It's mid February, and the propagator is full. The greenhouses at the farm are rapidly emptying of over wintered hardy annuals, and rapidly filling with Spring sown goodies. 

So what do I plant this early in the season? and why do I suggest that for most of you, now it too early to start your seed sowing.

In late January and February I start a range of seeds that need some specialist care. They form into 3 main groups

• Hardy Annuals, that are bomb proof, and can manage outside in all weathers
• Hardy Annuals that don't make it through the winter, on my field, but will give me early summer flowers from an early sowing and
• Half hardy annuals that take ages to grow, and need an early protected start to make me a profitable crop.

In the first group are a whole load of seed varieties that I'll also have sown back in August and September. If I sow more now, they are just an insurance policy in case off winter attrition or pest predation. In this group I include Orlaya, Poppies, Cornflowers, Ammi Major, Cerinthe, Daucus, Larkspur and Clary Sage. If you want to start off seeds now, particularly if you only have a window sill, choose from this group

In the early Hardy Annuals group, I include Ammi Visnaga, Cynoglossum, Calendula, Lavatera, Stocks and Antirrhinum.

In the Half hardy annuals that take ages to grow, I include Rudbeckias, 

So what about all the fab flowers that I haven't included? - Well they are better off sown in late March and April, so take your hand away from the seed packets, content yourself with looking at catalogues and getting your borders ready, and wait patiently to get sowing.

If you're keen to know more, do sign up for one of our Workshops at the farm this Spring when we'll be talking propagation in more detail.