My Open Day is on the 9th July next year so I'll grow for my own garden but it's too late to sell bedding plants. Maybe less stressful! But, I forgot, I usually do a charity garden party in June and I sell plants then too.
Being a seedaholic is very easy!
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
re pots and winter (in scotland) theres nothing I`m planning on coming back (apart from the 100 or so tulips I`ve stuck in them lol) next year will be a new start as I bought the heated propagator...... was going to start a new thread on it but I hope I will get the replies on this thread
Seeds bought and hopefully you guys can advise when to sow in prop and thoughts on them
Chinese Purple Bell Vine (10 seeds)
I bought these for a long term possible feature at the front on this house involving a big pot and a trellis
Hi Peter - just picking on the Gazania. I have not grown "big kiss white flame" myself, but I am a great fan of gazania and have grown quite a few different varieties. They are lovely flowers, that open up at the slightest hint of sunshine. Mine appear to be perennial.I think most of these seeds should be sown around the April time, depending on the weather - I use a cold GH and sow seeds in trays, transplanting into 3" pots when they have four leaves. I am no expert but this works for me.
I have grown Petunias, Gazanias and Cosmos. I sow in heated propagators in March, indoors on a window sill if still too cold. Then I pot them on into the GH which is heated with a small electric heater, a heating cable in sand and a heated mat on a shelf. I find Gazanias are slow to take off.
Cosmos must be pinched out to stop them going tall and leggy and to make them bushier.
I find they germinate well in a heated propagator but they can't stay there too long once they've germinated so you need somewhere light and frost free to keep them. If I hadn't any heating in my GH I would sow them later.
Last edited: 25 November 2016 18:09:18
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
You are right about the Cosmos going leggy if sown too early Busy Lizzie - I sowed mine in February this year in the cold GH and they were toppling over each other in no time at all. I have sown some seeds this Autumn and I am managing to keep them under control, but I imagine by February they will be bolting up a mite too quickly with the extra daylight hours.
So I think the plan is sow all mid march, move to small pots when I can, window sill until risk of frost gone, then move to cold frame for a few weeks before final potting.
I think I've got the very same one! It's against the kitchen wall in the shade. I use it for overwintering hardy baby plants and for shade loving plants, like impatiens and bedding begonias, in the spring. I've lined the bottom of it with a sheet of polystyrene. My other cold frames are in the sun next to the GH.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Just checked out your little cold frame Peter T. It looks good, and hopefully will help you on your way to growing some lovely flowering plants next year.
I think that Gazania was Daybreak, I also grew Tiger Stripe and Talent Mix - I was pleased with them all Busy - I wasn't sure about collecting seed but tried a few in a seed tray but they didn't germinate.
Posts
Busy - I bought a heated propagator and extra staging shelves in the end of summer sales
also bought far too many packets of seeds 
Think I'm becoming a seedaholic
I was being serious about your greenhouse, highly impressive? Will you be growing for the open day again next year?
My Open Day is on the 9th July next year so I'll grow for my own garden but it's too late to sell bedding plants. Maybe less stressful! But, I forgot, I usually do a charity garden party in June and I sell plants then too.
Being a seedaholic is very easy!
great replies guys
re pots and winter (in scotland) theres nothing I`m planning on coming back (apart from the 100 or so tulips I`ve stuck in them lol) next year will be a new start as I bought the heated propagator...... was going to start a new thread on it but I hope I will get the replies on this thread
Seeds bought and hopefully you guys can advise when to sow in prop and thoughts on them
Chinese Purple Bell Vine (10 seeds)
I bought these for a long term possible feature at the front on this house involving a big pot and a trellis
Petunia Hybrida Grandiflora Superbissima (50 seeds)
Thought they looked nice (no other reason lol)
Gazzania "big kiss white flame" F1 Hybrid (15 seeds)
Again looked nice/interesting
Cosmos Bipinnatus Xanthos (30 seeds)
Long term maybe in a few pots
Geranium Pratense Purple Haze (15 seeds)
hard germanium that might look nice
Geranium Wallichianum Buxtons Blue (24 seeds)
same as above
Petunia Purple Tower F1 Hybrid (30 seeds)
Look nice and a climbing petunia that might work well
so.......... Garland super 7 gives me 7 trays and I`ve got 7 sets of seeds........... thoughts/advice appreciated
Last edited: 24 November 2016 23:34:04
Hi Peter - just picking on the Gazania. I have not grown "big kiss white flame" myself, but I am a great fan of gazania and have grown quite a few different varieties. They are lovely flowers, that open up at the slightest hint of sunshine. Mine appear to be perennial.
I think most of these seeds should be sown around the April time, depending on the weather - I use a cold GH and sow seeds in trays, transplanting into 3" pots when they have four leaves. I am no expert but this works for me.
I have grown Petunias, Gazanias and Cosmos. I sow in heated propagators in March, indoors on a window sill if still too cold. Then I pot them on into the GH which is heated with a small electric heater, a heating cable in sand and a heated mat on a shelf. I find Gazanias are slow to take off.
Cosmos must be pinched out to stop them going tall and leggy and to make them bushier.
I find they germinate well in a heated propagator but they can't stay there too long once they've germinated so you need somewhere light and frost free to keep them. If I hadn't any heating in my GH I would sow them later.
Last edited: 25 November 2016 18:09:18
You are right about the Cosmos going leggy if sown too early Busy Lizzie - I sowed mine in February this year in the cold GH and they were toppling over each other in no time at all. I have sown some seeds this Autumn and I am managing to keep them under control, but I imagine by February they will be bolting up a mite too quickly with the extra daylight hours.
hi guys
The cosmos I`ve bought only grow to 2ft (so I read) so will I need to pinch them ?
I think i might hold off until mid march to sow everything.
Dont have GH but bought this today (black friday and payday, lethal combo)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0017R5JYM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So I think the plan is sow all mid march, move to small pots when I can, window sill until risk of frost gone, then move to cold frame for a few weeks before final potting.
GDonkey that Gazania is lovely !!
Pete...up here, you are better waiting until March. Better light levels as well as less cold (hopefully)
I think I've got the very same one! It's against the kitchen wall in the shade. I use it for overwintering hardy baby plants and for shade loving plants, like impatiens and bedding begonias, in the spring. I've lined the bottom of it with a sheet of polystyrene. My other cold frames are in the sun next to the GH.
Just checked out your little cold frame Peter T. It looks good, and hopefully will help you on your way to growing some lovely flowering plants next year.
I think that Gazania was Daybreak, I also grew Tiger Stripe and Talent Mix - I was pleased with them all Busy - I wasn't sure about collecting seed but tried a few in a seed tray but they didn't germinate.