Comments on: A Couple Of Surprises… http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/a-couple-of-surprises/ Either That Or Falls Flat On Her Face... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:05:50 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: jwblooms http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/a-couple-of-surprises/#comment-53 jwblooms Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:21:14 +0000 http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-53 Hi, Barbara. The tulips are called Maytime. I know what you mean about sowing too much and then not having anywhere to plant everything out! But tulips, of course, can be planted underneath your annuals, so they are a good bet. I find people like the more unusual ones, especially parrot tulips, which they won't find in the supermarkets (and which are difficult to compete with price-wise). As for antirrhinums, I pinch out a few but leave most of them. If you pinch them out, you do get more flowers, and they appear a few weeks earlier, but they are not as long-stemmed or as strong as the ones that haven't been pinched. It's a bit like growing sweet peas as cordons - the plant puts all its energy into a few strong flowers, rather than masses of smaller ones. I've never grown salpiglossis but assume it's the same principle. Jan Hi, Barbara. The tulips are called Maytime. I know what you mean about sowing too much and then not having anywhere to plant everything out! But tulips, of course, can be planted underneath your annuals, so they are a good bet. I find people like the more unusual ones, especially parrot tulips, which they won’t find in the supermarkets (and which are difficult to compete with price-wise).

As for antirrhinums, I pinch out a few but leave most of them. If you pinch them out, you do get more flowers, and they appear a few weeks earlier, but they are not as long-stemmed or as strong as the ones that haven’t been pinched. It’s a bit like growing sweet peas as cordons – the plant puts all its energy into a few strong flowers, rather than masses of smaller ones. I’ve never grown salpiglossis but assume it’s the same principle.

Jan

]]> By: Barbara http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/a-couple-of-surprises/#comment-52 Barbara Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:33:08 +0000 http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-52 Nice tulips! what are they? Hopefully I shall plant some this Autumn ,if I have room.I was so afraid of not having enough flowers that I sowed lots of stuff and now worry that I will not have room for them all. Do you know anything about pinching back snapdragons and salpiglossis?Just thought I'd try and pick your brains. Nice tulips! what are they? Hopefully I shall plant some this Autumn ,if I have room.I was so afraid of not having enough flowers that I sowed lots of stuff and now worry that I will not have room for them all. Do you know anything about pinching back snapdragons and salpiglossis?Just thought I’d try and pick your brains.

]]> By: jwblooms http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/a-couple-of-surprises/#comment-51 jwblooms Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:23:27 +0000 http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-51 Hi, Camellia. Yes, ideally I would plant enough to have a little of everything left over for myself, but space is tight and at the moment my main worry is always, "Have I got enough flowers?" I'm hoping that one day I will have so much of everything that I cease regarding absolutely anything that blooms as a potential sale! Btw do you have slow-worms in Sweden? If so, what's the Swedish word for them? J Hi, Camellia. Yes, ideally I would plant enough to have a little of everything left over for myself, but space is tight and at the moment my main worry is always, “Have I got enough flowers?” I’m hoping that one day I will have so much of everything that I cease regarding absolutely anything that blooms as a potential sale! Btw do you have slow-worms in Sweden? If so, what’s the Swedish word for them? J

]]> By: Camellia http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/a-couple-of-surprises/#comment-50 Camellia Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:54:54 +0000 http://jwblooms.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-50 Wow, a whole line of romance. I can see the pain for a devoted lover of flowers, having to cut them off to give them away to someone else... Wow, a whole line of romance. I can see the pain for a devoted lover of flowers, having to cut them off to give them away to someone else…

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