[AmandaLouise]

Hi everyone

I have sowed a few different varieties of summer annuals, ie. bizzy lizzies, stocks, salvia, verbena and marigolds in the last month.  Will these flower by June?  Its first time sowing so Im very excited. 

I also have a spare window sill now, can anyone recommend a good one to sow now, that will flower fairly quickly, early summer would be nice, and continue till the end of the summer season, only because all the above flowers I have bought in full bloom previously so would like a change, but growing my own is a change in itself, but any ideas I would appreciate.  I used to spend a fortune buying flowered annuals to fill borders, containers and baskets.

I really didnt expect to be bothering with my own garden this year and certainly not sowing any flowers at home as was ploughing all my efforts into the new allotment, but that has come on much faster than expected.  The hard work involved in the allotment inspired me so much, and I have managed to learn about plants, flowers, vegetables, compost, its been like a whole new world to me.  I only wish my mum was here to share my adventure, she died 16 months ago and was a brilliant gardener, so I miss not being able to bore her with gardening talk or ask her questions!  so gardening and the allotment is my absolute therapy.

Thanks everyone
amanda 

[poohpouri]

Stocks and marigolds should haven't tired growing others by seed

[Trillium]

With good light, careful feeding and regular watering, you might get them flowering by June. Normally these are started in heated greenhouses in early January for May selling and blooming.

[AmandaLouise]

Hi Trillium

When you say careful feeding,  I thought young seedlings and plants dont get fed until they have flowered like tomatoes.  Is a tomato feed okay to use if i should be feeding them after they have hatched.  They have all mostly been sown in seed compost, I thought that has all the nutrients the seedlings need, but eventually that gets exhausted I guess.

Cheers
Amanda

[sunshineband]

Tomato food is fine for  feeding flowers - it has the right balance of nutrients.

Just dilute it to half strength though and use occasionally once the plants have two sets of proper leaves.

[sclarke624]

My marigolds I sowed mid March will be in flower by beginning of June, well they have every other year anyway.  Also my violas and calendula.