Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

When do you start ordering new young plants for your garden?

JohnjoeJohnjoe Posts: 77
in Plants
I have ordered, and received, a few new plants for the garden to go out in Spring. A couple of Guaras, Whirling Butterfly, a Fennel, and an Achillea. They are on my kitchen window-sill, they did arrive looking a bit worse for wear, but seem to be coming on now after a few days. I am planning to keep them in the kitchen for a few more weeks. One I think, probably won't make it, one of the guaras, it arrived "crispy". I am wondering if I am being a bit too quick of the mark at this time of year and if I should wait until march until ordering anything else. I would like to know anyone else's thoughts on when to order? 

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I think l'm right in saying that most of the major nurseries begin listing and dispatching plants from March onwards. 
    Some do allow you to pre order and schedule delivery for later in the Spring.  I take it that it's perennials you are after.
    Do you have a cold frame or sheltered part of the garden you could keep the existing ones ? Gauras are classed as comparatively tender, but achilleas are pretty tough, and fennel too l think.

    If you did move them outside you might have to acclimatise them as it might be a big shock leaving the warmth of the kitchen.  Much milder weather is forecast this week.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    The kitchen is not a great place to store them, they will get lots of tender new growth that will suffer when you move them outside.
    I would only order really hardy stuff now, and then only because I can put them in a cold g/h.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I wouldn't keep them anywhere warm at this time of year.
    They're hardy plants, but as you have young plants they'll need a bit of shelter for a while yet.
    Do you have a bright unheated spare room, or bright shed/garage that you could put them in until Spring gets a bit closer.
    You don't want them coming into growth just yet as they'll grow long and leggy and will be too weak to plant out when the time comes.
    Don't let the compost dry out completely, but keep them on the dry side atm.

    Gaura is very easy from seed and will bloom a few months after sowing.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited 20 January
    They need to be in a coldframe … or even behind an old discarded window propped securely against a wall. They’ll do much better like that rather than in your kitchen. 😊 

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





  • JohnjoeJohnjoe Posts: 77
    Oh Brilliant thank you all for the tips, I have the perfect spot and have just removed the plants to there, nice and sheltered, and where I can easily keep an eye on them. A greenhouse would be on my ultimate wish-lost but we don't have the room.
Sign In or Register to comment.