Astrantia from seed

Does anyone have any tips on growing astrantia from seed? I sowed some last spring in a seed tray, left them outside as Carol Klein suggests, but all I seem to have is a tray full of ivy seedlings!

 

I had a go this year with Plantworld seeds. The recommended method was to let them chill in damp soil-based compost, but the instructions did say that they can take a long time. No sign of anything so far....Perhaps we've both got too warm a climate? They used to self-sow like weeds in the UK I'd chuck the contents of the tray/pots onto cultivated soil in a shady part of the garden and hope for the best

 

Don't worry Noisette, they've had plenty of chilling here this winter! I also heard they could take a while to germinate but the question is, what's the waiting limit? I'm not sure whether to try again or just leave them for.... a few months...?...a year...?

 

If you sow them again now, Lorea, I suspect that they'd need to be chilled in a fridge for a few weeks...artificial winter etc.
If you leave the originals in their tray you'll have to water them all summer and autumn That's why I suggest keeping a shady area free for tipping the contents of old pots and trays, leaving the label and waiting to see what comes up. Some seeds take two years to germinate...

 

Thanks for that tip Noisette

 

Fingers crossed, eh? What do you use for seed sowing? I bought a bag of 'Verve' from Castorama, which theoretically is the same as B&Q multi-purpose. What utter garbage! Will be mixing my own from now on.....

 

I use MP compost from Leroy Merlin, mixed with a bit of sharp sand. They have different prices, so not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either. I did have some last year which was well dodgy - after watering, the stuff which came out of the bottom of the pots looked like tea! All the seedlings I transplanted into it died.