outside for teasels. native plants never need heat and are best sown when they normally shed their seed, mine haven't yet but they're well into flowering
many thanks again nutcutlet. I'll sow them tomorrow! I know they don't flower in their first year but patience is its own reward - and teasels in my garden will be well worth the wait...
Is it fine for me to sow any seed now, that says hardy on the packet? I have verbena (hardy perennial), wildflower mix (hardy annual/perennial), echinacea (hardy perennial). If these are all native then following what nutcutlet said about sowing when plants naturally drop their seeds, it might be OK?
I'm probably being impatient as I just want to get sowing!
Thanks again nutcutlet. I'll put my echinacea and verbena seeds away in a cool dark place until the spring. May I press upon your knowledge once more and ask - is it worth sowing them in a propagator and germinating indoors, or should I wait till the frosts have passed and sow them directly outdoors next spring? I mean, how much difference does it really make if you sow indoors or straight out?
I'm probably being naive and it must all depend on the type of seed/plant - but is there a general rule of thumb about what to sow in or out?
Once again, your knowledge is helping a very green gardener, if you'll pardon the pun.
I've just bought Monty Don's Complete Gardener and can't wait to get stuck in to it, so maybe I'll be hassling you less from now on!...
If you sow something that's not too hardy now, in or out of the propagator, it will probably germinate quite quickly. then you have to look after it all through the winter. If you keep them indoors they don't get enough light and get very 'leggy and soft', then they fall over when planting out time comes. If you keep them in a greenhouse, you'll need to heat it, expensive
I've tried all sorts of things with seeds and this year I sowed the ones that need a chill in the cold greenhouse at the beginning of January. Previously I'd sown them in pots, in autumn outside but some of them germinated within days leaving me with babies in pots to get through the winter. that's OK outside but they're too close together in seed pots and need pricking out. But they don't tolerate pricking out in the winter and rot instead
other hardy plants I sow in the same cold GH in March, there's still some chill, the verbena likes a bit of a chill, and they germinate when it warms up. Anything not hardy or needing warmth to germinate (that's not a lot for me), I sow when it gets warm.
Generous advice as always nutcutlet, thank you! I haven't been able to sow yet but plan to over the coming weekend. Although I don't have a greenhouse, I'll have to be creative in my solution...
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outside for teasels. native plants never need heat and are best sown when they normally shed their seed, mine haven't yet but they're well into flowering
In the sticks near Peterborough
many thanks again nutcutlet. I'll sow them tomorrow! I know they don't flower in their first year but patience is its own reward - and teasels in my garden will be well worth the wait...
I'm back again with more seed queries!
Is it fine for me to sow any seed now, that says hardy on the packet? I have verbena (hardy perennial), wildflower mix (hardy annual/perennial), echinacea (hardy perennial). If these are all native then following what nutcutlet said about sowing when plants naturally drop their seeds, it might be OK?
I'm probably being impatient as I just want to get sowing!
Any ideas or advice on these would be welcomed...
'sow when they drop' is for natives and plants from a similar climate Sean. I wouldn't sow verbena or echinacea now.
Get some more toughies if you want to sow now.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks again nutcutlet. I'll put my echinacea and verbena seeds away in a cool dark place until the spring. May I press upon your knowledge once more and ask - is it worth sowing them in a propagator and germinating indoors, or should I wait till the frosts have passed and sow them directly outdoors next spring? I mean, how much difference does it really make if you sow indoors or straight out?
I'm probably being naive and it must all depend on the type of seed/plant - but is there a general rule of thumb about what to sow in or out?
Once again, your knowledge is helping a very green gardener, if you'll pardon the pun.
I've just bought Monty Don's Complete Gardener and can't wait to get stuck in to it, so maybe I'll be hassling you less from now on!...
Hi Sean
If you sow something that's not too hardy now, in or out of the propagator, it will probably germinate quite quickly. then you have to look after it all through the winter. If you keep them indoors they don't get enough light and get very 'leggy and soft', then they fall over when planting out time comes. If you keep them in a greenhouse, you'll need to heat it, expensive
I've tried all sorts of things with seeds and this year I sowed the ones that need a chill in the cold greenhouse at the beginning of January. Previously I'd sown them in pots, in autumn outside but some of them germinated within days leaving me with babies in pots to get through the winter. that's OK outside but they're too close together in seed pots and need pricking out. But they don't tolerate pricking out in the winter and rot instead
other hardy plants I sow in the same cold GH in March, there's still some chill, the verbena likes a bit of a chill, and they germinate when it warms up. Anything not hardy or needing warmth to germinate (that's not a lot for me), I sow when it gets warm.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Generous advice as always nutcutlet, thank you! I haven't been able to sow yet but plan to over the coming weekend. Although I don't have a greenhouse, I'll have to be creative in my solution...
I'll let you know how it goes. All the best,
Sean
In the sticks near Peterborough