A bit scared

Flowerlover3

I impulse bought some Meconopsis Lingholm plants in 7cm pots early autumn. They were very cheap and I couldn't resist. I can't remember now who I bought them from (online) but had some email discussions with the very helpful seller who thought the position I  had for them was ideal, acidic, moist, light shade but said to pot them on and plant them this spring. I know they need moist soil in summer but free draining as well especially in winter. My plan is to dig quite deep holes and put a good few inches of grit at the bottom so they won't get waterlogged in winter. My question is should I use ericaceous compost or a soil based ericaceous/grit mix? I don't want to make it so well drained they're too dry in summer. I'd love to have this plant thrive in my garden and want to give them the best chance, all advice welcome.

darren636

They like humidity around the leaves,

They always failed in my mums garden - too dry in summer .



I think there's a tendency for people to molly coddle them too much.



Treat them the same as any other plant in the border.

A little compost in the planting hole and a bit of a mulch.



Its its a good situation , they will be ok.

fidgetbones

I have clayey soil where they have gone, I dug in a sack of peat and some sharp grit to help drainage. They flowered last year and have come up again this year.

Zenjeff

Hi

I have Meconopsis Lingholm which I got last summer I planted in semishade and a mix of EricaJohn Inness compost and sharp horticultural sand it as came through the winter here in the north east which as been very wet and cold,Also some Meconopsis paniculata which I grew from seed and planted out in summer same treatment have come through the winter

punkdoc

I have grown them for a number of years.

Foe me they do well in a leaf mould, garden compost mix, in a damp, semi-shaded position. My soil is neutral to semi-acid.

Flowerlover3

Thanks all, good to hear success stories especially in soggy winters. Do you think it's because your climate is too warm Verdun, you're in Cornwall aren't you?

Zenjeff

aym

hope for you 

One instance can be seen at Wakehurst Place in Sussex in the south of England in the bog-garden area, where M. baileyi appears to flourish. We hope that with the information given here more gardeners will be encouraged to gain satisfaction from attempting to grow these lovely plants.

punkdoc

The best way to germinate the seeds, is to sow them in autumn, ensure they get a good cold spell, and they will germinate the next spring.

Mine have just started germinating, having been outside during the winter.