Filling border on a budget
I'm planning on renovating an existing border that I have. As I'm on a budget I was thinking of buying a bulk pack of small plants and planting them out in autumn. Will these be ok to plant out in autumn, so they'll flower next year?
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/perennial-best-value-collection/t47606TM
Also, could I sow some seeds now, and plant them out in autumn too? Obviously I wouldn't expect flowers this year, so I would need to get perennials.
Cheers!
Last edited: 16 July 2017 17:02:43
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Hi Adey, I've used those size plugs before from T&M and they are too small to risk planting out but are OK if you plant them in 9cm pots and grow them on until they are larger. Some will grow enough to plant in autumn but many would be best overwintered in their pots and planted in spring. The delphiniums in particular should be potted-on at least twice (9cm then 15cm) and protected from slugs, overwintered and planted in spring. Molluscs love them so you need to keep an eye on them until they are a foot or more tall. Good luck and as long as you give them plenty of TLC they should all flower next year.
Lots of perennial seeds can be sown now but the attrition rate over winter is normally pretty high so, again, TLC will be required.
I think that is a good way to fill a border quickly. I would also sow a few packets of seed. As the perennials will take a while to fill out, a few cheap fillers such as cosmos, Linaria purpurea, or wallflowers will pad it out for the first year.
If you learn how to take cuttings or split plants, you can propagate from friends gardens as well.
There's a thread on this forum where people swap surplus seeds.
Some good info there guys, thank you very much. It looks like I've got some pots to buy, or I could just eat more supernoodles!
Cheers!
I have sown a pack of Californian Poppy seeds. As long as they gets some sun they are really good to fill up space.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
9cm pots sold in autumn are great & ready to flower next year if you continue to pot them on, the roots will still develop.
I forgot to ask guys, the ones that need over-wintering, will the foliage die down over winter and if so can i keep them in the shed (dark) and do I still water them?
Cheers
Those Poppys are gorgeous Iamweedy, when did you sow them?
Last edited: 16 July 2017 19:56:32
No, don't keep them in the shed! Put the pots somewhere sheltered for the winter. Out of cold winds and just keep an eye on them. They will get watered by the rain during the winter. Once they start growing away in the spring they should be ready to go in the ground may/june time.
If they are the plants you actually want, go for it! I tend to buy one reasonable sized plant, and propagate from it. I've had mad success with Caryopteris 'Kew Blue' and Salvia 'Amistad' & 'Love and Wishes'. I have more than I know what to do with now. Just rooted them in a glass of water in the kitchen - and meanwhile I get to enjoy the donor plants in the garden.
One Sedum 'Jose Aubergine' bought as a small 9cm specimen, has yielded 9 strong plants from leaf cuttings, they'll be ready to plant out next season. I also got 7 or so plants from a single Salvia 'Caradonna' that I split into three and took basal cuttings from.
Last edited: 17 July 2017 18:14:19