Topic: Verbena Bonariensis

[garyp]

I saw this plant when visiting West Dean gardens in Sussex last year. It was covered in butterflies and bees. I have bought some seeds. But they seem very reluctant to germinate. has anyone tried sowing these?

[Palustris]

Yes, had no problems. Sown in April, in standard potting compost, lightly covered. Placed in unheated greenhouse and germinated within a couple of weeks. Seeds free with Gardening Magazine.

[garyp]

Palustris,

Thanks for the reply. Thats interesting it must be the same seeds that I also got free on a gardening magazine. I bought a fresh packet and am trying again. I am just using multi-purpose compost with a covering of vermiculite. Perhaps I am being too impatient!!

[Debs]

Ditto Palustris,

I got some free with a magazine and was pleasantly surprised at how easily they germinated - well worth it for the butterfly visitors seeking out the plant and especially if grown near buddleia davidii. Our garden was full of butterflies last year. :D

debs

[RSJK]

I got that garden magazine this week for the first time in about 5 years,, got the seeds must sow them to see what happens to them.
Is there anyone else out there who like me think that these garden magazines are a waste of time buying they seem to be the same old things repeated year after year. And how the hell some of the people who write in them call them selves experts,  heaven knows.I think some of us on these boards could wipe the floor with them, especially some one with the knowledge of the likes of Tim to name just one.  Give me good old A4all any day

[Mrs Ava]

I agree Richard, over the years I have subscribed to many mags, and they all recycle the same old information.  Have to agree, the information shared on this site is top class!  ;D

[Garden Manager]

I grew these last year. I found they didnt need any special treatment, just patience! The germination tends to be irregular to say the least and takes place over a long period of time.

I sowed on e batch of seed which seemed to do nothing for ages, so much so i tried a second batch. Then the seed of the first lot started to germinate!. To cut a long story short, I found these two sowings produced several seperate crops of seedlings and ended up with 'batches' of plants each at different stages of growth. And of course more than i really needed!

Geting th seed was strange. I the packet i sowed from was bought off T&M, but then a packet came free with amateur gardening magazine which we have a subscription to, so in hind sight I needn't have bothered buying any, as one packet was more than enough for my needs.

Re: Gardening Magazines, yes a lot of the 'to do' sections can be a little repetitive, but many of the mags also have other articles on garden and plants (plus the inevitable design articles), which are quite varied. I for one enjoy the articles on readers' gardens. They are often most inspirational.  Celebrity gardeners' articles are good too.