Of seeds and seedlings
Ruth sows polyanthus and pricks out echinaceas
Don’t try to grow your polyanthus seedlings somewhere warm as too much heat can inhibit germination. Pot them on when large enough to handle.
SO many seedlings, so little time! Now the sowing season is well underway the greenhouse is filling up with germinating seeds and potted-on seedlings.
This week I added to the crowd by sowing this week’s AG free seeds – Mr Fothergill’s Polyanthus ‘Large Flowered Mixed’ – and pricking out a tray of echinacea seedlings that have been growing happily on a sunny windowsill.
Polyanthus are members of the primula family that produce clusters of bold-coloured flowers on tall, elegant stems above a rosette of crinkled leaves. As hardy perennials, they withstand the harshest weather and bring early colour to borders, pots and window boxes.
They will thrive best in moist but well-drained soil, and if sown now will flower early next spring.
The echinacea seedlings sown last month have been pricked out into individual 3in (7cm) pots of John Innes No1, which is enough to feed growing foliage and nurture root development.
Fill a seed tray or large pot almost to the top with sieved seed and cuttings compost. Dampen with fresh tap water.
Sow the seeds thinly on the surface. Mix with sand for easier scattering or sprinkle from a dampened fingertip.
Cover with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite, label and cover. If sowing in a pot, seal it in a clear plastic bag.
Place the seeds in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame. When seeds germinate (in roughly 3-6 weeks) remove the cover to let air in.
I will grow them on, harden them off after the frosts have finished and plant them into their final site – a sheltered, sunny spot with free-draining soil.