On 25 Feb 2006 07:55:00 -0800, "La Puce" wrote:


tina wrote:
the packet of sunflower seeds says. "store in a warm place, an airing
cupboard is ideal"

This is to store the seed packets - I find in a tin on the shelves at
home is fine.

It does say if your planting them outdoors do it in march - june

Beginning of April is when I saw my sunflowers outside in the garden or
allotment. Mid april if the weather is bad before that. In pots I start
them end of March. I use John Innes seeds and cutting compost and mix a
bit of perlite in them (or vermiculite). It helps with drainage. I like
using biodegredable pots, little brown pots of cardboard which
disappear in the soil. Like this I don't have to move the little
plants. I just lower the pot in a hole in the ground.
I did see a little device in a gardening mag. "make your own seedling
pots" out of newspaper. But it was £13.00 + £5 p&p. Nice idea as your
recycling your spare newspaper, but £18.00 seems a bit expensive.
Why are all these good recycling ideas / devices so expensive. (water
saving, compost bins etc)
With the government so desperate for us to recycle more, these devices
should be free to those who want to use them (or at least heavily
subsidised at least)
How much money would it save the government to issue every home in the
uk with a descent compost bin & a water butt?

What sunflowers do you have? This year I'll do 6 varieties: traditional
giant, teddy bear, red sun (my favourites), italian white, mixed multi
branching ones (for cutting) and a Fashion one.
Giant Single, Dwarf Sunspot, Evening Sun & Teddy Bear

Cosmos you need to sow them a few week before the last frost - as if
we'd know! Again, I would use a seed compost rather than a multi
purpose compost.

Again for tomatoes - sow 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. To me
that's usually mid March. I've never got frost here past end of april.
I'm in Manchester. Where do you live?
Leeds.