Allotments 4 All

 Hi all havent been in for a long time but , like the proverbial bad penny , i return , seeking advice.........
I am the proud grower of a 14' echium which took three years to grow. having enjoyed the splendid of this huge edifice(!) all summer, what happens now, will it die back and should I therefore collect some of the vast quantity of seed, or can i chop it down to rise again?

I eagerly await the words of the wise!
      Many thanks

          RR

What species is it? I don't think that's viper's bugloss you're growing, somehow!

 Not quite sure if its an E.candicans or E.pininana! It spent two yrs as a rosette of leaves until it thru up the flower spike this year .........

Sadly, it is moncarpic, so now you have to collect and sow the seeds and start all over again. Well done though and welcome back!

 Thought as much and knew you would have the answer ............ ta Palustris! Thanks for the welcome back................ I'm still gardening and keeping well despite whatever they throw at me. Hope you n yours are well!

   RR

Yay RR, another long time no see!  I had several fab echium pinnatas all doing their thing last year and when the flowers finally finished I hoped to save seeds for peeps, but I couldn't get at them as the leaves were so spiny, then I couldn't really see where the seeds were, so in the end I painfully oiked them out and figured that was that.....until this year where they have happily sprung up ALL OVER MY GARDEN!!  Not a complaint as I know they are tender and there is a chance that most will give up the ghost over winter, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that a few survive as they are just AMAZING!

Hiya's EJ,

Know what you mean about the spikes!  I shook my plant the other day so hopefully will get a crop of seedlings! I grew this one from seed outside so might be lucky with them! However got a nice cache of seeds caught on the sticky leaves of a Nicotiania sylvestris nearby , which gave me the idea of placing newspaper to catch the seeds ........... now just got to wait for a dry spell!

Why is the weather never just right!?

can anyone advise me on sowing times/ techniques for these as i have some seeds?

Legless, I just threw a bunch of echium seeds on my central planting area in the back garden in May sometime and raked them in a bit. Got a lovely display of poppies with the echium growing in between.

we had 5 massive Pininanas this year and they all got to around 14'.......oh well, only 3 years to go for another show!

may sometime, i'll do that, thanks!

i bought them for my parents who live in turkey but there are loads so i'm trying some here.