image from Pinterest image from Pinterest. Good windy morning. March is coming in like a lamb and we are having wind. The temperature at 10:30 AM is at 46 degrees with high of 54 low of 32 degrees. Temperature only going to go up and by Sunday in the 70’s. Still not a time to plant your garden. Just look at the calendar for that.
I found this plant which is good for pollinators, easy to grow and it is new to me. Grows in England, but we can easily grow it here. It is a Fried Poached Egg or known as Limnanthes douglasii . Now my plan is to find the seed and start some in bigger pots for you to put in your garden. Growing and transplanting into the garden isn’t recommended. See if I have enough seeds to sell in the Seedy Part of the Greenhouse ( bulk seeds) That is the plan see how it goes. Limnanthes doughlasii ( Poached egg plant) These bright and colorfully, low-growing annuals, which reach just 6in (15cm) in height, are ideal for brightening-up the front of the border. Tough and reliable and very easy to grow outdoors from seed. The single open flowers are highly attractive to pollinators and other beneficial insects. Common Names: fried egg, poached egg plant, meadow foam, butter and eggs. Foliage: Deciduous, pale green, finely divided leaves. Flowers: Small cup-shaped yellow flowers, with white-edged petals. Slight sweet fragrance. Flowering Period: June to September. Soil: Any moist but well-drained garden soil. Chalk, clay, sand or loam, any pH. Conditions: Best grown in full sun. South or west facing, in a sheltered or exposed location. Habit: Spreading low growing. Type: Hardy Annual. Origin: Native to America. Hardiness: H5. Hardy in most areas of UK (down to -15). Usually dies after flowering at the end of the season. Planting and Growing Limnanthes douglasii Good hardy annuals for early summer colour. Easy to grow from seed. Needs very little care and attention and attracts many beneficial insects to the garden. Suitable for town, city, cottage or courtyard gardens. Ideal at the front of beds and borders, as path edging or planted in containers. They also make good winter/early spring flowering pot plants in a cool greenhouse or conservatory. These fun little fast growing annuals are ideal plants for beginners or children to grow. Another use for this plant is as a green manure in the vegetable garden. It is not edible, but very effective and easy to dig in. Sow seed in soil, in spring for early summer colour or in the autumn for late spring blooms. Thin out seedlings to 4in (10cm) apart. Protect autumn sowings from frost. The main variety available in the UK is L. douglasii (California). Height 6in (15cm), spacing 4-8in (10 to 20cm). Taken from https://www.seasonalgardening.co.uk/hardy_annuals/limnanthes-douglasii.asp Poached Egg Plant What Is A Poached Egg Plant? The poached egg plant ( Limnanthes douglasii ) is an annual plant but as it produces so many seeds gets classed as a perennial. It’s common name comes from the flower, a bright yellow centre surrounded with white petals which looks like a poached or fried egg. Benefits Of Growing Poached Egg Plants Poached egg plants look attractive and brighten up any dull area of your garden. They are not only attractive to us but more importantly to beneficial insects including:- Bees Hoverflies Ladybirds Lacewings So they will attract pollinators and predators to your garden. Any plants that are likely to get infested with aphids will greatly benefit by having poached egg plants growing close by. Also any plants that need bees to pollinate their flowers to produce fruit will benefit from a nearby planting of poached egg plants. How To Grow Poached Egg Plants In Pots Select your pot and fill with soil / compost sprinkle the seeds onto the soil and cover with about 3mm of soil water gently and place in a fairly sunny position. This can be done from March to June and they will flower from June to September. Don’t let the pots dry out but don’t over water. That’s it really, they prefer full sun but will grow in slight shade. One word of caution, poached egg plants are so prolific that within a few seasons the areas around your pots will be covered with plants. Not really a problem but you will need to keep an eye on them. Also be careful that the pots don’t become overcrowded. Where To Grow Poached Egg Plants In Pots Most plants will benefit from being surrounded with poached egg plants so the scope is pretty wide on this one. Maybe underneath fruit trees, or next to beans or tomatoes. The list is pretty much endless. Poached egg plants are such great little companion plants that it is my belief we should all grow them. Encourage children to grow a few and record the various types of insects they attract. How Tall Will Poached Egg Plants Grow To? In perfect conditions poached egg plants will grow to around 15cms high (6 inches). Taken from https://growing-guides.co.uk/how-to-grow-poached-egg-plants-in-pots/ Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365
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AuthorHi! My name is Becky and I am a Master Gardener. I own Becky's Greenhouse in Dougherty, Iowa. Archives
October 2024
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