October Flower Kit - Grow Together

October Flower Kit

aka - The Winter Flower Starter Kit

Sowing video:

I have let you know below if seeds can be sowed directly into the garden or started off under cover. My personal preference is to always start the off indoors because of weather/slugs/just have better luck that way – but it’s a personal preference so if in doubt – do both! If grown under cover, prick them out when they have their first two true leaves and then we’ll keep them under cover or in a sheltered spot in your garden in their pots until March when we’ll move them into their beds. If direct sowed, thin them out at this stage to half their final spacing and then to their final spacing in the Spring. You WON’T see a lot of action above ground, but the roots will be growing all through the winter. Plant spacing is closer than you’d normally see for cutting rather than landscaping, this is for the maximum number of flowers! Please note: if you can save half your seeds, you can sow all of these again in March next year to prolong your flowering seasons.

With all seeds, sow, then water seed tray from below by adding water to a tray/sink and placing the tray in the water for 20-30 minutes or from above using fine rose on watering can. Keep moist but not soaked.

Cerinthe

Can be directly sowed out into the garden or started indoors. Sprinkle seeds onto soil. Cover very lightly with soil then gently firm in with hand or back of another seed tray. Final spacing – 30-40cm. Height – 90cm.

Lavatera

Scabiosa

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum).

Sow under cover. Sprinkle seeds onto soil then gently firm in with hand or back of another seed tray. Light aids germination so do not cover seeds when sowing. Final spacing – 22cm. Height – 90cm.

Sweet Peas

Sow under cover (and keep out of the reach of mice!). Place two seeds in each module/pot. Cover very lightly with soil then gently firm in with hand or back of another seed tray. Final spacing – 30cm. Height – 180cm.

Pricking out Autumn Sown Hardy Annuals

Your seeds should start to germinate in a few days (bear in mind Larkspur can take 3-4 weeks so don't panic!). When they have their first pair of true leaves (ie not the first set you see as they first germinate) - they are ready to be pricked out into their own little pots. Here's what I mean...

Hardening off your seedlings BEFORE they go out into the garden

Please see this Facebook post to learn more about hardening off: https://www.facebook.com/groups/floralproject/permalink/4364002997005575/

Note added to Floral Project FB Group on 24 September:

If you're sowing hardy annual seeds between now and March next year....

Once you've pricked your seedlings out....if your seedlings aren’t big and tough enough to go out into the garden by this weekend, it’s probably too late to plant them into the ground.

By big enough, I mean at least a few inches tall and by tough enough I meant they’ve had a chance to harden off outside for at least 10 days before you put them into the ground.

They won’t have time to establish themselves before the first frosts come so instead, keep them in their pots - pot them on if they have a growth spurt (they shouldn’t now the temperatures are dropping) - and put them in an unheated greenhouse, cold frame or sheltered spot in the garden where they’ll be protected from most of the heavy rain and wind, but still get some light.

You might also want to consider buying some horticultural fleece (amazon or garden centre) and tucking that over them if/when it gets really cold.

You’ll see not much action going on above ground, but I promised you the roots will be growing stronger and stronger, just keep an eye on them for the next few months and make sure they don’t dry out.

Then, at the end of March, we’ll be putting all the survivors (!) out into the garden when they’ll really go for it. This is quite good in a way as it gives you a few months to create some raised beds or find some space in your garden (or a friends) to grow them on next year - and by then you should have loads of seedlings to choose from so you can select the strongest and however many you want from the collection you will have

Hope that helps!

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October Flower Kit - Grow Together