Well, I keep getting different answers from the "experts" on this one, so I'm asking the question here--Can I plant Foxglove seeds outside now, in North Carolina, and expect them to be big enough by first frost to overwinter outside in the bed and bloom next year? Or should I plant them in pots, overwinter them inside, and put them out next spring? Help!
When to plant Foxglove....
Well I started my Foxglove in the house in the winter and then put them out in Spring. It worked great. If you want to put the seeds out I say go ahead and do it now. I try to think like the plant when I want to direct sow - throw the seeds out around the same time the plant would. Make sense? I just did that with my Hollyhocks and now I have babies!
Worse comes to worse you can always save a few and start them in Jan/Feb to make SURE you have a plant.
Nicole
yotedog, if we have a mild winter like we did last year I think you'd be fine to sow some seeds now. Regardless of the size a mild winter will not mess with them too much!
Many of the foxgloves are biennials so it would behoove you to sow some seeds now, whether outside or in pots, so that you can be assured of flowers next year. If the variety you have is called "Foxy" those can be sown late-winter or very-early Spring and you'll get flowers the first year.
Shoe.
Thanks much--Loved the advice "think like a plant"! That makes alot of sense...and will help me answer future sowing questions.
I think I will do as you suggested Shoe, and plant some out, and reserve some for indoor planting. I don't have Foxy, but I have several from the Camelot series. A grand experiment......
Foxgloves are terrific for winter sowing, too. There's now a winter sowing forum here, but basically it involves using containers such as recycled milk jugs that are placed outdoors, no cap, as early as December. Because the milk jug functions like a miniature greenhouse, additional water is seldom needed, at least initially. Besides it's such fun to garden in the winter!
Fleurs I am going to TRY THAT!!! I have tried winter sowing in flats and I always forget to water them.... That's a great idea!!!! Thanks!
Nicole