Why are my Self Sown Annuals so big?

The best sweet peas I ever grew was from dropped seed that germinated in the autumn and overwintered. Massive, they were. The ones I sow are spindly weak things.

 

You don't need to understand it, just memorise it and quote it at him next time

Although if I had done that with my Father he probably would have said "Yes, but the problem with the 'Modified Lorette' system is ..." Half the time he made up his response, but delivered it with a dead pan face and peppered it with enough facts to make it seem utterly convincing!

Most are. Some aren't (which is a bit surprising as I assumed they were all open pollinated - they may have cross fertilised, of course)

Hmmm ... well in my case then its relative between "pampered" and "abandoned" styles of nurture!

I haven't got any good photos of Amaranthus, last year, showing them in combination with other plants - close ups don't indicate "relative size" very much.

2013:




Note relative height of Crocosmia Lucifer behind

2014:

Clearly not quite the same Look & Feel as last years, in this position, but a lot taller than the Crocosmia (which is, itself, taller than last year - a year more established)

2013: (taken from the right)


same patch in 2014 but taken from the path (from left of shot above). Different Dahlia variety planted behind


Another 2014 self-sown one

 

That sounds very familiar...

 

Lovely pics, Kristen. Think I might chuck a few seeds of those on the deck next year!
There is a lot of variation - are they all originating from the same batch of seed? I like the 2014 dark-leaved plants with the bushy upright habit, the floppy ones are less appealing. Any chance of saving some seed off the dark plants?

 

No, I bought one of every type to try out

Amaranthus caudatus Red (bog standard one)
From Nickys Nursery:
Amaranthus Foxtail
Amaranthus Dreadlocks / Caudatus gibbosus
Amaranthus Tower Red
Seed parcel:
Amaranthus Fat Spike
From Georgiavines:
Amaranthus gangeticus Elephant Head

Not tried Tricolour - I think @JWK has a liking for that one

Actually I disliked the plain ones, last year, so although I sowed some of those this year I threw the tray on the compost heap rather than planting them ... when the Self Sown ones sprung up I didn't know which was which, of course, and now that they are really decent sized plants I love the bog standard one - funny how things turn out, eh?

Sure, no problem.

 

Which species is that one - A.hypochondrius (spelling?) maybe?

 

Looks like A. hypochondriacus but that's not one that I have grown before. Foxtail was grown there last year, but that had green leaves ... and the flowers are not very Foxtail-like this year ... maybe it crossed with one of the others.

 

I've got hundreds of a red-leaved, red-tasselled amaranthus so will include seed in the seed swap, as well as 'Lime Green'.