Sowing hardy annuals - Anchusa

Sowing Hardy Annuals - Anchusa

Now we'll look at a slightly different method of sowing hardy annuals, which is better suited to smaller sizes of seed.

Anchusa azurea is another hardy annual, like a tall forget-me-not with beautiful blue summer flowers. The seeds are quite small, so I'm sowing them into a seed tray rather than into modules.

The method is similar but instead of placing the seeds individually into modules, for small seeds, we scatter them thinly into a seed tray.

1. If using a multipurpose compost, sieve or sift through it and remove any large pieces.

1. Fill the seed tray to the top, and scrape off any excess with a flat pot tamper to even the surface.

1. Very gently firm down the compost with a rectangular tamper.

1. Water the compost using a small watering can with fine rose.

• Ensure the compost is completely wet through, to avoid needing to water it again until after germination.

1. Scatter the seeds thinly and fairly evenly on the surface of the compost.

• Check the packet: for Anchusa the packet says they need light.

1. Gently press seeds into compost surface with pot tamper.

• It doesn't need to be exact; there's no need to measure.

1. Top-dress seed tray with milled cork, sprinkling it lightly on top.

• This retain moisture while still allowing light in. Milled cork is a more environmentally friendly alternative to vermiculite.

1. Label with the plant name and sowing date.

1. Put the propagator lid on and place your seeds somewhere that is around 18°C/64°F and receives light, such as a windowsill.

1. After germination, bring the tray back out into a brighter, cooler place, in my case back out into the greenhouse.