Free Flower Seeds for 2024: February
It’s February, and as a subscriber to Gardeners’ World magazine, you’ll have received your free flower seeds. Flower grower Cel shares her top tips for growing echiums and tells us her plans for the month.
Growing Echiums
Echiums are beautiful flowers with spires of bright blue flowers that bees and other insects love. They’re perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden.
To grow echiums from seed, sow them indoors in February. You can use a heated propagator or a sunny windowsill. Sow the seeds thinly in a seed tray filled with sieved compost. Cover the seeds lightly with compost and a sprinkling of vermiculite.
Once the seeds have germinated and developed a couple of sets of leaves, prick them out into individual pots. Keep them in a warm, bright place until they’re ready to plant outside in April.
Other Tips for February
- Don’t sow all of your seeds at once. Save some for a later sowing so you’ll have flowers all season long.
- Water your seedlings from below by standing the seed tray in a tray of water.
- Use a sieve to remove large lumps from your compost before sowing seeds.
- Clean your pots and seed trays before reusing them to prevent the spread of diseases.
- Prepare your greenhouse or windowsill for spring sowing and growing.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to grow beautiful echiums and other flowers from seed this year.
