Thursday 23 May 2013

On trial

A few months ago, Sarah Raven's website put out a call for bloggers to trial packets of seed, so I duly put in for a free packet of her dark cut flower mixture.  The main reason I went for this particular selection was that I have not been able to buy cosmos bipinnatus 'Dazzler' anywhere locally, and this was listed as a key ingredient of the seed mix, along with mammoth dill and scabious atropurpurea 'Black Cat'.  A fine sounding list of names at any rate.

I've been waiting and waiting for the right opportunity to get these seeds into the soil - but it's either been the case that the soil hasn't been warm enough or moist enough to put them in.  Or, I have to confess, I missed a few chances because I'd planted out other seedlings into patches I'd previously earmarked to sow the dark mix into...

On the packet the instructions read 'Sow March to May' but I didn't fancy its chances earlier in the year in this, officially, the sixth coldest UK spring on record.  Even now, temperatures are not reliably warm, but we are reaching the end of the planting window and I'm away next week.  So.... it was down to the allotment to clear and weed a 2 metre squared bed and in with the seeds.  I can now sleep easily, knowing that they are finally sown!  I look forward to meeting them when they are grown ups.

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Dazzler'. Why is this gorgeous selection no longer widely available from the main seed suppliers?

4 comments:

  1. It's been so miserable it's hardly surprising you haven't planted them sooner. I put some of Sarah Raven's sunflowers out at the weekend and the pesky squirrels have been digging them up!!! Sarah x

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    1. My sunflowers are still safely tucked up in the greenhouse. I did plant sow some directly a couple of weeks ago but have seen no sign of them as yet - don't hold out much hope at this late stage, so may try again later.

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  2. I sowed most of my flower seeds indoors so they're all ready for planting out now. That Cosmos 'Dazzler' is a gorgeous colour!

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    1. It is indeed - can't understand why it has disappeared from most garden centres and seed suppliers lists.

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