Regarding the seed viability, I've got a few packets of seed out of date by Atleast a couple of year, such as my Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red', which Ive lost this year I'm sure, but the seeds still germinate very well, I hate throwing seeds away, unless I really have to. You can literally just pop it in on google and it will give you an estimate of how long the seeds will last.
Thanks Nut and Ryan! I understood that pretty well. Problem is my greenhouse is coming down soon ready for the new one on a few weeks. I might plant them until we take it down then put them outside, if a frost is forecast I'll just put them in the garage overnight....would that work?
The Asters are half hardy annual, are they a type of chrysanthemum?
Let the frost get at them Tracey. It's what happens naturally to plants that grow in our climate. I used to grow all mine outside, now I mostly have them on a shelf in the cold greenhouse. Just as cold but easier to watch them, and more difficult for the slugs to get at the babies.
Leave the asters til later, you don't want them germinating til the frosts are over unless you're going to heat your greenhouse
I know I'm hypocritical for saying this, but it'd be wiser to wait really. Saves the effort of keep moving them from place to place. You've got to remember, if we get high winds or heavy rain it could splash the seeds out of the tray.
Nut what's up with you echinaceas then? They seem to love it in my garden, hence my obsession with them!
I don't know what it is with them Ryan. I've grown them from seed, I've bought them. There was one at the end of last season, we'll see if there's one come spring. It's over wintering that's the problem, they go through summer OK
Re the seed sowing, no good waiting if they need a chilling. I'm having spring soon
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I know tracey and patsy, even I was shocked!
Regarding the seed viability, I've got a few packets of seed out of date by Atleast a couple of year, such as my Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red', which Ive lost this year I'm sure, but the seeds still germinate very well, I hate throwing seeds away, unless I really have to. You can literally just pop it in on google and it will give you an estimate of how long the seeds will last.
I forgot the asters. Are they annuals or perennials
In the sticks near Peterborough
Youre right about the echinaceas Nut, they like a bit of light, but need to be kept from flying away, so I pop a thin layer of vermiculite on top
I sow them on top of the grit then water, that seems to do it. I can germinate them but I can't keep them alive in the garden,
In the sticks near Peterborough
The Asters are half hardy annual, are they a type of chrysanthemum?
Let the frost get at them Tracey. It's what happens naturally to plants that grow in our climate. I used to grow all mine outside, now I mostly have them on a shelf in the cold greenhouse. Just as cold but easier to watch them, and more difficult for the slugs to get at the babies.
Leave the asters til later, you don't want them germinating til the frosts are over unless you're going to heat your greenhouse
In the sticks near Peterborough
I know I'm hypocritical for saying this, but it'd be wiser to wait really. Saves the effort of keep moving them from place to place. You've got to remember, if we get high winds or heavy rain it could splash the seeds out of the tray.
Nut what's up with you echinaceas then? They seem to love it in my garden, hence my obsession with them!
Whoops sorry, our comments crossed. Tracey, take the advice from Nut rather than myself, she definitely knows her stuff!
I don't know what it is with them Ryan. I've grown them from seed, I've bought them. There was one at the end of last season, we'll see if there's one come spring. It's over wintering that's the problem, they go through summer OK
Re the seed sowing, no good waiting if they need a chilling. I'm having spring soon
Tracey, I told you we'd argue about it.
In the sticks near Peterborough