Wallflowers

Back in October I bought some wallflower mini plugs to grow on and pot out around this time to brighten up the porch.  They were transferred into the segmented trays after a couple of days rest in the utility room and have been on the back porch ever since.  We have protected them from frost (although we have lost a couple) but they are not doing anything.

Sooooo.... should I bring them back inside to hopefully give them a bit of a spurt, give them more time where they are, or plant up regardless?

As always your advice would be much appreciated.

Not sure why you have protected them from frost

Wallflowers tend to stop growing now-bringing them indoors will just result in soft growth-no good at all

How big are these plants?

I thought that they were so young and tender they should be protected.

They are a couple of inches high but not very bushy.  Should I have been pinching out the middle leaves? 

Having a bit of a "senior moment" with the photo!

At last!

Oh-that is different-not what I was expecting

Those are no-way big enough to plant out-not much more than seedlings-the best thing you can do is just let them grow and next Autumn they should be big enough to plant out for flowering in Spring 2014

I know that seems a long way-of but at that size I cannot see you getting a big enough plant for flowering in Spring 2013

Seed is usually sown are around April/May to get plants for setting out in the Autumn or big plants are sold in September

Sorry but think you are in for a bit of a wait

All this assumes they are the biennial wall flower -not the perennial type?

Can you remember what your bought?

Hope I'm not breaking any rules by providing the link!

http://www.gardeningdirect.co.uk/wallflower-heaven-scent-105-small-plugs

It doesn't actually say if they are perennials, does it?

No-that is the usual sort-to me they are just being grown and dispatched at the wrong time of year.

But you have a load of plants for your money-all I can suggest now is you just let them grow-don't pamper them at all -protect from the worst of the weather and see what happens-not much more you can do.

But leave any planting till next year.

October is far to late to be advertising and dispatching wallflowers of that size, biennial or perennial. Those in the pic are the biennial wallflower.

Thank you both so much for your help.  Another lesson learned!  I have also just looked up biennial, which I always thought meant flowering twice a year! 

I was quite looking forward to some pots with some colour in them during the winter! 

Apart from pansies (and the dreaded ivy) is there anything else that I could plant now in a couple of sheltered pots and baskets?

Just go and have a look to see what the local GC has. Coloured stems and variegated evergreens will brighten the place up. I've seen carry packs of 'winter basket plants' that are just baby shrubs. You could use them in baskets for the winter and plant them out next year.

Brilliant idea.  Thanks Nutcutlet.

I also bought some wallflowers on line and they came as plugs. They never said that I would have to wait 2 years untill they flowered, this does seem a little unfair, is it worth complaining?

Hello, I agree they are too small to go out now, they are hardy so should be fine keeping them in a cold frame and planting out next year.

I love wallflowers and grow mine from seed and had surprising results. I sowed some Cloth of Gold type in February this year for flowers next year,however they grew into very bushy large plants and flowered this year! If you have the time/space I would recommend growing from seed. Very easy to grow and you get loads of plants  for under £2.

I would prick out the growing tips of your plants to encourge side shoots