Potting on for bushy plants

[jools]

I am growing all sorts of things from seed, some of which I shall be selling at my kids' school fetes to raise funds for the schools. The flowers are never as bushy as the ones you see in garden centres. For my own garden, I plan to fill it with flowers so that I can't see the soli! I'm sure I once read that Charlie Dimmock advised putting more than one seedling in each module so that you ended up with a more substantial looking plant.

What do you think?

Jools

[bramble]

wHAT kind of flowers are you growing and what size pot were you thinking of using

[jools]

So sorry not to get back to you sooner, Bramble (the plague has descended on our house, with two of the kids being ill all week and now me...booo hooo).

I've sown all sorts of things and have packets of even more waiting to be sown - rudbeckia, marigolds, cornflower, petunia - just too many to mention really. And then I have sown some herbs, such as basil and chives.

We do sell some perennials in larger pots but the annual we sell in the little trays divided into 12s, 9s or 6s or in smaller pots. I felt some looked a bit sorry for themselves last year and, as far as my own garden goes, I wondered if I packed things in so tightly the soil would be hidden when everything grows, it would retain moisture a bit better.

Perhaps its not a matter of putting more plants in but pinching out more?

Jools

[rustylady]

I think you may need to pinch the plants out so they grow bushier. Also remember that if they're sown in seed compost they will need feeding after about four or five weeks. That really helps them. I use Miraclegrow solution poured into a tray and stand the cells in it until they have soaked it up.

[jools]

Thanks for that tip, Rustylady. The feeding thing is something I haven't been very good at in past years but I have already promised to be better this year!
Jools

[zazen999]

Hi jools

Feeding is crucial esp for pots; as all the goodness leaches out the bottom. It's the No 1 rule in my house for container gardening.

I do the same as Rustylady; once a week they need it.