View Single Post
  #14   Report Post  
Old 06-11-2012, 09:40 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Stewart Robert Hinsley Stewart Robert Hinsley is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,811
Default help with plants during winter.

In message , zuhayr-123
writes

kay;972356 Wrote:
Annuals are usually sown in the spring - in my area I'd sow april or
may. Perennials normally grown as annuals can be sown in the autumn, ie
Sept or Oct.

Not much will grow at this time of year because there isn't enough
warmth and light outside to support growth. And it's no use sowing them
indoors, because there's even less light, and you'll get spindly leggy
growth.

This is a generality, of course - there are, for example, some varieties
of broad bean that can be sown now. But for annuals and most perennials,
you'd be better waiting until spring, so you can get them into quick and
strong growth.


what kind of seeds can be winter sown ? from what i gather winter sowing
doesn't mean growing seedlings in the winter, i think it means sowing
the seeds in the winter so theyre 'chilled' for the spring. am i right
in saying this ?


There are some plants whose seeds require chilling (look up
"stratification") for germination. These are usually perennial plants
(including trees and shrubs).

There are some plants whose seeds germinate in autumn and which flower
the following spring. These are known as winter annuals, and (among
ornamentals) are typically Mediterranean plants taking advantage of the
availability of moisture in the winter.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley