Bavarian Bunny and any otherflower peeps

Well after I got my seeds from BB for entering the arc comp, I've attempted at growing one of the packets (as it said on the back to sow in August), I planted them two weeks ago. After much struggling over what to get to grow them in the garden centre, whoohoo my poach egg plants have started growing. I've never grown anything before, well I grew some cress in junior school, butI don't think that counts .

Anyway my Mom said I need to transfer them to tubs next and keep the tubs in teh house, until they're a bit stronger in case the rain kills them, then transfer the tubs outside, but bring them in if we have a frost?

Here are my pretty flowers

They are looking good. But your mother is right, you need to transfer them into their final container soon, before they get too tall and then break while you're handling them.

Here's some info I found on a website:

The poached egg flower is not just an annual with a charming name, it's also a beneficial friend to our gardens. Limnanthes douglasii, also known as Poached Egg Flower, Common Meadowfoam, Douglas' Meadowfoam attracts hoverflies which will eat aphids, and it also improves soil fertility. This lovely plant only grows to about 6 inches and has small sunny yellow blooms with a white edge all around the bloom. It's actually much prettier than a poached egg, but the colors inspired the name. You can also find an all yellow variety (Var. sulphurea).
Sow seed in fall or spring where you want it to grow. The location needs to be fairly moist, or at least an area you can water regularly so it doesn't dry out. In it's native habitat poached egg flowers are located near streams and other moist areas. Light is needed for good germination, so cover with a small amount of sand or soil, and keep moist. You may need to protect the seeds from birds with screen or other mesh. The plants will have a spread of about 8 inches. They also need full sun, and reseed easily. If you are worried about too many seeds, just deadhead most of the plants and leave a few to seed. It is one of those plants that need sun, but yet it needs cool roots. Poached egg flowers bloom 8-10 weeks from sowing. You can grow them in pots by thinning to 5 seedlings per a 6 or 8 inch pot.


They suggest you sow the seeds where you want them to grow, which indicates that transferring them might be a bit tricky. But if you transfer them with the whole cube of compost they are in right now, you should be ok. I'd keep them in a sunny location along the house wall, and if there is frost, cover them with plant fleece.

OOooooh, well DONE, Tree.....I'm suitably impressed!!!!!

Looking good

Cool well done Tree!

Excellent work

Thank you very much I am very proud of them

When I plant them in the tubs, do I leave them in their pots as they're in special biodegradable (sp?) one's that prevent over watering, I didn't trust myself to not kill them .

Leaving them in their bio degradeable pots is fine. In fact it minimises root desterbance which is always a good thing. All I would suggest is that you put the tubs some where light, but sheltered. Hardy annuals are tough little plants, and hopefully they will reward you with lots of smiley yellow poached egg flowers next year!

Thanks Maizy, I'll get them in the sunshine this weekend :thumb: I am very excited about them. I am looking forward to watching them grow

SOAD said:

Thanks Maizy, I'll get them in the sunshine this weekend :thumb: I am very excited about them. I am looking forward to watching them grow

Click to expand...

I love it! It's such a good feeling watching them start from seed and seeing them through to flower ( but I am a bit of a plant freak I'm afraid, so definitely bias)!:lol: :lol:

Maizy said:

I love it! It's such a good feeling watching them start from seed and seeing them through to flower ( but I am a bit of a plant freak I'm afraid, so definitely bias)!:lol: :lol:

Click to expand...

What's your suggestion for slug control, Maizy? Without having to kill the slugs, so chucking them onto the neighbours' garage roof for the magpies is probably not an option for Tree. :lol:

Thanks Maizy and BB for your help


you never know I may start being green fingered

Yep, humane slug deterants needed

Ooooh Well done tree! Something i have found useful (not having a green house to shelter plants in) is bubble wrap! just enough to provide a little extra warmth and shelter over winter, but not too tightly over you don't want to squash the plants!

My bf came home with some special copper tape from LIDL a few months ago. You put it around the container or the flower bed, and the snails and slugs don't cross it for some reason. I have not tried it so far, was hoping the frogs and toads would help me. They can't eat the huge orange slugs, though, so I have to hand pick them. With gloves. :lol:

The other night I came out of the bathroom and wanted to go to bed, and there was this gigantic black spider sitting in the hallway. I am sure some people on this forum would have screamed and run away. Including the legs it was about the size of my hand. I kindly asked my bf to release it into the garden. :lol:

So much wildlife here!

Thanks for the tip Phill :thumb:


:lol: :lol: BB, I would of scream at a spider. I just had a thoght the my neighbours have a conservertry thingy whre theri garage should be, so don't think they'd appreciate me wangging the slugs at their glass :lol:

Bavarian Bunny said:

What's your suggestion for slug control, Maizy? Without having to kill the slugs, so chucking them onto the neighbours' garage roof for the magpies is probably not an option for Tree. :lol:

Click to expand...

That's one bad habbit BB!:lol: :lol: Although I have been known to send the slugs and snails on 'journeys' before now.:roll: Alternatives without using pellets or chemicals is really 'defences' - crushed egg shells, cocoa shell or cuttle fish, copper bands or vaseline round the edge of the pots to form a barrier, beer or fruit traps ( upturned melon skins or oranges halves ). The barriers are temporary and will need freshening up every few days especially after rain. The most effective method is probably the hand picking, but then disposal is the issue after that.........I think we may be returning to the garage roof!:lol: :lol:

Maizy said:

That's one bad habbit BB!:lol: :lol: Although I have been known to send the slugs and snails on 'journeys' before now.:roll: Alternatives without using pellets or chemicals is really 'defences' - crushed egg shells, cocoa shell or cuttle fish, copper bands or vaseline round the edge of the pots to form a barrier, beer or fruit traps ( upturned melon skins or oranges halves ). The barriers are temporary and will need freshening up every few days especially after rain. The most effective method is probably the hand picking, but then disposal is the issue after that.........I think we may be returning to the garage roof!:lol: :lol:

Click to expand...

:lol:

Slug defence is still easier than squirrel defence, though.

Bavarian Bunny said:

:lol:

Slug defence is still easier than squirrel defence, though.

Click to expand...

Absolutely!:lol: I've noticed a distinct reduction in hazel nuts lately, but not caught them red handed yet!:lol:

I've re potted them :thumb: I have been putting them out in the day and bringing them in a night, just in case it's a bit cold for them. I have put them out today, but I am a bit worried about rain.