New flower varieties to grow from seed

New flower seeds for the home gardener and grower from Nicky’s Flower Seeds.


Ageratum White Champion seeds
15-20cm
Ageratum houstonianum mexicanum
Half hardy annual.
An attractive F1 white ageratum which is uniform a free flowering. Ideal for borders, mixed bedding, pot plants or in containers. Pelleted Seed

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Begonia Illumination Lemon
Trailing begonia for hanging baskets & window boxes, hybrid. Gives a canopy of blooms on elegant cascading stems, blooms are large & double. Lemon coloured 5cm double flowers. We supply Pelleted seeds for ease of sowing.

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Begonia Majestic Sunburst
B.tuberhybrida
Very large 14-20cm double flowers with ruffled edges produced on strong vigorous plants that produce an abundance of colour all summer long. Ideal for borders, containers or patio pots.
Pelleted Seeds for ease of sowing.

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Begonia Starshine Mixed
B.boliviensis x hybrida
A mix of Orange, Red, Rose and white. Excellent hanging basket plant with vigorous growth and well branched plants. Masses of flowers on strong arching stems make these plants a must for any hanging basket or patio container.
Pelleted seeds for ease of sowing.

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Begonia. Supercascade Vanilla Cream
Tuberous rooted F1 variety. Very floriferous cascading plants with double and semi double flowers of 6-8cm. Ideal for hanging baskets or containers. Pelleted seed.

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Campanula Rapido Blue  and  Campanula Rapido White
A very early free flowering hardy hybrid perennial producing compact mounded plants that are covered in flowers from July to September. Ideal rockery plant or over a low wall. Full sun or partial shade. Pelleted seeds. Height 13-18cm with a spread of 13-20cm

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Celosia First Flame Mixed
Excellent highly coloured summer flowers in a mixture of scarlet orange red and yellows, First Flame is earlier by 2 weeks than other similar varieties. Pot up in the border or containers. C. plumose

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Coleus Kong Lime Sprite
Solenostemon scutellarioides
An extremely large leaf variety with unique leaf patterns. Plants are well branched and will make a bold statement in any border or container. Also ideal as an indoor house plant. Pelleted seeds.

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Coleus Kong Rose Lime Magic
Solenostemon scutellarioides
A unique variety as the colour changes with the seasons. Rose colour in leaves will dissolve exposing green margins with a cream centre as the season progresses. Makes a bold statement in any container. Pelleted seeds.

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Cosmos Purity
A popular annual flower for the cottage garden, wildlife garden or for the cut flower garden. Pure white flowers up to 10cm in diameter. Flowers from summer through to autumn. Sow from March to May. C bipinnatus

Fun Garden Games for all ages

With purse strings tight and a family weekend at a theme park costing short of a week for two in Majorca there is no better time than to utilise our outdoor space and have some fun with garden games for all the family. I am very sure that the majority of us have fond memories of at least one particular board game. Whether the suspense of snakes and ladders or the more strategic 4 in a row is preferred these classic games cannot only strengthen basic social skills but can also provide the foundations for fond memories. With a range of educational elements they can also help children with focussed tasks, not to mention fulfilling children’s most desired way to pass the time and that is to be with you. While we all lead busy lives, garden games can enrich the time we spend with our children and satisfy their thirst for competing and learning new skills.

Giant Snakes and Ladders

Without trying to avoid the rapid development of childhood treasures it is never more important to find a balance between the necessary gadgets of the digital generation and satisfaction of simple educational games that have been moulding characters for years. Timeless games such as skittles and the more sophisticated croquet can teach children basic skills that will carry them right into adulthood. Apart from sharing and taking turns these activities will provoke interaction with others that no amount of online games will provide. The strategic thinking required in chess can encourage young people to not only think more strategically but to expand their skills in problem solving. Get knotted, along with other physical games will encourage everyone to get active in the garden while having fun and will make a valuable contribution to a healthier lifestyle for children and adults alike. A range of gym equipment for all ages can also be the perfect addition to your garden to keep everybody fit and healthy. Games tables such as air hockey, pool and table tennis can encourage competitive games between pairs or even provide weeks of fun if a tournament is organised, building confidence and helping children avoid falling into the common trap of dreading school sports. Alternatively, sandpits allow younger children to explore their senses and can be therapeutic for any challenging behaviour young people may struggle with.

