I agree germination of these is slow but I have done them a few times now and ended up with so many I have been giving them away. They take really easily and I do get self seeded ones - if the winter isn't too harsh. I love them ! I was a bit doubtful when I read all the tosh on the seed packet about its requirements but just shoved them in my greenhouse -unheated and hey presto. Hope they do well for you.
@twoshedgirl- no,I wouldn't pinch them out. The side shoots will go on to produce flowers of their own. V.bonariensis is by nature a tall slender plant.
I too have grown these from seed very successfully and have then had them pop up all over the garden (and in the containers). Perhaps it depends which part of the country you're in.
Having moved house and left my established plants behind I found some scruffy left-overs in a garden centre "reduced for quick sale" section and snapped up three large pots for 50p each. With a bit of tlc I thus have a fine clump in my border.
I have a load of these in a seed tray from last years plant, but they've stayed tiny since about easter. Am I being an idiot leaving them where they are (no protection from the elements and slight protection from mice/slugs/snails) and should I move them somewhere much nicer?
I love this verbena ahd some seeds and they are now grown into lovely plants. So lovely the slugs are eating them. I cut the bottom out of plastic flower pot and put it on the soil around the plant then put slug pellets inside. The cats cant get to them that way and any slug or snail that cereeps in and dies doesnt get eaten by the birds. Well thats the theory anyway it seems to work
Ell-Rose it is your heathers that need a different soil called ericaceous soil, that may be why it died. I always have trouble growing Verbena Bonariensis from seed and end up buying plants from the nursery.
I took cutting from mine last year, Sept/Oct time, just pull out some little side shoots, put in sandy compost in the greenhouse, I have about a dozen plants now.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
With Verbena B i can only imagine that it prefers a lighter soil, as mine is clay based but after 20 odd years the soil has been improved, but they have only self seeded in the patio cracks, it seems they prefer a poorer soil, i have sown some seed indoors to try yet again, but may end up at the nursery again
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I agree germination of these is slow but I have done them a few times now and ended up with so many I have been giving them away. They take really easily and I do get self seeded ones - if the winter isn't too harsh. I love them ! I was a bit doubtful when I read all the tosh on the seed packet about its requirements but just shoved them in my greenhouse -unheated and hey presto. Hope they do well for you.
I too have grown these from seed very successfully and have then had them pop up all over the garden (and in the containers). Perhaps it depends which part of the country you're in.
Having moved house and left my established plants behind I found some scruffy left-overs in a garden centre "reduced for quick sale" section and snapped up three large pots for 50p each. With a bit of tlc I thus have a fine clump in my border.
I have a load of these in a seed tray from last years plant, but they've stayed tiny since about easter. Am I being an idiot leaving them where they are (no protection from the elements and slight protection from mice/slugs/snails) and should I move them somewhere much nicer?
Think I've answered my own question actually...
Thanks figrat. I shall leve well alone.
I love this verbena ahd some seeds and they are now grown into lovely plants. So lovely the slugs are eating them. I cut the bottom out of plastic flower pot and put it on the soil around the plant then put slug pellets inside. The cats cant get to them that way and any slug or snail that cereeps in and dies doesnt get eaten by the birds. Well thats the theory anyway it seems to work
I took cutting from mine last year, Sept/Oct time, just pull out some little side shoots, put in sandy compost in the greenhouse, I have about a dozen plants now.
With Verbena B i can only imagine that it prefers a lighter soil, as mine is clay based but after 20 odd years the soil has been improved, but they have only self seeded in the patio cracks, it seems they prefer a poorer soil, i have sown some seed indoors to try yet again, but may end up at the nursery again
Yes Lyn that seems to be it then, to put them in a sandy soil as the ones that self seeded on my patio were in the sand between the slabs