate, but it doesn't work when it's falling on wet plants, so a good cold frame or greenhouse can benefit. You may find that it's a matter of trial and error with lots of plants. Careful hardening off etc. They won't need much looking after when dormant, but just check now and again. You don't wantthem sitting in wet soil. Most plants cope well enough with cold if they aren't in wet cold.
Even here where I am, it's hard to get things germinating successfully and grown on. Patience has to be cultivated along with the seeds!
Asking questions is the way we all learn - so never be afraid to ask. It's a big learning curve when you start out, and it's still one even decades down the line!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...