Wildflower plugs in current weather

AnguisFragilis

I’ve just picked up a treasure trove of wildflower plugs reduced to 5p each! But I’m not sure whether I should persist with them in the small trays and wait until milder weather or plant them out now. It’s very dry where we are and high 20s forecast for the foreseeable. Plant or wait? It’s predominantly lady bedstraw, common sorrel and cowslip. 

Grannybee

I think it might not  be a good idea to plant now. Probably the best thing would be to pot them on and keep them watered in this hot weather. Save the planting until you have had some good rain.

Fairygirl

I wouldn't plant plugs of any kind just now. Grow them on for a while, and then take a view on it.
The healthier and sturdier they are, the more likely they are to take. If they're doing well by about mid September, they'll be more likely to carry on doing well, assuming your conditions suit them by then too 

AnguisFragilis

I’ll give them a good drink and keep for a few weeks in the pots

thevictorian

I would grow them on as well. There aren't many wildflowers growing anywhere around us this year apart from ragwort due to the drought. It's so much harder to establish anything at the moment, so developing a good root system is the key.

Fairygirl

If they're still in the original 'trays', they'll be root bound and not at their best, so it makes sense to give them a chance to recover and get stronger. If they'd been bought and grown on at the usual time - ie spring into summer, they'd have been a good size by now and able to be planted out   
It certainly does depend on the local conditions you have though.
We're fortunate here @thevictorian that our weather isn't too different from a normal summer, although we were starting it from a lower point after the much drier winter. I think we still had about 80% of normal rainfall in July, which is still plenty, so there's no shortage of green grass. The east [of Scotland] is always drier, and they're getting slightly worried, as that's 'grain' country. 
We'll all have to adapt as time goes on, with whatever we like to plant, and use our resources wisely. It infuriates me when I see people here using sprinklers on grass. 

GardenerSuze

@Fairygirl People don't seem to be watering grass here although they were a few weeks ago. Grey water seems to be the thing, other than on edibles. One thing I have realised is that I have overwatered my garden in the past as plants seem to be coping at present.

thevictorian

@Fairygirl it's nice to know somewhere things aren't to bad. A local field I walk through is normally filled with wildflowers but this year all I've seen is ragwort and a few thistles, the other couple of dozen species I'd expect are just not there. The grass is so dry that it's just been blown away by the wind, leaving bare soil. 
The hedgehogs are hungry as they can't get the worms (still slugs haven't been an issue, silver lining I guess) and I really worry about the birds this winter as blackberries and other fruits are really scarce.

We apparently had 8% of normal rainfall here last month but that was scattered showers and most of us saw none. If you add that to the previous dry months and it's not a great situation. 

Fire

Angius, where abouts are you?

AnguisFragilis

Yorkshire, I’ve repotted them but not sure if I should get them out in autumn without cutting them. Obviously all my others will get their meadow but soon. Plugs may not be giving them enough Brexit, they are small but larger than plugs