"Norman Tulloch" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Jan 2003 22:43:56 -0000, feeling guilty at having ignored
them, I decided I'd better do
something with them.

I shoved some multipurpose compost in a pot, sowed the seeds on the
surface and covered them with about a quarter of an inch of coarse
grit. I then put the pot outside in the rain and cold. I doubt if
they got much frost, but it certainly was pretty chilly from time to
time. A few weeks later, seedlings emerged like the proverbial
mustard and cress.

Now the only reason why I gave the seeds this treatment was because I
didn't know any better and hadn't realised that Meconopsis seeds were
"difficult".

I can't help wondering whether we don't sometimes make seed-sowing
much more complicated than it has to be.

Yes, and we sometimes forget that hardy plants are just that *hardy* and
often suffer badly by being mollycoddled. Meconopsis hate being hot and wet,
and this is what folk often provide for 'special' seeds.

Rod