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Love in a Mist - Nigella
Guernsey Donkey2
Posts: 6,713
in Talkback
I collected the seed from last year's flowers - dried and now ready to plant - can I start them off in a tray in a cold GH? Do I sow them in the usual way?
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If you grew them last year I should think they'll appear again this year.
I've never used trays for nigella, always direct sown
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi nutcutlet - yes I was hoping that they would just regrow - I had a lovely "wild" flower raised bed last year and am planning on sowing the saved seed and also introducing new seed too. Already there are little seedlings coming through the soil.
Last years "wild" effort
echium
Love the Echium, I have these in my garden, unfortunately died in the cold winter. I won't give up though, I sow more every year.
I get poor results from direct sowing on my clay soil so I now sow either indoors for the earliest flowering or in the greenhouse. Hardening them off is really important if you do this plus ensuring adequate light levels.
I've always them sown direct (although I don't really grow them any more) but I'd agree with Esspee that clay is no use for them. They need gritty, well drained soil.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have heavy clay. I just give the seed heads a shake and they grow like weeds - nigella that is.never even seen an echium before. I'm sure I would have noticed it!
Have you lost all this years echium Lyn?
You're welcome to some of mine in the tunnel grown from your seed last year.
I'll swap for some more seed then I've got a succession going.
I havent got gritty or well drained soil, its clay and a bog, but they self seed, am just about to buy the lovelly white variety from Sarah Raven
I love nigella, they are the only seeds I can just chuck on the bare earth and they will come up and flower.