Stock night scented

Dear Friends
I have just bought seeds for Stock night scented (starlight sensation) not sure which one is the real name, tons of seeds come in the package and i seem to have problems with flowers with tiny seeds because I cant separate them from each other and end up putting a bunch in near spots, is this the right way to do it?I am not suposse to germinate the whole bag is that right?or should i separate seed by seed?it seems almost like an impossible job

Good neews as today i pick up my new greenhouse, and finishing my deck, lilies, dhalias, geraniums and marigolds growing beautifully in my dining room table
Please advise many thanks

Miriam

 

Hello Miriam. With very tiny seeds you can't separate all the seeds from each other.
There are 2 ways you could sow them.
Mix the seeds with a teaspoon of sand then scatter the sand lightly over the surface. Or
Take a pinch of seed between your thumb and finger and rolling them together move your hand slowly over the surface.
It will all work out.
Good luck.

 

I grew some night scented stock a few years ago. It is a really lovely scent.

With tiny seeds, I tend to take a pinch as though it is salt or pepper, and gently rub between my finger and thumb from about a foot above the compost. Then when the plants start to grow, if two are too close together, I wait until they've built up a bit of strength (so as not to risk damaging the tiny roots) and then gently nip the weaker of the two seedlings so as to kill the weakest one in situ, so that the stronger one can grow without competition. I'm not sure if that's good practice or not though. Someone more knowledge might comment.

Another technique I have, if I'm sowing into a seed tray (the technique doesn't work with pots) is to put a pinch of seeds in the palm of my hand, then blow them off my hand onto the compost. That way they fly off and scatter everywhere.

 

If you haven't done the "rub between thumb-and-forefinger" method before do a test-run on some paper of a contrasting colour so you have have several trial-goes before doing it for real onto seed sowing compost.

 

Dont you direct sow night scented stock?

 

Yes, you can do , Pete, but you still have to sow those tiny little seeds.
As with all else I prefer to sow in pots or modules then plant them out. I find it much more reliable.
Maybe it depends where you live and what kind of soil you have.

 

Yep never thought of growing them like that Alice.

I thought you just made a short drill or patch and sowed them, direct where they was to grow.
Hence, millions in a packet, a bit like the old days.

 

thanks everyone for your replies! very helful indeed, does anyone know if this is a plant that can be grown in a shady area?or it needs to be grown in full sun?it doesnt say in the package

 

Been reading that on the packets for years, sowing them in the back of the border by the terrace we sit out on during the summer, and never getting anything ... probably pulled up with the weeds / hoe, or too dry ...

so I'm sowing some in a seed tray this year. Dunno if they hate pricking out and transplanting, but we'll see.

I think Monty did some in a tray on Gardeners World (but I may have dreamt it!)

Ask me again later in the year? :D

 

I'm doing the same Kristen. It was on the first episode of that Horticultural channel - if you look on information tv online - the guy on there sowed them into a tray.

I have sown them outside, with some success, but they were very droopy and feeble looking!

 

The kind of plant its best to smell rather than see.

 

I found this in the internet
I thought I could grow it in shade as I need to find flowers that bloom in the shady parts of my garden

Growing Instructions for Stock night scented starlight scentsation
• Needs Full Sun to Partial Shade
• Direct sow outdoors in fall
• Sow indoors before last frost
• Direct sow after last frost
• Sow the seeds outdoors in March, the right time to flower.
• Tilt the soil finely before sowing the seeds of starlight scentsation.
• Do not avoid light as light is helpful for germination.
• Sow 6mmdeep in rows.
• The seed spacing should be 30cm or 12inches apart.
• Thin them out to 7.5cm or 3inches apart once they are large enough to handle.

 

There seems to be a lot of confliction info there Miriam.

I don't know much about it, I only grow night scented stock once and I can't remember what vareity it was, but I just scattered the seeds on some compost in spring, watered them in, then left them to get on with it. They did well.

 

thank you clueless, were they in direct sunshine? maybe they do well in indirect sun

i have also read that they are easy to grow and should sow outside in spring maybe i will do that next time
Also i have been told not to put anything outside ntil the risk of frost has passed and that put me off, i have done the seeds on a container and now have transfered them individually, but so much work may not be necesary for this kind of plant
m.