Petunias

When we lived in the south, petunias were the kind of bedding plant that pleased our customers.  We would rush into a superstore on the way to a job (lateness is usually my fault) and load up with general purpose compost and trays of sweetly smelling, pink, purple and white petunias.  Then it was out with the pansies - the winter bedding - and in with the petunias.

Up here, the winter pansies are doing fine as the April sun finally warms their south-facing bed.  I guess that if my husband keeps dead-heading them regularly they are good for at least another month yet.  As for the petunias, well I am having a go. 

We have acquired several packets of saved seed and commercial seed from a friend whose late mother was a great gardening enthusiast.  She collected them from her monthly magazine, but in her latter years was too infirm to do much.  The petunia packets had a 'sow by' date of 2010.  Now that is a challenge.  

Regardless, I sowed these almost microscopic seeds in a fine moist compost inside our new potting shed where, at the warmest point today, the thermometer showed 80 degrees F.  It is predicted to drop to just below freezing tonight.  Then I covered them with cling film for humidity.  The packet says that germination can take from 14 to 21 days.  I also sowed Morning Glory (2015) seeds; some coleus (same age as the petunia seed) and some of our saved french beans from the allotment.

We could afford bedding plants ourselves.  But as we have the leisure to concentrate on our small 'plot' we are beginning to focus on doing things well on a small scale.  And if the petunias should fail I still have plenty of common or kitchen garden pot marigolds.