The flower seed sowing thread 2023

[Bren In Pots]

A new thread for a new year, here's a last years for comparison.

The flower seed sowing thread 2022 - The Grapevine (growfruitandveg.co.uk)

[Babru]

Didn't want to start too early, but all of these have a February start date and presumably take a long time to reach a decent size:
Gaura Summer Breeze
Papaver rupifragum
Agastache Arcado Pink
Verbena rigida Intensity
These are all drought resistant, and I'm trying to move more that way, as last summer it was hard to keep plants alive due to the lack of rain. This summer will be a washout probably.

[rary]

Personally I would hold off for a month, or so, remember the dates on seed packets are just a guide, aimed mostly for the south of England, I have never tried growing verbena rigida, but verbena seeds need a steady temperature, I have grown verbena bonariensis a number of times, but it has never survived the winter, but as I said, never tried rigida

[Babru]

Rigida is really attractive, similar shape to bonariensis but smaller. Not as hardy either. My bonariensis are still alive after the cold weather, hope they make it. I'm on a raised beach and my soil is very well drained, so they might.

I hear what you're saying rary, and I agree about the south of England, but it would be nice to get a flower from the new plants this year.

I'm holding off my greenhouse tomatoes till March. And WON'T be growing an aubergine this year! It was interesting to do, but I wouldn't give up the space again for ONE aubergine.....

[rary]

If you are close to the sea, you won't have the same problem with low temperatures that I experience, though if rigida is less hardy than bonariensis I would recommend that you use 30g fleece to give protection any lighter stuff is a waste of money, if I was close to the shore I think I would get the seeds sown about six weeks before your last frost date, as for tomatoes, as long as they're not for growing outside, I would have them sown now, if using a propagator and ofcourse have a supply of fleece on hand, I recon by using fleece you can sow about 4 weeks earlier than normal

[peanut]

Sowed several varieties of Echinacea and Snapdragons.

[peanut]

Sowed Begonias, Petunias, Mirabilis, Agastache, Pelargoniums and am chitting some old Sweet Pea seeds.

[mothhawk]

I haven't sown any flower seeds yet, but after looking through my seed stash to discover I have 49 different flower varieties, I was suddenly compelled to buy some more

They arrived this morning - trailing verbena, busy lizzie, salvia farinacea, and ammi majus. The ammi I've never grown before, as it is so like the cow parsley that grows along the verges everywhere here, but as it's so good for bees and bugs I decided to have a go. Need to get some compost and vermiculite now.

[Babru]

Sowed Begonias, Petunias, Mirabilis, Agastache, Pelargoniums and am chitting some old Sweet Pea seeds.

Interested to hear how you get on with your old sweet pea seeds. I sowed a few varieties a couple of years ago and found quite a few didn't come up. Seed was only a couple of years old, and I store it on the fridge. It's put me off buying multiple varieties, as I only ever want a few of each colour in a season.

[Nicos]

Sowed some wildflower seeds yesterday in a tray. Pretty old tbh but it’ll be interesting to see what actually starts to grow.
I keep looking at my nasturtiums in their packets….

[peanut]

Interested to hear how you get on with your old sweet pea seeds. I sowed a few varieties a couple of years ago and found quite a few didn't come up. Seed was only a couple of years old, and I store it on the fridge. It's put me off buying multiple varieties, as I only ever want a few of each colour in a season.

They've more or less all germinated, the only variety with a lot of duds is Sweet Dreams. I find chitting them first is best or I get a fair few that don't come up. I wasn't expecting so many to germinate tbh, I've now got about 80 to pot up

[annie8]

Weather over the next week is looking really cold so am going to hold off on sowing any flower seeds apart from those that start inside in the propagator. Will look at my seeds at the weekend and see what can start pretty early. Will need to wait for tomatoes and chillis to move out of the propagator first though.

[annie8]

Sowed some verbena bonariensis and marigolds. In the propagator.

[peanut]

Yesterday I started chitting some everlasting sweetpeas.
Sowed more Enchinacea some Rhododictron, Calendula and Californian Poppies.

[annie8]

The verbena haven’t germinated so sowed some more. Might sow some cosmos today.