It depends where you live too @PeatfreePete - we're around a month later for everything up here, and that applies especially to sowing seed I could never understand why I had little success with seed when I started out, until I realised that following advice from a southern gardening show didn't work when you're much further north. I rarely sow anything before mid to late March
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think the most important thing to learn is patience.
I love cottage gardens and plants in general , I have always bought rather than grown myself because I want things yesterday ! I am quickly learning gardening isn’t like that. I’ll get there.
Wasn't there a thread about this time last year entitled 'Hold On' or 'Wait' or similar - urging us all to hold off sowing seed until the last possible moment? I'm resolved to sow less this year but - the seed catalogues are landing on my mat on a daily basis now!
It's ideal if you're in anything less than a balmy, milder area @Lyn Apart from anything else, it's time and space, and light levels. We don't have the amount of daylight at this time of year - and on into spring. We might have longer daylight hours than the south, through summer, but it's the early months which matter more for seeds and young plants.
Unfortunately @PeatfreePete - patience is the hardest thing to cultivate Good luck with your plants, although I think you're doing well. I do cuttings far more than seeds, but now that I'm retired, I have more time to experiment, and I've done more seed sown plants in the last couple of years than I did in the past. Good fun to do something different
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think I'm over planting anything too soon too - last year my windowsills were just crammed with plants and it was soooo long before I could plant anything out thanks to the really late frost. Even stuff that you get told you can sow in autumn I don't think I will bother with (except Foxgloves which are ok) - I have some aquilegia I planted probably around September, supposedly giving them a head start, and they were fine but now they are hating life and I don't know how to fix them, I think they'll be dead soon
Aquilegias will generally be fine @Crazybeelady . They're totally hardy. Or do you mean they're inside?
The main problem with autumn sowing is weather, so if you have seed trays or pots outside, they get waterlogged easily, and seed just rots. Ideally, you'd sow seed early enough that it germinates, and you have small plants by around October/November. They'll manage over winter no problem, as long as they don't get waterlogged, so a sheltered spot against a wall, or an open cold frame or similar, is ideal. I have some sitting on gravel [along with other hardy plants] against the back door steps, and almost under the gas meter box, so they don't get the full blast of our weather. They're in very small pots
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Look at the state of them @Fairygirl - even worse this morning. They were small plants but I keep cutting off more of them as they are rotting, like the bottom one. They are in cold frames, which have mainly been kept closed. Maybe I take them out? Though I don't know if there is any chance of saving them now! They get aphids on too, which can't be helping, I keep squidging them but I obviously don't get them all.
They'll be fine. That's how aquilegias look through winter. I take off dead foliage as it gets more tatty I would open the frame though. They don't need protection, other than from consistent heavy rain, and even then, if the mix is gritty, they're fine. It'll be too humid for them, hence the greenfly too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree with @Fairygirl the aquilegia is fine, cut the mouldy leaves off, they’ll be back in the Spring. I find the best time to sow them is end of January. Lots of plants will have mouldy leaves in winter, it’s not a problem, just cut them off, one of the worst is Penstemon cuttings.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
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I could never understand why I had little success with seed when I started out, until I realised that following advice from a southern gardening show didn't work when you're much further north.
I rarely sow anything before mid to late March
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Apart from anything else, it's time and space, and light levels. We don't have the amount of daylight at this time of year - and on into spring.
We might have longer daylight hours than the south, through summer, but it's the early months which matter more for seeds and young plants.
Unfortunately @PeatfreePete - patience is the hardest thing to cultivate
Good luck with your plants, although I think you're doing well.
I do cuttings far more than seeds, but now that I'm retired, I have more time to experiment, and I've done more seed sown plants in the last couple of years than I did in the past. Good fun to do something different
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Even stuff that you get told you can sow in autumn I don't think I will bother with (except Foxgloves which are ok) - I have some aquilegia I planted probably around September, supposedly giving them a head start, and they were fine but now they are hating life and I don't know how to fix them, I think they'll be dead soon
The main problem with autumn sowing is weather, so if you have seed trays or pots outside, they get waterlogged easily, and seed just rots. Ideally, you'd sow seed early enough that it germinates, and you have small plants by around October/November. They'll manage over winter no problem, as long as they don't get waterlogged, so a sheltered spot against a wall, or an open cold frame or similar, is ideal.
I have some sitting on gravel [along with other hardy plants] against the back door steps, and almost under the gas meter box, so they don't get the full blast of our weather. They're in very small pots
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Look at the state of them @Fairygirl - even worse this morning. They were small plants but I keep cutting off more of them as they are rotting, like the bottom one. They are in cold frames, which have mainly been kept closed. Maybe I take them out? Though I don't know if there is any chance of saving them now! They get aphids on too, which can't be helping, I keep squidging them but I obviously don't get them all.
I would open the frame though. They don't need protection, other than from consistent heavy rain, and even then, if the mix is gritty, they're fine.
It'll be too humid for them, hence the greenfly too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Lots of plants will have mouldy leaves in winter, it’s not a problem, just cut them off, one of the worst is Penstemon cuttings.