Teasels - still too small to put into individual pots?

Hi Lovely Gardeners,

I am planning on having part of my garden as we wild flower garden and bought a 'planting by number' box with 12 different plants seed in. Two of them had to initially be grown indoors, but sadly only the Teasels have come up.

Anyway, the packet says 'when they large enough to handle transplant into individual pots', there in lies the problem......what is big enough to handle please?

I have uploaded a badly out of focus image of them at the moment and have a couple of trays ready but having got this far for the time I don't want to now kill them because I transplant them too early.

Many thanks in advance for any advice

Lynne

 

When the second set of leaves are growing well, prick them out, handle by the seed leaves which are the ones you can see now.

 

Many thanks Pam, got that

Off to get some new compost anyway, so ready to go when they have their second leave.

I am sad the other seeds haven't made an appearance, Verbena, it says on the packet to put them in the fridge if they don't germinate, sounds strange, but I can put the tray with just those in for a try I suppose......never thought gardening would involve the fridge

Thanks again Pam and love the image of your dog, beautiful

Lynne

 

As the forum killjoy I have to ask you if you really want to introduce this to your garden? I find it an invasive weed. Indeed, it is everywhere in the hedgerows all over the country. I have got to risk life and limb to remove one that is growing in my clump of Canary Bird Rose

It's called cold stratification. Some seed need a cold period followed by warmer temperatures to break their dormancy.

 

Hi Longk, thank you for the above, I had not idea, but then I don't have an idea about anything at the moment

If I don't kill them off before then, I will have think about if i want to put them into my fledgling garden, as the last thing I want it to do it turn back into a mess!

Thanks for the information about the cold stratification. I will give it a go with the tray with just those seeds on, hopefully they might spring into life after that

Many thanks, again, all good knowledge to have.

 

If you like them put them in. But dead head before the seed sets and disperses.

A couple of links that may help.

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/seed-germination-guide.90433/

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/principles-of-seed-sowing.39912/

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/my-2015-seed-growing-blog.90065/

 

Many thanks Longk, that is excellent news! I had a break and was reading about the same thing for Chives, I have some that have tripled in size since I have lived here and I wanted to move them and the advice was the same, cut the heads of or you end up with hundreds

I think I will start a list of what and when I need to dead head things, and then hopefully I can have a good variety of different plants with any one taking over.

Thank you so much for the links I will have a read of them during the two and a half hour Eurovision song Contest

Lynne

 

Don't be dismayed if only a floret of leaves appear on your teazle in the first year, that's all they do. In the second year they will send up the high stalk. (Don't dead head, leave the seeds for the goldfinches to help them through the winter).

Cheers, Tony

 

Or to self seed like bejayzus!!! (Sorry, but I am plagued by them three years after moving in.)

 

I know Teasel is a weed and Lonk is right it can probably become a pest.
But it grows on my allotment and only really becomes a problem if left overwinter, so general cultivation usually stops it getting out of control.

Must admit I do find it a striking plant when in flower, and through the winter, in a semi wild area.

 

I agree. I don't dislike it, just its habits. However they are everywhere in this area so I don't need to "cultivate" them to get to appreciate them.

 

And to answer the OP from @Barders , which I'm sorry I forgot to say.
Teasel IMO does not like root disturbance, so prick out the seedlings as soon as possible, into small pots, and plant out well before they get potbound.

 

Many thanks everyone, if I get them as far as the garden, I will make sure that I keep an eye on them, but would like the birds to get what they need, so will start a diary of when to do certain things.

Will keep an eye on them now and hopefully the second leaves will appear soon.

Thank you again for all your posts and information.

Lynne