First Time for Flowers!!

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Helen_uk

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First Time for Flowers!!
« on: January 27, 2011, 11:18 »
Hi,

I've had my allotment for coming on 3 years eek! This will be my 3rd summer.

I'd like to this year grow some flowers as:

a) they look pretty
b) I need to fill space on my plot
c) Its cheaper than buying them to make my house smell and look pretty!
d) I'd like to have ago at companion planting

So, Id like some advice on what to grow, where, and how much love to I havet o give them, how to look after seedling etc,

I did try to grow some flowers from seed last yeat but they all ended up dying?!

Thanks in advance,

Helen  :)
I'm a vegetable virgin! All advice offered very welcome!!

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stompy

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2011, 11:38 »
Hi Hellen,
I was just about to post something very similar,
I was going to ask what sort of flowers to grow and when to sow.
Look forward to the responses.

Andy

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Jamie Butterworth

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2011, 11:50 »
I love sweet peas and they smell lovely in the house :D

Marigolds are good for companion planting with onions or carrots, i cant remember which  :unsure:

I like growing cornflowers as they are easy to grow and look realy nice as cut flowers :D

If you want to be happy for a short time - get drunk.

If you want to be happy for a long time - fall in love.

If you want to be happy forever - take up gardening!

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Yorkie

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2011, 19:29 »
Cosmos is always a good value for money plant, and quite easy to grow too.
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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Hey Jude

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2011, 22:17 »
Ditto Yorkie, cosmos are on of the best value flowers you can grow and so easy. Sweet peas up a wigwam or a few through the runner beans are good, and annual poppies, though once they're on the plot they'll self seed everywhere! Nicotiana smell divine especially if you visit the plot in the evening, and my final offerings are chrysanths and dahlias both are glorious, value for money and can be overwintered - seeemples! Jude.
PS Don't be daunted by anything flowerwise, if you can grow veg you can grow flowers!

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TheSpartacat

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2011, 23:13 »
I'd recommend all these for companion planting, attracting beneficial insects.

Calendula/Pot Marigold - will readily self seed- and can be sown in Autumn- they flower well into the Autumn too. (And the flowers are edible)

Marigolds

Cosmos Daisies- make lovely cut flowers, and also self seed, or you can save seed for the following year.

Poppies- (also self seed!!)

Cornflowers

Geraniums (perennials)- apparently good companion plants for tomatoes.

Nasturtiums- they give great ground cover, and will give you plenty of seed. (Both leaves, flowers and seeds (pickled) are tasty in salads!) and they distract blackfly away from your veg!

German Chamomile- beautiful big daisy flowers, and you can use to make tea- attracts lots of beneficial insects.

Echinacea- stunning flowers- herbal uses

Lupins! Look very stately and they fix nitrogen in the soil!!

Sweet Pea, also fix nitrogen, and pretty growing up your wigwams/ bean trellis.

Sweet Alyssum, gives great ground cover, self seeds, and attracts hoverflies and bees!!! Good for growing around fruit bushes as a kind of carpet. They'll help shelter the soil from water evaporation and not too greedy at feeding.

Or Bulbs, like daffodills, tulips, bluebells and snowdrops- easy to grow and will brighten up the plot while things are just getting started. Though you'd have to leave them as a 'permanent' planting

The Ubiquitous Sunflower!!! :-)

Dahlias

Asters, Stock, Nigella,  - all easy to grow

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compostqueen

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2011, 23:19 »
lotty flowers as listed above are all easy raised from seed. Just follow the packet instructions carefully and all will be well  :)

I love flowers on my lotty and grow loads of them, many of which are sown direct which saves faffing. A fave of mine is Escholtzia (Californian Poppy) Red Chief which is a single red variety.   I use flowers to edge beds and paths, up wigwams with beans.  Cabbages and calendula look fantastic   :)

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Helen_uk

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2011, 10:04 »
WOW!!

Thank you guys! Jude you were right I am daunted by flowers, but if I can grow veg Im sure it cant be that hard!

My plot will be a veritable feast of colours and textures now - I'm going to edge my beds as I have put in wooden dividers so I wanted to soften it up, and I'm going to have some round planters in the spaces where theres isn't anything as I wanted to create a bit of a seating area  :D

Jeez Im going to be busy this season, around when do I need to start sowing flower seed or do they all differ like veg?!

Thanks again,

Helen.

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TheSpartacat

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Re: First Time for Flowers!!
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2011, 22:03 »
I think most of those would be March/April/May kinda time. Nasturtium and Sweet pea i think are sown a little later- early May?
You can actually sow poppies, calendula and  Cosmos in Autumn to get earlier flowers the following year.

Echinacea and Lupins flower in their second year but are hardy and perennial.
I've never grown geranium from seed as i've always managed to find some selling cheap.

Trust the seed packets... and then ignore them if you're a couple weeks late, is what i do :)



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