Delphinium sowing, should I give up?

[selfraising]

Hello
Not much experience in flower sowing I'm afraid. I sowed some Delphinium Pacific Giants on 17th February but absolutely no sign of anything germinating. Should I give up or wait a little longer?

[zazen999]

Growing Delphiniums

They should not take that long, according to the link above. Where have they been - indoors/out?

[Two_Sheds]

Delphiniums are perhaps easier to grow from basal cuttings - can you borrow a bit from someone?

[selfraising]

Hello Two Sheds
I have got some that I planted out last year, would these be too young?. How do I take basal cuttings?

[selfraising]

Growing Delphiniums

They should not take that long, according to the link above. Where have they been - indoors/out?

Just as I feared. The packet said up to 40 days but I think we're passed that now.

They've been in my placcie gh. Last year I tried sowing them as well, indoors but nothing so thought I'd try in gh this year, see if it made a difference.

[Two_Sheds]

BASAL CUTTINGS
Look for strong, 10cm long shoots growing from the base of your plant. Clear away some of the soil to get a better view.
Use a sharp knife to sever them from the plant, cutting close to the crown. Critically, at this stage of growth basal stems are solid; later they become hollow and then they will rot rather than root.

Fill 12cm pots with compost and pop five cuttings, evenly spaced, around the edge.
Use a gritty, loam-based compost, because grit provides sharp drainage and guards against rot. Bottom heat will help speed up rooting.

At this time of year, cuttings just want to grow, and within a few weeks leading shoots will lengthen and roots emerge through drainage holes. At the first sight of the roots, it's time to transplant the cuttings into individual pots. Once they have filled these new pots and been hardened off, it will be time for them to go outside.
(cribbed from a Telegraph article)

[selfraising]

Thanks TS, well that doesn't look too complicated so will have a go!

[zazen999]

Just as I feared. The packet said up to 40 days but I think we're passed that now.

They've been in my placcie gh. Last year I tried sowing them as well, indoors but nothing so thought I'd try in gh this year, see if it made a difference.

I can't remember how many times I've tried with echinacea seeds. My home saves ones germinated on kitchen roll but will they in soil...not a chance.

so, tonight it's back to the kitchen roll trick.

Annoying innit? I'd try the cuttings method.

[selfraising]

I can't remember how many times I've tried with echinacea seeds. My home saves ones germinated on kitchen roll but will they in soil...not a chance.

so, tonight it's back to the kitchen roll trick.

Annoying innit? I'd try the cuttings method.

Thanks Zazen don't feel quite such an incompetent sower now! Would have liked to use the excuse that both sowings were from duff seeds but both were from different new packets
Gonna have a go at this cuttings business and see what happens!

[Two_Sheds]

I've never been able to grow Verbena Bonariensis from seed ... except this year (shhhh!) I have some up in the propagator

[selfraising]

I've never been able to grow Verbena Bonariensis from seed ... except this year (shhhh!) I have some up in the propagator

Well done you, there's hope for me yet then

[IgglePiggle]

I grew some by just chucking them in a seed tray and left them to it outside on a bench, got about 10 plants in the end! Sometimes you just have to let nature do its thing

[selfraising]

I grew some by just chucking them in a seed tray and left them to it outside on a bench, got about 10 plants in the end! Sometimes you just have to let nature do its thing

Doh there's always one Just goes to show, sometimes we just try too hard! Well done for getting them to grow tho

[dammad49]

Hi Selfraising,
shame you're so far away. I raised about 200 delphiniums from saved seed early Feb, trouble is I now feel I've got to find homes for them. Used JI loam based seed comp and put pot in placcy bag on top of fridge, pricked out into cells of earth/comp mix in cold GH and they are now showing true leaves.
Still cant grow Basil though, always succumbs to damping off...

[selfraising]

Hi Selfraising,
shame you're so far away. I raised about 200 delphiniums from saved seed early Feb, trouble is I now feel I've got to find homes for them. Used JI loam based seed comp and put pot in placcy bag on top of fridge, pricked out into cells of earth/comp mix in cold GH and they are now showing true leaves.
Still cant grow Basil though, always succumbs to damping off...

Wow that's a lot of delphiniums!!! Thanks for the info. Funnily enough I don't have trouble with Basil. Just sprinkle on top of damp compost and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite. I don't put in propagator or cover with bag, just on windowsill and water from beneath.