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When should I plant out my Verbena Bonariensis?

NetfellaNetfella Posts: 54
in Plants

Hi folks,

It's my first time growing Verbena Bonariensis from seed and I now have quite a few little plants in my greenhouse (pictured below). Is it safe to plant them out this year? Will they survive the winter this young or do they need to be more established first?

Cheers

James

 

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  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,616

    I'd pinch out the tops to make them branch and then plant them out as a group.

  • Lily 3Lily 3 Posts: 49
    Hi James image I've grown verbena bonariensis a couple of times from seed. A lovely plant and often flowers in its first year. Yep get it out in the garden ( harden off obviously ! ) I agree with fidgetbones, pinching out will help them bush up, but sometimes when I've grown them I've not bothered and they do it any way. The main stem should hopefully send up a nice tall flower stem in the next few weeks so you can have colour from them this year. I think I'm right in remembering ( but other posters please correct me if I'm wrong ) that they like quite well drained soil, don't like to be sat with wet roots. I lost a few over winter both times after growing from seed. And I think it was more the wet than the cold. If anyone else can advise that would be great. Best of luck James image
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Agree with fb, they are tough little wotsits get them out quick and they will flower for you in Sept/oct. Leave them then cut them down after the seeds have dropped or next spring and they will grow to 7ft next year.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • NetfellaNetfella Posts: 54

    Thanks all, I'll do that then. I first saw some at a B&B I was staying at last year and they were literally covered in butterflies. I have very sandy soil almost like dust, so I think they should be quite happy as it's quite free draining. I think I'll dig in a bit of compost before planting them though as there's very little organic material at the moment where I want to plant them. I'm very proud of my little fellows, expecially as they're about £6 each at the local nursery!

  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276
    Hi James, I saw a pack of seeds of these earlier this year and wish I'd bought them now.They look lovely,healthy plants.Its such a joy to grow your own isn't it,makes gardening so rewarding...
  • NetfellaNetfella Posts: 54

    I wasn't sure about sowing from seed as I'm a bit of a novice in regard to flower seeds. I'm branching out from growing veg this year as I wanted a bee and butterfly bed so I bought a load of seeds including annuals like corncockle, scabiosa, borage, phacelia and salvia as well as the verbenas. I ended up with dozens of plants of which the verbenas are the last to leave the greenhouse. However, now the tomatoes, chillis and cape gooseberries are taking over!

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Dont worry about your ground or conditions, my ground is almost always wet, we live nearlly 1000ft up so a lot of the time in the clouds, the ground is very acid on the edge of Dartmoor,

    My daughter lives where they mine clay in Cornwall so her soil is different again, they thrive well in both places and spread their seeds. We dug hundreds of seedlings up from her garden to give away.

    I grew 100 from seed and put in another hundred of hers, all thriving well and flowering for the second year.

    There will probably be some up for grabs next year as plants, she just throws the spares away, or I have a packet of seeds for free.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • PotsandpansiesPotsandpansies Posts: 124
    I find that once they find a place with optimum conditions, they self seed vigorously! Usually in the gravel pathways.... With a bit of luck you will have hundreds in years to come!
  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    Last winter was the first time my VBs survived as it didn't get that cold. I now pot up seedlings in the Autumn and overwinter in g/himage

  • Outdoor girlOutdoor girl Posts: 286

    Last winter was so mild that mine did not really stop flowering. I have one near the front door which is about 10 foot tall. Is this a record?

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