I just cut it back to the ground in autumn (late last year as it was so mild).. I can see new shoots already (and this is NW England iHigh up on Rossendale Valley).. In fact there's too many.
Good to know as i've just planted some i've bought from the garden centre (been waiting for AGES). Bee witched you say you sowed seed... i have tried to grow them and no luck. I couldn't find growing instructions as all were slightly different. This time i kept some sown in the fridge and now they are out in the sun. What do you do???
I collect them in the autumn, dry them by hanging the flower heads upside down in a brown paper bag in the shed. Once dry they shake out easily. I sow asap and leave in a coldframe over winter.
I get good germination over a long period of time ... so I just pot them up individually and grow on until big enough to plant out.
I didn't have any success with bought packets of seed ... which is why I bought a few plants originally so I could add to them using fresh seed.
Good luck!
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I don't cut mine right down. I tidy them up to half size for winter and then feb/mar I cut to base. Only one I've lost is the one my MIL cut to base in autumn.
Thanks Bee witched. Thats why I bought some as wasn't getting anywhere with the seeds! Im excited to see how my plants grow and die and come back next year. I guess i will leave them to die back naturally and not prune over winter? Such tempremental things these plants!
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I just cut it back to the ground in autumn (late last year as it was so mild).. I can see new shoots already (and this is NW England iHigh up on Rossendale Valley).. In fact there's too many.
Dont give up on the yet, mine are not shooting yet.
Yoh will get all your seedlings flowering this year though.
Good to know as i've just planted some i've bought from the garden centre (been waiting for AGES). Bee witched you say you sowed seed... i have tried to grow them and no luck. I couldn't find growing instructions as all were slightly different. This time i kept some sown in the fridge and now they are out in the sun. What do you do???
Hi Astrudle,
I collect them in the autumn, dry them by hanging the flower heads upside down in a brown paper bag in the shed. Once dry they shake out easily. I sow asap and leave in a coldframe over winter.
I get good germination over a long period of time ... so I just pot them up individually and grow on until big enough to plant out.
I didn't have any success with bought packets of seed ... which is why I bought a few plants originally so I could add to them using fresh seed.
Good luck!
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I don't cut mine right down. I tidy them up to half size for winter and then feb/mar I cut to base. Only one I've lost is the one my MIL cut to base in autumn.
Thanks Bee witched. Thats why I bought some as wasn't getting anywhere with the seeds! Im excited to see how my plants grow and die and come back next year. I guess i will leave them to die back naturally and not prune over winter? Such tempremental things these plants!