cowslip seeds

[francegarden]

Have been given some cowslip seeds that I want to plant in an area I am going to leave 'wild'.
Thought I would plant them in pots, before putting them out.
Question is - should I pot them up now, or in the spring?
If I pot them up now, should I leave the pots outside?
In the wild, they would presumably start to grow in the spring,
so am not sure what to do.

[andy]

My cowslips seed naturally at work....infact they're doing so well, they even come up in the cracks in the paths and i have to spray them off !!!!

Cowslips flower april - may time. The seeds then naturally take a few weeks to ripen. Once ripe, they will sit there until cooler, damp weather comes along. Some may start to germinate now but i always found mine came up in spring after a period of natural startification (cold treatment).

Personally, i'd sow them now and just leave them in a cool shady corner (most members of the primrose family won't germinate if it's too warm) and forget them until next year. Some may come up now as it's fairly cool and wet but some may wait until spring.

Good luck, they're super plants if a little bit invasive at times !!!

[francegarden]

Thanks Andy.
"fairly cool and wet" - I wish!!!
Clouds pass overhead on their way to someone more lucky - I have become obsessed
with the drought here and long for "cool and wet" while watching plants die and trees
start to lose their leaves too early. Just hope I don't lose any - having planted about
16 during the winter.
Watering is banned but sneak out with the hose as it gets dark.

[magrich]

my friend asked me to sow cowslip seeds for her,( she is running out of space!!!!), but read me the instructions on the packet VERY precisely.......... they have to be sown and kept at 20 deg for 4 weeks and then put in the fridge for 4wweks. I said I didn't have a fridge big enough for a seed tray, but she says she can sort that out. They have been sown, and are due to go in the fridge on june 1st.. Heres hoping...........

[Chuckles]

I've had cowslips self seed in the garden, I love them. Hope you get the fridge soon Magrich ;D