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Growing From Seed

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  • Achillea are very easy to grow and they flower in their first year from a spring sowing so you'll be fine doing them next year. From my experience, once you have them you are stuck with them! I had a load this year thar self seeded from last year's ones which I actually dug up as I decided I didn't really want them again! I've spotted tons of seedlings from those ones too 🤣
  • Thanks, I'll bear that in mind 😄
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited October 2022
    Iv'e never grow sweet peas from seed but is there an advantage if sown in Autumn?I guess they would need to be under glass though.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Not sure why people are saying a bad time, Achillea millefolium are hardy native plants that drop seed late summer. You dropped seed late summer and they germinated, they'll be fine. I tend to keep the babies covered, cold frame or cold GH, so they don't get washed out of the pots or dug in by my resident Squirrels/Blackbirds/Bunnies


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • francesmckeon21francesmckeon21 Posts: 47
    edited October 2022
    Iv'e never grow sweet peas from seed but is there an advantage if sown in Autumn?I guess they would need to be under glass though.
    Thank you. Again, the seed packet suggests autumn or spring sowing 😄 @fairygirl suggests I plant a few and I'll do that. Can I ask is a cold frame better at keeping plants in than a plastic green house? 
  • nutcutlet said:
    Not sure why people are saying a bad time, Achillea millefolium are hardy native plants that drop seed late summer. You dropped seed late summer and they germinated, they'll be fine. I tend to keep the babies covered, cold frame or cold GH, so they don't get washed out of the pots or dug in by my resident Squirrels/Blackbirds/Bunnies
    Thank you for this. I have already sown the seeds so will do as you suggest. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    @francesmckeon21 - a cold frame generally offers better protection, but for any hardy plants, when they're small, the biggest benefit of a frame or even the little g'houses, is just keeping the worst of the weather off them. Wet cold does far more damage than dry cold. Tiny seedlings which don't have much root system will always struggle a bit too   :)
    I sowed some of the wild yarrow [achillea] outside earlier this year. I'd collected the seed around this time last year. They took quite a while to get going and they've only just been pricked out and potted up fairly recently. They've never been undercover, just against a wall, and are now under my bench at the back of the house. 
    When seed germinates naturally, it's also different from being actively sown by us. Its why many plants produce so much - lots don't make it. Bit like tadpoles  ;)
    Many plants don't seed easily here. They get annihilated by the weather unfortunately. Experimenting with various methods is useful, and often gives the best results because different areas have different conditions   :)
    I meant to say to you that if you want some s. peas to play around with, let me know and I'll stick some in the post to you. I've just sent some to another forum member.   :)
      

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • francesmckeon21francesmckeon21 Posts: 47
    edited October 2022
    Thanks very much for your kind offer @fairygirl . I have quite a few seeds already but I appreciate your offer. I'll do as you suggest and just sow a few seeds and see what happens. 
    Thank you 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    No probs @francesmckeon21. If you change your mind, just give me a shout  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Thank you I will 😃
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