Foxgloves ( Digitalis )

Hi Anthony, well, Foxglove is a biennial as you know so once it's flowered it'll be finished and seed. The problem is that if the Foxglove has been pollinated by Bees that have visited other differently coloured Foxgloves there's more than a good chance of you not get all white ones. Having said that, it is possible that the seeds will produce White Foxgloves among the possibly coloured ones.

 

Seed Sowing
1
Fill a seed starting flat with moist, sterile potting soil. Set the flat in a drip tray to catch any excess draining moisture.

2
Sow the foxglove seeds on the soil surface in the tray, planting about one seed per 2 square inches. Press the seeds lightly into the soil with your finger, but avoid covering them completely. Foxglove seeds require light to germinate.

3
Mist the soil surface lightly with water then cover the flat with a clear plastic bag to conserve moisture during germination. Set the tray in a warm, well-lit area. Foxglove seeds typically sprout within 14 to 21 days, so the soil may need light watering if it begins to dry before germination.

4
Remove the plastic when the seeds sprout. Place the tray in a warm location -- about 70 degrees Fahrenheit -- where the seedlings can receive all-day sun, and water the soil when the surface dries out.

5
Transplant the seedlings to their permanent bed or nursery bed when they are six to eight weeks old. Transplant to a nursery bed only if there is at least eight weeks of growing season left before the first fall frost, otherwise continue growing them indoors in 3-inch diameter pots. Space the plants 12 inches apart in the nursery bed or plant one per pot, setting them at the same depth they were growing previously.

Propagation by Division
1
Dig around the foxglove root zone, about 6 inches out from the base of the stems. Slip the trowel beneath the roots and lift the entire clump from the soil.

2
Shake gently or brush off the dirt clods clinging to the roots. Pull off any dead leaves or stems, and trim off dead or badly damaged roots with a shears. Disinfect shears in a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution to prevent disease contamination.

3
Tease apart the roots into two to three sections. Each section must have several root pieces and stems attached in order to regrow after division. Cut through any attached roots with the shears so the divisions are completely separated.

4
Spread 2 inches of compost over a partially shaded garden bed. Work the compost into the top 8 inches of soil before replanting the divisions.

5
Replant each foxglove division at the same depth it was growing at before division. Dig a hole to the same planting depth, but make a small 2-inch mound in the bottom of the hole. Spread the roots over the soil mound after placing the division into the hole, then fill the hole with soil. Space the plants about 12 inches apart in all directions and water immediately after planting. They will fill in the bed as they put on new growth the following su




Tips

• Foxgloves begin flowering the second year after propagation. Transplant them to their permanent bed in spring after all frost danger has passed.

Warnings

• All parts of the foxglove are highly toxic if ingested.
• Foxgloves readily self-seed and can become invasive. Remove the old flower heads before they set seed to prevent spread.