Teasel

My teasel, newly planted and enjoyed last year has lots of tiny plants growing from the seed heads. Are these likely to be viable new teasel plants?

If not pulled out and checked, you will have them take over, they grow anywhere and everwhere! I once had a lawn covered in them.

Baby teasel plants form rosettes, and will be prominent right now.

I've actually spent most of this morning transplanting a lot of them. They can come up very closely packed together, so they really need to be thinned out, and transplanted elsewhere, if you have the space. They are quite easy to get up. They have tap roots (a bit like a small carrot), so you need to be a bit careful of that when digging them up.

Bees enjoying teasel (during the Summer)...

I had total failure with my teasel seeds, I think it was because the seeds which are supposed to take ages to germinate were planted too late in the year, my owm fault.  May try again, had great succcess with Amarangthus Oeschburgh though and the birds liked them.  So simple to germinate and needed very litte attention, they even survived two weeks in the greenhouse without water, when we went away and someone (meention no names...) forgot to water them, even though they managed to enter the greenhouse and and water the chilli, aubergine, pepers and tomatoes.

Teasel is a big plant, so you don't need many of them in a garden. Many garden centres sell small plants, from the end of February, about £1 each, in the wildflowers section. That's probably the most economical and reliable way to get started. Once one starts shedding seeds you'll have plenty.

The biggest mistake I made in my garden was growing one teasel plant..7 years later and the seeds are still producing seedlings. I would avoid, unless you have a field.

Agree with Selfsewn, they can be a terrible thug. They are in the hedgerow alongside our garden so we can never be rid of them. Painful to pull out too.

Stacey, if it's very wet at seeding time sometimes the seeds germinate in theseed head. If they look lively and have a root you can transplant them. But if some have germinated in the head some will also have (or will) germinate in the ground. Agree about their invasiveness but still like them and so do the goldfinches

I call Teasel the hooligan in the garden.  I had one growing at the very bottom of the garden and am amazed at how it can self-seed over a wide area. As soon as I see a new plant emerging, I dig it out.  I love the Teasel but it's very unsuitable for a small garden, unless you garden dressed like a knight in armour.

not ideal for a small town garden and forget me not"

Thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to respond. First time I've asked a question on here and so amazed that people have answered. Very helpful.

Never short of words here Stacey

Here's a snap of baby teasels. I took this yesterday, just before transplanting these babies to their new homes...

People who are really keen on wildlife will want to have a teasel. Nutcutlet mentioned goldflinches, but, for me, it's a supreme bee plant. I wouldn't be without it.

True Lyon, but do you have Erygeum giganteum, that's the ultimate for bees here.

Lonicera alseuosmoides,an evergreen climbing Honeysuckle is our Bee magnet when in flower. Counted over 1,000 on it one time, of all different types too.

Just googled that one Berghill. Found some for sale but not much info. Is it hardy? I'm always on the lookout for bee magnets.

It is as tough as old boot leather. It must be, it survives in my garden.  The flowers are not much to look at and seem unscented to humans, but the bees adore them. Nice blue/black berries over winter too. A robust grower, so give it room, or keep cutting it back as we do.

Sounds like one for me. thanks for bringing it to my attention Berghill