Bedding plants dying - what now?

I brought some bedding plants this year to mkae the graden look a bit better, but as I am a garden novice I am unsure what to do with them when they start dying off?

Leave them to compose into the soil? Or can I get rid of the horrible sit by digging them out and preparing the soil for some better perrenial plants?

 

Generally speaking, bedding plants are just for the summer, and you dig them up and pop them in the compost heap, or appropriately coloured recycling bin (brown here, green where I used to live...)

Some bedding plants you can keep going by taking them into a greenhouse or conservatory over winter, but that can be a bit of a hassle. Preparing the ground for some perennials would be a good move, if you know what sort of plants you want - you can even plant them now, even if they don't look much just yet.

 

when i first started gardening muddy i would let the annuals go to seed ( on a budget )put the seeds in an envelope untill spring and sow them in trays on the windowsill ( no greenhouse then ) i got loads of free plants, it was so exciting ( sad me )

 

Sorry, how do you know when they go to seed? Showing how much of a novice i am now!

 

if you dont deadhead muddy ( take dying flowers off )they set seed ( each Flower )when there ripe they burst open and scatter the seed over your soil, the trick is to gather the seed befor they burst, there usually firmish and brownish, i promise u will learn when the times right. anyway if you have loads of seed heads squash them if there mushy ( no good )if it bursts and the seeds are sort of dry and seperate put them in envelope with name of flower on front, store in a dry place and bingo free flowers next year.good luck and have fun muddy. DEE

 

Hi Muddy we all have to start somewhere and as the saying goes I'm still learning!

Dee's idea with the seed is great I use that way too, although what I do also is write a mini essay on the envelopes i.e.when to sow the seed,best place to sow them,their requirements etc. this information can be found on the internet if you don't want to write the seeds requirement on the envelopes then a little exercise book does the same job a treat and can save you an awful lot of time later.

Saving seeds is so easy too as long as you remember to dry the seed out before putting them away in a safe place over winter otherwise come next spring you will have a nasty suprise when you come to sow the seeds!

Good luck and enjoy your gardening adventures.
Helen.xxx.

 

Keep your seeds in the fridge until you want to sow them in Spring, they have a better start this way. Buzzing around!