I don't always bother to label things. I'm always convinced that if they grow I'll recognise them and I'll remember them anyway. I always feel like it's tempting providence to label seed pots. So many times have I found that if I go to the trouble of writing a label it's like the kiss of death and nothing germinates. And even when I have dutifully labelled the birds or some other lifeform has usually come along and removed the evidence.
So.... when I carefully sowed two lots of seed last autumn and left the module trays outdoors to stratify over winter as the packets recommended I knew all would be well if anything germinated. The only problem is, my brain has atrophied a little more since then and now I am having a crisis of confidence. As I recall both seeds were from Sarah Raven and the sowing technique was acting upon her advice, so all I need to do is check what seed I had from her last year and work it out from there by reading the info on the packets.
It seems that one lot was hay rattle, planted in the hope of being able to re-populate the hillside if it was not in evidence naturally this summer. These modules have nothing apparantly growing in them
This could be because they were too small to sustain any germination during times of dryness or cold, or just that it doesn't like growing at all except in grass. The other modules have lots of seedlings with moderate low growth. I remember putting the surplus seed into an ordinary pot as a back-up plan and that too has filled the pot. The roots on each tiny seedling are extensive! I couldn't remember what this should be! In my collection of seed packets is the empty hay rattle pack, which says to sow in Oct/Nov but the other packs are all for spring sowing, so I checked on the website for past orders and it seems I bought Betony seed last year.
http://www.seedaholic.com/stachys-officinalis-2.htmlNow I really hope it is this and if it is then it is worth pricking lots out and growing them on, but if it's something else then there's a limit to how many I'd want. Does anyone know what Betony seedlings look like? I can't find any pictures so far.
