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Bedding Plants

shazza3shazza3 Posts: 106

hello all, I have given up myself trying to keep bedding plants from being battered by the peculiar weather the last few years, I have just recently (last Saturday to be precise) potted up some Summer bedding plants for my Son into willow planters to be hung around the wall of his garden. I have started trying to harden them off but due to the cold evenings we are still having in Wales haven't yet left them outside all night. If it's not wind/rain it's cold clear skies more like March than June. His garden is enclosed on all sides and is paved so keeps the heat better than mine (we are very exposed). I haven't bought any really tender plants they are Verbena, at the moment they are kept in an unheated greenhouse overnight. Should I try leaving them out all night tonight and see what happens and if they are ok, how long should I do this for before putting them in his garden ??

 

thanks       

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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    I have the same problem Shazza, I have eventually started putting baskets out but it was much to early for the fuchsias and geraniums. They haven't fared well with the cold evenings, every year I say I am going to change tactics, not grow this or that but next year I grow it just the same!

    We are martyrs to our gardens. We will battle on regardless.

    With regard to your sons garden, I would put them out.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hi Shazza3

    I would use Gazania plants for bedding, They are originally from Africa which means they can survive in drought conditions but also survive down to 0 c.they flower from now until October, mine are doing ok at the moment. Third year of growing these super plants. About now should be ok to put out any plants you have from under Glass

    Happy Planting

  • ive already lost quite a few bedding plants that I put out last week and the week before to the cold.

    my dad - who is an old fashioned gardener - uses a lot of bedding plants, and he never puts his out until about the 2nd week of June, in fact im booked in to help him do this next Monday as he has waited until now as the weather is so weird.

    I think its a lesson to us all tho! im going to stop using them so much in the future, he cant garden as he would like, and they are so labour intensive.

    Mind you, Ive planted sweetcorn and I cant imagine that that will do any good.

    you live and don't learn tho!!

  • shazza3shazza3 Posts: 106

    hi and thanks for all the replies.

    I am going to keep putting my son's baskets under cover for a few more days then see what happens after that. I bought far too many (as usual) and have had to keep some myself as he has a Labrador pup (which is the size of a small pony !!) that eats anything at ground level so he can't have anything in pots at the moment. Made an executive decision and put some in my own pots so we will see what happens tonight. If it's really cold overnight, they probably won't survive (I hope they will because they were expensive). I may cover them with fleece and keep my fingers crossed. This time last year they were already in his garden and doing well because it was much warmer than it is now. Global warming my foot image   

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