Cold frame - on the cheap

Thanks bobj. I spent part of today recycling my plants as well. I dug up all my Lobelia "Queen Victoria" which I am told is not that hardy. Most plants that I dug up could be divided into two. So I have doubled my stock, and put them into square pots and into the cold frame. I don't believe in spending money, so I kept my compost mix for cuttings, and just stuck the Lobelia into pots with earth from the garden. They have been in it all summer so why should I use fresh compost to pot them up now.

I do this every year and they love it. By the time it comes to replant them in spring, some have grown enough to be divided again! The only problem is that from my original single plant, I now have so many that I have to keep giving them away. I usually keep about 60, then plant them very close together in the following year for a good display. By their nature they only grow upwards during the year, so they don't mind being crowded.

 

Thats interesting Bob, as a comparison. Yes it sounds like the same plant - its lovely. I had one original plant about 6 years ago, which has since turned into well over 100, and I am sure it could have been a lot more if I had wanted. I didn't start to split them intentionally. Its just that I had a large number of square 4 inch pots and after a season in the border first the original plant, then the subsequent plants, often won't fit in a single pot so I had to split them to get them to fit.

Your observation fits in with my own. I have other plants that bulk up well when I split them, but once they have reached a certain size they seem to almost stop growing. I rate Lobelia as one of the best garden plants because its attractive and so easy to handle. If you water it the night before, you can even dig it up and transplant it when its in flower and it won't turn a hair. You can also do this with Asters. But my experiance with some other plants like Echinacea is that although you can divide them, they tend to sulk for a year or so.

 

Love the cold frames and the clingfilm greenhouse!

I've discovered Lobelia Queen Victoria this year and so have the slugs :( I lost one plant to them already and am hoping I can ward off attacks next Spring when it re appears. I'm also hoping its frost hardy down here in Sussex!