how to grow foxgloves

[pigeonseed]

Hi - I've been sent some foxgloves seeds by Ceres, and I'm wondering how to sow them.

Some people seem to sow them indoors in summer, and pot up, ready to plant out the next year. But ideally I'd like to sow them directly in the ground where I want them to grow, because I lack space for seedlings indoors.

However when I sowed foxgloves in the past nothing came up (or was eaten by slugs when small??)

What do you think is the best method?

[pigeonseed]

[rosebud]

 Hiya PS, when i sowed my foxgloves i sowed them in a large plantpot & left it in the garden all the summer they grew fine & i transplanted them into the garden where i wanted them  in Oct they are doing fine . good luck with them.

[saddad]

We have so many seeding themselves around the place we could spare a few... not named varieties/colours though...  ::)

[pigeonseed]

Hi Saddad - that's very kind! Did you mean you could send some seedling-sized ones? Otherwise I suppose they'd be much too heavy.

But maybe I should try sowing some this summer, in a plant pot outside as rosebud suggested.

I wonder whether they didnt work before because they just didnt like the site - maybe they'll prefer my new garden.

[ACE]

I do mine in trays sept/oct in the poly. But anywhere out of direct frost will do. This gives them a head start. Transplant to pots anytime over the winter as they get bigger. Plant them in the garden feb/march. Sometimes you will steal a year and they will flower that season, most times you have to wait.

I find I get better shows if they are in part shade. Try and get strawberry crush, they are spectacular. The 'brown/apricot' varieties are usually small flowers but will add quite a bit in a grass garden as they seem to prefer sunshine.