Starting seeds in October

Hi

I am trying an experiment this year. I have sowed a few seeds in October to try and overwinter in my greenhouse to give me larger/bushier plants next spring. So far the sweetpeas look good. I also have a few each of stocks, larkspur, foxglove, delphinium and canterbury bell. It will be interesting to see how this experiment works. Has anyone else tried this method of early sowing.

Regards
Sue

Sowing sweet peas in the autumn is a good way to get them nice and big for the following year. You shouldn't have any problems overwintering them. Not sure on the others, as I haven't grown them.

How did you manage to get your canterbury bells to germinate? I keep trying but never succeed........

I have done that last year with Papaver Rhoas 'Angel Wings', Echscholzia californica 'Alba' and Nigella hispanica and damascena.
All went well, though they got a little leggy during the darkest period (I don't have grow lights, only a big attic window) but overcame that later on and I got really nice plants that started early.

Hi

I planted seeds in trays then covered them with an empty compost bag which kept in warmth and blocked out the light. The seedlings were then transferred to 3 inch pots. Some of the seedlings are very small and I will be surprised if they survive, the larkspur look to be the strongest at the moment.

The sweetpeas were grown in root trainers and I have just this week moved them to my cold frame where they will stay for the winter.

The main problem I seem to have when I am growing from seed is damping off, I lost lots of seedlings in the spring this year.

Regards
Sue