The Spring Grow-A-Long is back!
Now we have moved into Spring and left late winter behind I have created a new page to keep sowing simple, everything below can se started now.
This Page is for what I am sowing, nice and simple, you can find the ‘Greenhouse Updates’ here!
https://zoewoodwardgardening.com/2024/11/14/greenhouse-updates-2
Click the pictures below to go through to the Video Hub for each seed. I’ll add each seed video as I sow them. Don’t forget to catch up with the Late Winter Grow-A-Long first!
It’s time now for China Asters and Orach, we will save the Runner beans, Cucumbers and the last round of Tomatoes until May!
1st April 2025
Seeds I’m starting now are Nictotiana, Panicum and Wrinkled Cress.
The Autumn started plants are quite behind this year so I’ll start my patio pot Amaranthus now but my cut flower types I will delay until the middle of the month.
Other seeds I will sow in a couple of weeks are the Statice and Strawflowers, this will take pressure off the June rush to get everything planted, it worked very well for me last year but you can so yours now if you have space or want flowers sooner (the videos are below for you just in case).
It’s still too early for China Asters. To achieve the big stocky plants I show you in my garden I wait for the days to get a little longer, ditto with the Orach otherwise I find they are finished before I’ve had a chance to use them, the deep colours suit the Dahlias better than the light bright flowers of high summer.
Dahlias as I mentioned in my post yesterday will be started tomorrow with a little help from my ladies! I’m looking forward to lots of laughs!
Have a brilliant week!
Love Zoe
Detailed information for all the plants and seeds that I grow can be found in video form here on my website
Not sowing yet but you can if you wish and I have put the links here ready for you.
Mid March
Cosmos started too early will be forced into flowering before the plants have achieved good vegetative growth, but started too late they will grow too much and not flower until very late in the season.
This is all to do with photoperiods which can seem quite complicated but all you need to know is March to early April is ideal in terms of light levels to get over this. Hollyhocks and Zinnia’s are also light sensitive so for best results sow now.
Phlox if intended to go with the Dahlia’s to recreate my patio pot displays are also best sown now.
Hold off sowing your China Asters for now, they need more light for best results and will be triggered into flowering late summer. There is more information on individual photoperiods in the Grow-A-Long video for each seed variety /plant.
Grow-A-Long Video Hub Updated 8 March 2024 (Achieve)
17th March 2025
The next seeds that I’m going to be starting this week, this week will be Stocks both cut flower and for pots, Hollyhocks and the perennial Sweet Pea. The Sweet pea is started just the same as the Annual Sweet pea, however I will do a video for you when I sow mine in a few days time.
Cosmos, Hollyhocks and Zinnias are all incredibly light sensitive, started too early will result in weak short plants. I am starting my Hollyhocks now, Cosmos next week (I’ll add the video when I sow so you don’t miss it and Zinnia’s the week after, again I will add the video to the top of this page when it’s time. Just check in once a week for a catch up.
This is all to do with photoperiods which can seem quite complicated but all you need to know is March to early April is ideal in terms of light levels.
For the same reason hold off sowing your China Asters until next month, they need more light for best results and will be triggered into flowering late summer. There is more information on individual photoperiods in the Grow-A-Long video for each seed variety /plant.
Love Zoe
Click below to go through to the Video Hub for Clary Sage
Phlox, I will do two sowings one now for my mixed borders and one in a couple of weeks to go in the Dahlia containers.
Rudbeckia and Carnations can be started if you can keep them frost free.
Here is the full Snapdragon video library (Click below to go through to the Video Hub)
For more seeds already started see the Late Winter Grow-A-Long
