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Gardening

Foxgloves.

(22 Posts)
shysal Thu 11-Jul-19 11:40:43

This is the first time I have grown Foxgloves. They are the wild type, pink and white. At the end of last summer I planted them as seedlings taken from my neighbour's garden weeding. The plants have been wonderful this year, but I don't know what to do when they are over, to ensure a repeat performance each year.

Do I save seed or let them self sow? ( I don't want to be over-run in the future).

Will seedlings from this year take 2 years before they flower?

When this year's plants are over, do I pull them up or cut them back?

Any advice would be welcome please.

grandtanteJE65 Thu 11-Jul-19 12:01:57

I just leave mine and they come year after year. Presumably they self sow, or do they have corms that divide?

I don't cut them back, and certainly do not pull them up.

I have no idea how long it will take seedlings to flower, I'm afraid, we have only had this house three years, so I'm still suprised by what pops up in the garden.

EllanVannin Thu 11-Jul-19 12:04:45

Leave them where they are as they'll spread and flourish each year. A lovely plant which attracts the bees inside their hoods.

Auntieflo Thu 11-Jul-19 12:26:38

Oh Shysal, how lovely. I have one growing this year, and I’m sure it is self seeded, but it is flowering, so am hoping that it will set some seeds for another year.
There is a group of houses in our town that has the most glorious display of hollyhocks every year. I am so very tempted to see if I could re-locate some seedlings ?

shysal Thu 11-Jul-19 12:33:54

Auntieflo, I have pinched some Holyhock seedlings from footpaths around my village. They are a bit behind others but will flower soon. I never have success with scattering seeds.

Desdemona Thu 11-Jul-19 12:39:45

I have had a huge 9ft peach coloured Hollyhock appear in the garden this year (I didn't plant it.) I presume a seed blew into my garden or a bird pooed it out?

I have got a couple of Foxgloves, they are lovely, they come back each year.

BBbevan Thu 11-Jul-19 13:18:01

I leave mine. But I do run my hand up the stem to collect the seed which I broadcast around the garden. This has been most successful so far .

Septimia Thu 11-Jul-19 13:21:38

We seem suddenly to have a lot growing wild around the village. The colour brightens the whole place. They are in big patches in different places so are probably self-seeded.

merlotgran Thu 11-Jul-19 13:41:02

I save some seed and sow them in plugs to overwinter in the greenhouse as a back up for the following year. Otherwise I just leave them to self seed where they are.

Farmor15 Thu 11-Jul-19 18:02:24

Once they get established they self-seed and you should get flowering ones every year. They’re not invasive and it’s easy to move seedlings if they come up in the wrong place. I let them set seed, then plant dies back and I pull it out eventually.

Greyduster Thu 11-Jul-19 18:46:05

I love “freebies”! My garden has been full of wild foxgloves this year. I move the new plants around in the spring, the more mature ones will flower as they are biennial (though cultivated ones can flower annually, I believe). I also have some hollyhock seedlings that I potted up, but the parent plant has rust, and the seedlings are showing signs so they will probably end up in the bin!

grannyqueenie Thu 11-Jul-19 22:17:16

I love them, they remind me of a favourite aunts garden where I spent holidays as a child. However I have had no success in growing them, what's best shade or sunshine?

MaizieD Thu 11-Jul-19 22:44:08

I don't think foxgloves are at all fussy about light levels. They grow everywhere.

Liaise Fri 12-Jul-19 13:47:08

Yes, just throw the seed around the garden. As they are biennials they grow the first year and flower the second year. As in life, some are different, they will grow and flower in the same year. There is always a variation in colour which makes them so interesting. You can pull up the plant when it has finished flowering or leave it in the ground. It might flower again next year.

shysal Fri 12-Jul-19 14:06:46

Thank you all for your comments. It seems that I shall get to keep Foxgloves in my garden whatever I do. Yippee!

Resurgam123 Mon 15-Jul-19 07:46:30

Good heavens, our garden will not stop growing them.
One advantage is they grow easily and will pull up easily and they are excellent for bees etc. I do like them they are worth growing.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 15-Jul-19 07:53:22

I would let them be shysal they are fabulous and your garden is beautiful.

J52 Mon 15-Jul-19 08:38:06

Lovely photo. As others have said they’ll keep coming back. If you cut off the spent flower stalks and shake them to help the seed, you then might find the plant has a second flowering, but with smaller flowers.
Last year I raised a batch from seed that were supposed to be large peachy foxgloves. I nurtured them in pots and planted them out in spring.
They’ve all flowered just like the wild ones! Humph!

Liaise Tue 16-Jul-19 07:21:52

Yes the wild ones will always win I've found and the bought ones disappear. Might as well use the free seeds from the wild ones. Monty bought some cultivated ones. I wonder if his also turned into wild ones.

Greyduster Tue 16-Jul-19 07:47:03

Monty bought some cultivated ones. I wonder if his also turned into wild ones. Liaise they wouldn’t dare!!

Liaise Thu 18-Jul-19 06:33:03

I'm tempted to send him an email as I keep looking but his garden is so full at the moment you can't see very much!

Rachel123 Fri 02-Aug-19 00:10:11

Beautiful garden,, my friend gave me foxgloves this year so glad I read this because I was unsure of what to do with them after they had flowered