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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.

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  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Not sure why you have protected them from frostimage

    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!

  • image

    At last!

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Oh-that is different-not what I was expectingimage

    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 waitimage

    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?

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    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.image

    But leave any planting till next year.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    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.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • 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?

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    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.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Brilliant idea.  Thanks Nutcutlet.

     

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