I'm sure Mark from Mark's Veg Plot was thinking four legged garden vandals when he arrived at this post. My foxy conundrum relates to foxgloves.
We used to sow foxglove seeds each year and grow the resulting plants on the plot as an encouragement and reward to the bees.
Then I decided that we were wasting our time as each year dozens of self sown foxgloves appeared in amongst the weeds
They are often growing in the wrong places, (in an earlier post you may remember the photo of them growing amongst my overspill strawberries), and so each year I simply dig up the plants and move them to where I want them to grow. I also transport a few plants into the garden.
I have a couple of shady spots where I plant them.
So ... and here's the conundrum ... why do I never find self sown seedlings in the garden? I don't dig the area where the foxgloves are planted other than a hole to plant them in so I know I don't weed out or uproot any seedlings. I thought I'd only need to transport plants from the plot once but no it's a yearly activity!
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It's well worth the effort though, they look fabulous. I wonder why they don't self seed in the garden, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteThey are worth the effort, JO
DeleteIt must be the site that makes the difference. Maybe the garden is too shaded? But then foxgloves normally thrive in woodland conditions, so it's probably not to do with the amount of light. Maybe it's the soil?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link by the way. I do indeed get twitchy whwnever foxes are mentioned! I'd like to know of a plant that deters foxes, if you ever happen to hear of one...
I really don't know, Mark. I thought you may be twitching a little.
DeleteBeautiful foxgloves! I love them, they look so in a dignified manner. Mine will flower in 2 weeks I suppose.
ReplyDeleteAnd the bees love them too, Dewberry
DeleteMaybe it's the cultivating of the soil that somehow helps them germinate. I'm thinking of poppies that spring up where the soil's been disturbed. They are so beautiful against the dark background :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting point serendipity. Poppies are certainly a weed of cultivated land but not usually foxgloves. As the nodiggardener (!) I certainly find foxgloves germinate all over the place. I tend to enjoy relaxed plantings when plants seed themselves. I find my poppies seed themselves particularly in shady places and they look nice coming out of the base of my hedge! I wonder if Sue is too good a weeder?
DeleteThey are growing on the plot around the strawberries which was hardly touched, Debbie - maybe hoed a little. They also grow up against fence posts,
DeleteI rarely weed the area where I plant the foxgloves, Roger as it is in a gap in some shrubs specially left for them. Any garden weeding is hand weeding and I can recognise most weeds at an early stage - if I'm not sure I leave things to grow on'til I am. It's how I've ended up with a bird sown daphne.
The Foxgloves really look majestic, perhaps the birds are responsible for moving the seeds elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the birds are very interested in the seed, Rooko.
DeleteI transplant foxgloves too but they never seed near to the plant they seem to like the raised beds - mine are nowhere near in flower yet.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they are one of the plants that transport seed by pod explosion, Elaine.
DeleteI think that like poppies they like disturbed ground or very sandy places, having said that I have them everywhere except the garden borders.....it's a mystery all right!xxxx
ReplyDeleteOur plot soil is clay and they seem to grow in places I haven't disturbed, Snowbird. Must admit my first thought was cultivated soil but then I took notice of where they are growing. Also in the wild they brow on embankments and in woodland areas which are undisturbed. No doubt there is a logical reason but I don't know what it is!!!
DeleteFunny about that; the do look lovely so the effort is worth it!
ReplyDeleteI think it is Kelli
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