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What to sow....where to start??

Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800
in Plants

Well as you will all know by now, I have a lovely new GH.  My question is what to sow first in it? At the moment it is just home to Begonia tubers, Iris and some Hostas.

I already have some tomatoes, cucumber and Aubergine sown in the house that have all germinated but I think it is too cold to move them?

I am thinking bedding plants (annuals) for now, what about Cosmos, Sunflowers......any other recommendations?

Thanks.

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Posts

  • ElusiveElusive Posts: 992

    I love Zinnias, bedding Dahlias, Sweet Sultans and Cosmos. All flowers that insects like too image

    all these germinate pretty quickly too.

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Thanks Matt, not heard of Sweet Sultans so will google image

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005

    Cosmos is a 'can't go wrong' in my opinion.  Never pinched mine out but they just get bigger and more bee-tastical as summer goes on.  Marigolds for the greenhouse to keep the toms happy?  Get hold of antirrhinum 'The Bride' - white, prolific, self seeds - goes with anything in a floral display.  (T & M)  Dahlias are great, but I think from seed you can't choose the colours (if that matters to you) - just becomes a riot.  But once they have flowered you can organise them and replant according to a colour scheme.  I love allysum - self seeds and forms a low tapestry.  Nicotiana - again self seeds - lovely smell in the evenings.  What 'floats your boat'??  Colour matching, fragrance, flowering period?  I love nigella, but haven't been very successful with it.    What is your soil like - as in alkaline/acid, heavy or free-draining?  I am presuming you are thinking about your raised beds.  Wish I could pop round!!

  • allium2allium2 Posts: 413

    Nicotiana a definite for me. Plugs of Geraniums are easy to grow on in the GH. I also love Nasturtiums, Sunflowers and Zinnia are a must too. Enjoy your GHimage

  • PoddingtonPPoddingtonP Posts: 196

    Cerinthe major purparescens is a lovely annual which will self seed. Is a bit different, and the bees LOVE it.

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005

    Poddington, I'd better try that then!!  Always love to provide my girls with a treat.

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Bee, the Anthirrinum how tall do the grow? I'm thinking I could plant them between my Gladioli, as by the time I plant them out my Gladioli will have come up.

    Definitely going to get Cosmos too and Nicotiana for my pots. I have Nigella but am sowing that direct (as advised on a previous thread a while ago).

    I think I might sow some herbs too, already have mint, thyme and parsley from last year but am going to sow basil (lots of).

    Thanks everyone image

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005

    50cm-ish I think - at the most - maybe a bit shorter??  Great fillers.  The multicoloured ones can be a bit clashy, but the pure white ones are quite classy I think, and work well with other stuff.  Nicotiana are funny old seedlings - you will get a lot of them - they look really limp and pathetic, and don't seem to like being planted out, but suddenly push out sideways like dandelions and before you know it, shoot for the sky with the flower heads - really ethereal effect.  Basil I agree - lots of!  Don't forget to grow outdoor basil.  Last year I had some seeds to use up before sell by, and it was May, so I put them in a pot and grew them outside, but they weren't outdoor, and even though we had lovely hot sunny weather, and I watered well, the leaves were a bit scabby, and then I read I should be growing the outdoor variety, and keep those kind of seeds for indoors.  This year I am growing both.  BTW, I also had some coriander seeds I wanted to use up, and sowed them in a row alongside carrots, salad etc. Got loads of it, obviously, good for eating with salad, but too much, so I gathered it in, whizzed it with a bit of spring water in the liquidiser, set it in ice cube trays in the freezer, put the ice cubes in a bag.  Last weekend I used my last coriander cubes in some onion bhajis.  Plan to do the same this year (on purpose this time!) and make more cubes, and plan to do it with basil.  Some people freeze it in olive oil, but the coriander worked well in spring water.  So I will experiment. 

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Oh yes coriander, that and basil are my favourite herbs image

    I have sown Lobellia indoors, looks like moss, how in earth am I meant to sort that out, I'm rubbish with seedlings as it is!!!

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,441

    Hi all

    mention of nicotiana reminds me. I haven't sown them yet. Nor any of the others I intended to do about mid March. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
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