This summer was really good for most of the perennial flowers and fruit bushes as they don’t need much of a heat to grow well and they appreciate plenty of water. And most the annuals did well too but not the heat loving Ricinus. I love this plant a lot and most years you can grow them very well here in the UK too although it is a Mediterranean plant.
I sow the seeds in late April – May indoors or in late May in unheated greenhouse. The first two years I overwatered the seeds and they started to rot rather than germinate; that is me saving time giving plenty of water at once and I thought I won’t have to worry about it for a few days; well I didn’t have to worry about them for an other year. So the conclusion is that water regularly, otherwise the seeds will start to rot, especially if the nights are cold.
Even the cerinthe has outgrown the castor plant this year which is really pathetic. The plants should be 150 – 200 cm tall by now and in full bloom forming the ugly flower heads, just like on the pictures here on the product page.
Bad year for some but excellent for others as my roses are still in flower and more buds are forming; looks like they are loving this late sunshine. If you deadhead your roses and even cut out dead bits during the summer they can produce lovely flowers well into October, if the weather is on their side of course.
