Lobelia

I bought some plug lobelia (bush) today of little seedlings.

I intend to pot them into modules and just let them do their thing slowly on the window sill.

I'm just a bit worried that I may have bought a bit early, as they can't go out til May.

Anyone else with any experience?

 

Hi May

It is a bit early, careful with watering as they might damp off , also they dont want direct sun on them at this early stage, as they could scorch its suprising how hot a windowsill can be in March (if we have sun) if....
I use a thin sheet of paper on the window but not to thick just until they get a bit bigger , but you will still have to watch them I was in diy store Saturday and they had lots for sale but when I looked closer they didnt look happy , lobelia is realy easy to grow from seed sow direct into your modules so no thining out makes it more easy to do.



Spruce

 

I presume you mean Lobelia erinus. Its actually a tender perennial, and a bit tougher than you think. My neighbour has left them outside next to the house overwinter before, and they survived the cold (down to -8C) and came back the following year.

But I would protect any young palnt for a while. They should do well on a windowsill - if you have any space left. But as Spruce says - protect them from too much sun until they get established.

 

In addition to the good advice already given I would add that I find that Lobellia is relatively slow getting to "planting out" stage, so as long as you can provide enough light, and heat, and water, and "grub" then I think the fact that it is a "bit early" won't matter.

If you were telling em you had got Sweetcorn, which needs all of 3 weeks from sowing to planting out :th_scifD36:, THEN I would be worried!

 

Thanks chaps. I got some last year, but not this early, and when I planted them out they took ages to take off. I thought I'd get them a bit bigger this year before planting out.

I'll put them on the kitchen windowsill, which is north east facing, and has a net for protection from early sun (what is sun again?)