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First timer with cut flower patch seeking help!

louise.whittington100louise.whittington100 Posts: 40
in Problem solving
Hi all

I am very new to growing cut flowers and now have a new, small, cut flower patch ready to go (3 m x 1 m).  I have some seeds which I realise I have over-bought enthusiastically and am trying to plan my "patch".  Unfortunately I seem to get very different advice from what is on the seed packet to what is out there on the internet and am going round in circles as to what to sow either on my windowsill now or direct sow later.  I have already sown some Cornflowers, Cosmos, Poppies, Cerinthe and Morning Glory indoors and they are doing well, some already potted on.  However I have the following now (some from GW!) which I am not sure to sow indoors or wait till May to sow direct (we are in Gloucestershire and there is a near-frost forecast for the end of April): I appreciate I will need more space!!

Ammi majus
Dahlia Mignon Mixed
Poppy Black Swan
Amarantus 'Red'
Nigella 'Oxford Blue'
Verbascum
Nicotiana
Knautia 'Red Cherries'
Antirrhinums Snappy Tongue

Many thanks and sorry for the long list!




Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited April 2023
    The dahlia and antirrhinum seeds l would sow ASAP indoors. It might be a little late for the antirrhinum, but someone should hopefully confirm. 

    The poppies and Nigella l would direct sow outdoors as soon as you like depending whereabouts in Glos you are. If you're on the Cotswold escarpment it might be chillier, but in the suburbs you should be fine :)  
  • louise.whittington100louise.whittington100 Posts: 40
    Hi and thanks AnniD!  I will get them sown tomorrow, fingers crossed on the antirrhinums.  We are more Nailsworth, in the 5 Valleys area, and have just had hailstones today so am holding off on planting anything outside for a bit longer!

    Does anyone else have any advice on the rest?  Are there any on the list that will do better for being sown indoors now or should I wait to sow them all directly outside?
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Bumping this up for any further advice for Louise  :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2023
    Morning glory are very tender and will sulk and stop growing (and the leaves will turn white)  at temperatures much below the mid teens so they need to be started indoors and grown on indoors in pots, in a warm and brightly lit location until they can be planted out (usually around second week in June here in Norfolk). 

    They’ll need canes to climb up as soon as they’re about 6” tall. 

    Verbascum are biennial so won’t flower until next year. They are  totally hardy so I’d sow them direct where you want them to bloom.  They’re quite large plants tho … they’ll take up a lot of the  space in your patch. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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