Rose Campion

[Red Boyle]

I'm trying to start Rose Campion in Texas from seed. I've tried twice to no avail.

Can anyone give me pointers on how to go about it?

Thanks!

[David Hare-Scott]

How are you starting the seeds?

Where do you get the seeds and how old are they?

[Fran Farmer]

The only way I've ever grown Lychnis from seed is to let it grow next to gravel paths and when it gets seed heads on it and they are starting to look mature and dried out, I bend the tall stems over so that they trail on the gravel. This has proven to be a more effective way of getting new plants than my other technique of taking the seed capsules and squashing then so the seeds fall out in other places that most gardeners would think would be a much better conditions.

Anyway, once the new little plants are growing strongly in the path, I move them if I want them to grow elsewhere. I increase my numbers that way because, from observation, I found it worked and I'm a slack gardener who prefers to let the plants do the hard graft.

Based on that experience and the reading I did on Lychnis once I realised the effectiveness of the gravel path method of propagation, I'd say that you'd need to use a sandy or gravelly medium in which to plant and have it moist at planting and then barely cover your seed (if at all) and leave it in a warm spot and pretty much ignore it till the plants emerge. I'd be very wry of keeping the medium moist - I suspect that a nice moist seedling medium isn't something that works with Lychnis but really can't say for sure - it's my best guess based on my experience of how I know I can get more plants.

I live in a place with hot summers and Lychnis seems to thrive on neglect. My paths never get water and I only notice the plants that are left to grow in the path drooping a few times a year in mid summer. I give them a drink then but other than that they fend for themselves.

[told2b]

The seeds need to be chilled before they germinate.

[Pat Kiewicz]

Seeds need at least 2 weeks of chill. *Surface sow* on moist potting soil and refrigerate. Afterwards, they need light to germinate and 70 deg F.

Outdoors, sow in early spring or in autumn. Rose campion tolerates drought once established but needs moist but *well-drained* soil to germinate.

[Red Boyle]

Thanks for the responses. I'll give it a go again. I love the plant but haven't been able to get them started.