The season ahead
Welcome to another blooming issue of our seed catalogue ! As the seasons shift and the landscape transforms, so do our opportunities to cultivate and nurture for the season ahead.
This issue, we are thrilled to launch our new range of vegetable seeds, handpicked to include all our favourite varieties. Whether you’re looking to grow heirloom varieties of cabbages & tomatoes, or unusual oriental vegetables, our selection is hand picked and carefully chosen for exceptional taste, hardiness, and yield, ensuring that your harvest will be as bountiful as it is delicious.
Gardening is more than a hobby, it’s a journey of growth, patience, and discovery. Whether you're sowing your first seed or tending to a flourishing flower field, we aim to provide you with the knowledge and inspiration to make your gardening experience as rewarding as possible. From expert tips on growing blooms for bouquets to planning your cool flowers sowing schedule, we hope to spark your imagination and empower your growing journey.
Thank you for joining us and Happy gardening for the season ahead !
Cosmos Capri Mix
Timing : Sown in late Summer/early autumn, September here in the UK, they will germinate quickly - within a few weeks. You may need a little bottom heat but I have successfully germinated then without it.
Compost: Use a sterile soil or seed compost as they are very prone to damping off. This will ensure that there are limited nutrients for fungi & bacteria to grow.
Quantity: Sow thinly - the seeds are microscopic and can be easily over crowded so sow seeds as thinly as possible to give them the room they need to grow and give good air circulation.
Trays: I sow my poppies in flat trays as I like to save as much space as possible. You can also sow then straight into cell trays if you have the space.
Cover: They need light to germinate so a light cover of vermiculate is all that is needed. This is to stop the seeds from being washed away.
Watering: Water the soil BEFORE you sow the seeds, which stops the seeds from being washed away. Keep the soil most until germination then allow it to dry out a little between waterings otherwise the seedlings will suffer from damping off.
Potting on: They are slow growers and will stay quite small for a very long time, however pot them on into small cell trays as soon as they are big enough to handle and have developed true leaves.
Watering: Do not water the seedlings from overhead. They are still very delicate at this stage and will get easily damaged. Instead water from below and allow then to dry out a little between waterings to prevent damping off.
Overwintering: As the name kind of suggests Icelandic poppies like cool conditions, they can easily cope with a little frost so they can be grown on in an unheated greenhouse or coldframe for a few weeks until they are big enough to go into the ground. I often wait until late winter to plant them out into the ground and within a month or two the weather starts to warm a little and they will start to grow once more.
Planting out: An unheated greenhouse or polytunnel is ideal. They don't like heat so will happily flower early in the season. You can also plant them straight out into the ground and cover then with a low tunnel just for a little Snow and frost protection.
Cutting & Conditioning: Cut poppies in the cracking bud stage, before they unfurl. You will see just a tiny hint of coloured petal through a crack in the fury bud . I go out early in the morning to catch them, otherwise they will pop open in the morning sunshine. This prevents pollination so they will last longer in the vase, you can also sear the ends in boiling water and they will last around 5 days on the vase.
Growing Molucella Laevis
GROWING ORLAYA GRANDIFLORA
I love growing Orlaya Grandiflora because it crops earlier in springtime than many other flowers when I really need it, so the effort taken in its germination pays back when you need it the most.
Orlaya is extremely cold hardy and in fact it needs cold stratification to germinate. So there is no need to worry about protecting it from frost.
The easiest way to grow Orlaya is to sow the seeds in Autumn just as the weather starts to cool. If you have a bed ready and prepped you could sow them direct and cover just to protect them from heavy rainfall or snow damaging the leaves. Otherwise in trays of compost and you can leave them either in an unheated greenhouse or a cold frame.
They can be a little slow if they don't get the fluctuations in temps needed so be patient. You can also pop the seeds into the fridge and freezer alternatively for a few weeks beforehand to give them a helping hand. Autumn sowings will flower early in the season in springtime and set seed relatively quickly. so if you want a succession or if you have missed the boat then Orlaya can also be sowed in Springtime. Simply use the fridge/ Freezer method to trick the seeds into thinking winter is here for a few weeks before sowing.
With a wealth of botanical expertise and a commitment to environmental stewardship, UK suppliers offer a diverse range of high-quality plants and seeds suited to various climates and soil conditions. We prioritize collaboration with local growers to cultivate as many of our seeds as possible, spanning a diverse array of plants, championing the beauty and bounty of British flora.
This partnership not only ensures the freshness and quality of our products but also promotes sustainability and supports local agricultural communities. The breadth of range available through our partners is extensive, showcasing the rich tapestry of flora that thrives across the country from Larkspur to Lupins and Cornflower to Scabious. With growers situated in various locations throughout the UK, we are able to offer customers a wide selection of seeds supporting out flowers farmers, fostering regional diversity and resilience within our supply chain and also reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation, promoting a greener approach to gardening and agriculture.
We are actively working with our flower farmers to be able to support us as we grow, this takes time and so to ensure that we get continuity of supply we also offer imported seeds for sale alongside our home grown range. Within the product ordering pages it is made clear at the point of purchase which seeds are UK and which are from further afield.
If you are a British farmer and would like to become a supplier then please do get in touch. thehamshireseedco@outlook.com
