When to Sew Seeds?

Hello,

I have bought and also collected some seeds from various spring flowering plants. - Foxglove, Nigella, Allium, Fritillaria and Grannie's Bonnet - When is the best time to plant these? Should I do it in Autumn outside in the ground or pots, so they come up in Spring? Or wait until Feb/March and start off in seeds trays indoors?

Also - with cuttings I've taken this year - like Verbena and Hydrangea, is it best to keep these on my windowsill over winter (I don't have a greenhouse) and plant out in Spring or should I plant them out in pots outside now so they acclimatise?

Thanks!

 

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum

You could sow them now and probably get germination ok if its continues with this warm weather, but keeping the seedlings going over winter will doubless be a challenge.

Think you will have more success sowing them next Spring and they will have plenty of time to make good sized plants for the following year.

For your cuttings, depends on how well rooted and large they are now?
Probably the best way is to keep them outside in a sheltered place in pots or in the soil, but you could give them shelter from the worst of the winter weather with one of these little cloches, we have used them for a few years, very handy, but do make sure they are well secured with stakes and bricks etc.

Wilko have them and you can get much larger or different shaped ones quite cheaply on ebay etc.

Wilko PVC Cloche Greenhouse with 2 Openings H60 x W120 x D60cm | Wilko

 

Oh great, thank you.
How often do you water them over the winter once they are in those cloches? Do they need much watering or will they go dormant?

 

Hi,

Any enclosed area like the cloche or greenhouse needs to be checked a few times a week in winter to ensure things do not dry out too much.

You need to keep them from drying out fully, but equally avoid overwatering them and making things really soggy as that will just rot the roots.

The cuttings / plants may go totally dormant or if its a mild winter may retain some of their leaves.

In a mild Autumn and Spring you need to check more often and that its not getting too hot in there, leaving the vents open but closing them when frosy nights or worst are forecast.
( also depends on what area you are in, the South West a lot different to the North East )

Its one of those things you will have to try and build up your own care experiences.
Even the most experienced gardener can get caught out .