Growing

Growing

Flowers, food for the eyes

Do you want some nice spring flowers? Then you should be planting seed for polyanthus / primulas (primroses). Sow two or three seeds in a 2" (5cms) pot (or jiffy 7's) of good quality compost. The easiest way is to pick up each tiny seed with a dampened cocktail stick and place on the surface of the compost. Water with a spray (or you will wash the seed away). cover with cling film or seal in a polythene bag). Place outside where the sun will not shine on it at any time of the day December till mid February. This allows the seed to be cold treated (Frozen) which breaks the dormancy. (You could use a cold fridge, partner permitting!)

Mid February / March bring into a warm but light place. As soon as you can see the tiny plants emerging remove the cling film or polythene cover. Inspect this very carefully for plants as the wind may have dislodged the seed and the plant germinated on the plastic. With the careful use of a cocktail sticks again, you can transplant any surplus plants. Be very careful, they are very delicate. Keep well watered with almost no plant food. Too much plant food will kill these plants. Grow on to enjoy the flowers the following year ; sometimes they will flower for many months. Provided they are kept moist they will stand a great deal of shade and warmth or very cold conditions.

Problems and Possibilities.

Slugs! Sorry, they love them. Hand pick (yuk), or use slug pellets.

Vine Weevil. These plants and Cyclamen are vine weevils favourite food . Use this fact to your advantage. 'Grow on' and pot on into 5" pots. Treat the polyanthus / primulas with a systemic insecticide like Provado* Vine weevil killer and place plants in pots around other plants or crops you want protected. The adult vine weevil will lay her eggs next to her preferred plants rather than near to your 'strawberries'. The emerging grubs will then eat the roots of the Primulas and die rather than eating your strawberry plant roots and therefore killing the strawberry plant. Thus you have avoided using insecticides on food crops. (Provado* Vine weevil killer must not be used for treating food crops).

Don't forget to keep the potted plants watered. (Sorry, it's not all deck chair gardening! )

Alternatively coat the outside of the pot with non setting glue (obtainable from www.greengardener.co.uk to catch the adult vine weevil but this medium is very messy and difficult to remove from hands if accidentally contacted.

(A few people are allergic to Primula denticulata pollen dust which brings a rash on the hands)

*Provado is a registered trade mark belonging to Bayer CropScience Group

Freesias

Very easy to grow from bulbs and the flowers make very acceptable gifts.

Just plant up 1" (2.5 cms) deep in compost in the autumn in a cool greenhouse or conservatory. That's it.

Pick flowers when the first flower on the stem is fully open or leave to fill your conservatory with the beautiful fragrance of this fine flower.