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Aquilegias
I've been thinking about harvesting my Aquilegia seeds once the flowers are gone over and sowing some in trays indoors.Is there any real point to this though or should I just wait until next spring and sow direct? Its just that I like to have something new growing on the window sill,something to nurture and it keeps me occupied.Or would the temperature indoors in summer be too warm for them?
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If you sow them as soon as they're ripe they'll germinate quickly and you'll have small plants by winter.
But forget the window sill, they won't like being in the warm. They are hardy plants.Window sills are for germinating and protecting the non hardy.
I sow mine fresh outside or in a cold GH in midwinter. They never let me down
In the sticks near Peterborough
OK thanks nut.I'm planning to dig some new border out and to have a big bed of them,it seems to be a good year for these beautiful flowers and might mix some Wallflowers in there too
They do make a good show. Mix something later flowering in as well though. After the wallflowers and the aquilegias go over you've either got a shambles or you cut them back and remove the wallflowers and it's all bare
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hmm good point. I've got those little Foxgloves and Hollyhocks are well established
The hollyhocks will do it
In the sticks near Peterborough
they will take a time to germinate usually between 21 to 45 days don't despair, they will come up, and its always nice to nurture a few more plants, next year you can put them where you want them, as if they seed themselves is anyones guess, any free plants are always a bonus. I have just sown some yellow ones free of gardeners news.
21-45 days is a long time if you're used to annuals. It's quick for a perennial grower like me
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thank you nut and kim for your feedback. I don't have a greenhouse but will sow some in trays and put them on my faithful garden table.
I can live with 21-45 days
Just to bring up this subject again. Is it best to wait until the seed pods go brown and split or can you harvest seeds when the pods are green? I'm assuming brown but I've noticed some pods while still green have lost that sticky feel and seem dry.The seeds need to fully ripen don't they?
They do Fishy. If they don't fall out when you tip the pod upside down, they're not ready.
Your faithful garden table needs to be in the shade, the seedling will fry if they germinate in the sun. Or you could keep them and sow them around midwinter
In the sticks near Peterborough