Starting Larkspur Seeds

[so lucky]

You know, the spikey kind that grow in old fashioned gardens. I have a difficult time getting them to germinate, then they are hard to keep alive to blooming size.
I know I used to see them reseed and grow year after year in the same place. (Not for me, but in gardens I would pass often)
Does anyone grow these, and if you do, are there secrets to getting them started?

 

[ducks4you]

Wow. Old thread. I was recently watching a gardening program that said larkspur's reseed in poor soil. The host of the program said that we now amend our soil too much, and the seeds don't like it. Many years ago they didn't do this.
I am also interested in growing them from seed. You should experiment this year in different soils and see how they do best.

 

[catjac1975]

If they reseed easily they likely need to be sown on top of the soil. Often seeds like that need to be chilled and directions from the seller rarely give you the correct information. You said they are hard to get to blooming size. Is that sown indoors? Often what makes seedlings fail are overwatering and fungus gnats that destroy the young roots.

 

[so lucky]

I'm glad this thread was revived, as I was thinking about starting a new one.
I wanted to say that I have larkspur starts all over the place in my garden. I grew some last year, and they must have reseeded like crazy.
Somewhere I read that they germinate best in cool soil--or shall we say ON cool soil. I guess the conditions this winter and early spring have been perfect so far. I need to transplant more of these seedlings, as they are in my path. On compressed soil. Hmm.
I also have bachelor buttons reseeded too.

 

[so lucky]

I don't remember how I got them to transplanting condition last year, but knowing what I do now, I think I would just throw them on the ground while they still have some cold weather. Or, as catjac alluded to, maybe stick them in the fridge for a couple weeks.

 

[catjac1975]

I don't remember how I got them to transplanting condition last year, but knowing what I do now, I think I would just throw them on the ground while they still have some cold weather. Or, as catjac alluded to, maybe stick them in the fridge for a couple weeks.

Did you direct sow them? Your success may also be attributed to the type of larkspur that you chose.If they are very fancy hybrids I think they will be more difficult to be successful with.

 

[digitS']

I have a few larkspur plants, the most common purple-flowering kind, growing in the dahlia garden each year.

It has probably been 15 years since I planted larkspur in that garden. Probably longer ...

Of course, I leave the few that are brave enough to grow among those tall dahlias .

Steve

 

[Carol Dee]

Happy to see you have had success. I bought Larkspur plants several times in the past. Never made it to flower so no reseeding. I am encouraged to try again. Poor Soil, I am sure I can find a patch of that!

 

[Nyboy]

Lucky if you like things that reseed I can send you some Rose of Sharon. They multiply quicker then rabbits

 

[so lucky]

Lucky if you like things that reseed I can send you some Rose of Sharon. They multiply quicker then rabbits

That's a shrub, isn't it? I know where a big patch of that is. You are right, it does reproduce really well. But I don't think I want any, thanks. There is also a mallow that grows in roadside ditches, where there is plenty of moisture. I think it is in the same family.