Bupleurum is a wonderful foliage plant that contrasts superbly with bright flowers
such as Calendula, Cosmos and zingy blue Cornflowers. If you can get it going it is a truly wonderful addition to the cutting garden…but it is an erratic little terror to get pulling its weight.
Even though I am the world’s leading expert on growing annuals for cutting and possibly the leading expert in the solar system…I have to say that the Bupleurum seeds I sowed this year all failed. Naturally I shall call this failure an act of God and have of course just sown another batch.
I have enlisted Karen’s help and have direct sown some…sown some undercover in seed trays and also sown some in a seed tray outside under polythene.
I have left them at Windmill Cottage in the care of Karen…if these fail it is of course not my fault….and Karen shall quite rightly be carrying the can.
One thing you need to know is that Bupleurum likes a bit of light to germinate so surface sow them….also they can take yonks…like a month…so be patient.
Now I don’t wish to bore you with germination rates…but my Great Aunty, Professor Chalice Monserat said that the best temperature to which they will germinate is 15 degrees….and they become less willing to germinate as the temps go up…with zero after 35 degrees.
Keeping the seeds damp is also helpful.
You can find a more detailed post on Burpleurum, here.
Next season I shall sell Bupleurum seeds with an ‘Advanced’ tag with them as I’m sure there are others who have had trouble with them this year….at least I hope it’s not JUST me!
Kindest regards
Benjamin Higgledy of The Solar System.
PS Don’t forget you can follow us on Twitter…where we are enormously entertaining and full of tips and tricks for you to be a little more like us. ;)
April 30, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
Hey Ben, do you pinch out the seedlings and if so when?
Thanks:)
May 1, 2013 @ 7:44 am
I don’t pinch my Bup no…though now you have mentioned it I shall experiment on a few plants this year. :)
May 31, 2012 @ 11:24 pm
Well I think I deserve some higgeldy points or something spangly. I got seven healthy plants from the packet. Weirdly I ffound I had some seed I saved two years ago in a random shoebox. There were tons of them. Guess how many plants they gave me? SEVEN.
That’ll be the power of shoebox and seven with a sprinkling of forgetting you ever saved the seed being the horticultural tip from me.
May 22, 2012 @ 11:10 pm
Ps I have two spindly bupleureum, will let you know how I get on! The race is on xx
May 22, 2012 @ 11:08 pm
Dear gardening guru can I ask you a quick question about my seed raised euphorbia oblongata?! Each one is growing on a single stem and is about 30cm tall. Should I pinch out the tops (sweet pea styley) to bush out plant? Just pretend this was a blup question.
Thanks wise one xx Caroline xx
May 22, 2012 @ 10:11 pm
They look kind of funky but I’m a bit intimidated if they’re that hard to get going! On the other hand, I guess I have nothing to lose by trying…
Lovely art nouveau poster, btw!
May 22, 2012 @ 10:03 pm
Dear leading expert in the solar system, just to say thanks a bunch (geddit?) for the seeds which arrived today. thanks so much for the sneaky extra packet as compensation for the missing sunflower seeds. I was secretly chuffed as the girls (aged 9 & 3) have already planted sunflower seeds and are having a race with them. Loved your growing guide too, this will be my first attempt at a cutting patch and I’m mightily excited. Sarah x
May 22, 2012 @ 9:18 pm
glad its not just me. i put them in the fridge for a few weeks (like you said) and then surface sowed them (like you said) and nothing happened for ages. then three germinated but they look so flimsy. Not holding out much hope for them. They’ve gone on the balcony to harden off or die.