Digitalis purpurea, 'Camelot' Series from Seed

Hi,

These Foxgloves are said to flower in the first year if sown early, has anyone grown them from seed and know if thats really true and that they do give a good flower the same year ?

There are different colours available as such as the Cream but from the few pictures of the Lavender and Rose types its hard to know if these really are different as both could be seen a light Purple ?

 

Looks like you might have to be the one to try them Ricky.

 

Yup, looks like it !
Was looking for something tallish to give some colour next year rather than the year after.

Appears these Camelot and Dalmation varieties will flower the same year and for a much longer period than typical foxgloves.

This place has the seeds though must confess never heard of them before.
Digitalis

 

Moles Seeds have developed the business over the years @ricky101. I used to live in Colchester and bought many of my bedding plants from them at very reasonable prices. At that time they didn't sell seed.

 

Thanks @Sheal will order some foxglove seeds from them.

Looks like the ones I will be getting are the Pelleted type aimed at commerical growers, so will be interesting to see how well they germimate.
Have read the seeds are best used in the same year as the pelleting process does affect things.

 

If possible I'd like feedback on your/their success rate please Ricky, particularly as they are pelleted.

 

Hi ricky....I've grown these from seed and they did flower in the first year. The bees love them!

 

Will do, as they are hardy might try and start a few seed off now in the greenhouse.

For anyone else looking to order from Moles, for the seeds we ordered they have a minimum order value of £12.50 before Vat, but its was post free and we also got a little discount for some reason.

Thanks Fern, good to know they grow and flower well particularly as you are as northern as us.

 

Hi @Sheal and all,

The seeds arrived from Moles today, very quick !

Each was in its own resealable foil pack containing a glass vial of the pelleted seeds, though still very small as you can see when placed on some kitcken roll.

Dropped two seeds into this little pot of watered compost and the first instinct was to carefully firm the seed to the compost surface, but with these very small pellets they just fell apart as the moisture had already soaked into them, so had to leave them as they dropped; they say Foxglove seeds should not be covered.

Have placed 2 pots of 2 seeds in our little heated greenhouse enclosure which is kept at 15c min so be interesting to see if they germinate , though perhaps not enough hours of daylight now ?



A bit less than pinhead size, about 1.5mm diameter

 

Thank you for the feedback @ricky101. I think the packaging is a little over the top and could be reduced but it's good to hear the seeds arrived promptly. I've not had much success with pelleted seeds down the years and tend to avoid them now. I hope that Moles have continued with their good reputation and you have a high success rate with germination.

 

Expect the packaging is what they use for their bulk commercial customers as that seems to be the main part of their seed business....?

They say it takes 2-3 weeks for Foxloves to germinate, will keep you posted.

 

Hi @Sheal

Little update, 3 out of the 4 pellets planted 10 days ago have pushed out a 5mm shoot, so seems these do germinate quiet easily.
Not sure if they will grow on ok this time of year with so little light, but looks promising for a spring sowing. Do have some grow lights but a bit wasteful just for these testers.

 

That sounds promising @ricky101.