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Propagating Foxgloves
susiejennie
Posts: 20
in Talkback
Me again! I have collected the seeds from a lovely white and lovely apricot foxglove plant. I usually just scatter them and let them take their chances of growing where ever. But I would like to specialise these two in my small garden. I know they are bi-annual. If I sew the seeds now and nurture them over the winter do they become plantlets next year ready to flower in 2017 ? I know this sounds naive but I would like to be sure. Grateful for any tips and help.
0
Posts
I think you'll get flowers next year sj
In the sticks near Peterborough
Yes - they're biennial (rather than biannual), that is they take two years to complete their life cycle. Plants sown and grown this year will flower next year and then die. In theory at least - sometimes they persist for longer.
They tend to self seed and grow again and again once you've got them you'll be fine with them.
If you sow them now then you will get flowers next year.
Have you left the seed pods on the plant until they are black and rattley?
Flowers in 2016. If you let nature do it's job they multiply like weed. Young plants survive the winter easily. I have some wild parts in the garden and just this morning a cut the stems with dried seed pods. Just shake them and thousands seeds fell on the ground.
unbelievable such very fine seeds can develop in big plants
However, it's unlikely that foxglove plants grown from seed will be identical to the parent plant.
If you have different types of foxgloves in the garden the 'offspring' are likely to be crosses of them and any others in the area which have been visited by the bees which pollinated your foxgloves.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They get better as they seed on though don't they Dove. They lose that unnatural look
In the sticks near Peterborough
Absolutely agree Nut
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I planted out my Apricot ones from my own seeds, didn't have one come up that colour, but the white ones stayed white.
if you look at the seedlings, check the undersides of the leaves, if there's any pinkish colouring , they'll be pink, if they're just pale green, you're in with a chance.
As nutcutlet says, they get more consistent year on year if you're vigilant.