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Sowing seeds overwinter (foxgloves/viola)

medomagemedomage Posts: 22
in Plants
Hi. I'm reading differing advice online about sowing seeds and over wintering, particularly foxgloves 

I bought a cold frame. I have foxglove seeds and viola seeds. Will I be ok to sow them now, grow them inside for a bit, then put them outside in a cold frame until they can be planted spring next year?

Thanks for any advice!

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Depends really on where you live I have sown sweet peas, foxgloves, lupins,and violas  ( and lettuce) in my Green house,but I live in a mild area of the UK. I do have a cold frame,I use mainly to keep pots out of the rain now. I found the plants were more susceptible to slug damage in there than in a green house, higher up on a potting bench.
  • medomagemedomage Posts: 22
    Thank you, that's good to know. I'm in the Midlands so nothing very dramatic in terms of the weather. I wonder if laying chicken wire underneath the cold frame would help deter slugs, I'll look into it.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Foxgloves need no protection, so the best way to sow is just scattered in situ, or you can sow them in trays and leave them somewhere they won't get drowned, or dried out. I'd probably keep the violas a little more protected, but they don't need much. Slugs are very attracted to them unfortunately, so it's worth sowing plenty.

    Chicken wire won't deter slugs  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    What about Hollyhocks?  I have a few that have come up in a pot in a sunny area.

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    edited October 2021
    We I think have found on here, NOTHING deters slugs! My coldframe is on slabs by a green house, the pots are regularly checked,and still the blighters get there. My foxgloves sown late summer are still out side. I usually plant half grow on the other half.Direct sowing sprinkling seeds here doesn't work,clay 10 years improved by us. But either water logged or bricklike
  • medomagemedomage Posts: 22
    Sorry for the delay in replying, but wanted to say thank you for your help and advice.
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Although I live in the south, I like to protect my foxgloves from slugs so I start them off in the greenhouse or coldframe and grow them on. I plant some out in Autumn but keep some in pots because the wind can shred them. If I lose the ones in the ground, I can replace them with the potted ones in Spring.
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