Croquet Sets

These oversized activities will not only add a contemporary look to any lawn or terrace but can also add a fun twist to any garden party. Some would argue that the humble board game has played an intricate role in the development of society and that the rise of social media could have a detrimental effect on the structure of social relationships as we know them. Croquet in fact was one of the first opportunities for women to play outdoor games with men, with tight croquet offering the perfect opportunity for the ball to be hit into the bushes and team mates to search for it together. So why not abandon the tweets for one weekend and invite some friends over for some good wholesome fun….you never know who you might meet while searching for that ball! Nicky's Seeds and Garden Games

Grass seed for beautiful lawns

As with anything planted from seed preparation and maintenance is key in producing a beautiful lawn. Sowing lawn seed is not only more cost effective than turf but it also offers a wide variety of mixtures. From woodland grass seed for heavy shaded areas to ornamental lawn and greens for the more delicate plots you are sure to find a mixture to suit your needs. Choose a lawn mixture such as back lawn for family spaces. The rye grass in the mixture will help it grow in more hardwearing areas. Growing lawn seed will also allow you to cover small spaces in your garden to make sure areas such as corners and slopes are evenly spread with lush grass.

Front lawn seed

Sow grass seed anytime from late summer to mid autumn. Skim and level the soil making sure it is free from weeds and stones. Walk on the soil to firm it down and then rake it again to a fine level finish before lightly raking in a granular fertilizer. Wait 2 – 3 days before sowing the grass seed into marked areas. Shake the box of lawn seed before scattering the seeds in one direction and then the opposite direction to make sure all areas are covered. Once covered with lawn seed, lightly rake over the area and water well. It is important to stretch some netting over the top to protect the lawn seed from birds and be sure not to let the new lawn dry out. Keep any weeds away and when the new grass had grown about 2 inches high cut it with a mower. Rake up the clippings after the first few cuts but there is no need to continue, as the clippings will recycle nutrients into the soil.
To maintain your new lawn and help defend it against weeds, disease and any unwanted insects it is vital to keep it watered, fed and regularly mowed. If using sprinklers during the summer months it is important to use them regularly as inconsistent watering can cause your lawn to become stressed and damaged. Water your lawn early in the morning to allow the grass to dry during the day. Water deeply to encourage root growth and leave an empty jar within reach of the sprinklers to measure the amount of water used. When an inch of water is collected it is time to turn off the water. Feed a lawn twice a year with a lawn fertilizer high in nitrogen and mow it little and often to help it to maintain moisture throughout the year. Try not to cut your grass seed too short and repair mowers regularly as dull blades can damage grass. Rather than treating the whole lawn with weed killer, treat weeds directly.
As your lawn matures it will become more accustomed to its location and surroundings and will flourish. Maintaining each simple step discussed will mean you can enjoy your garden with pride, knowing you have enriched the soil, sown the lawn seed and maintained your lovely lawn to produce grass that is always greener on your side of the fence.

Save on Vegetable Seeds

Radish Red Meat

 

Save 15% on Vegetable seeds, root and salads from Nicky's Seeds offer ends Friday 12th July

Vegetable seeds and Flower seeds

Available from Nickys seeds the following interesting
varieties are listed as new for the coming season. Chilli seed varieties includes the world’s hottest
chilli pepper Trinidad Scorpion Butch T. Capsicum chinense, Originating from Trinidad this scorpion is the pure strain, it was tested at over 1,460,000 SHU, making it hotter than the Bhut Jolokia which is the hottest commercialy available from seed.
Chilli seeds over 200 varieties include
the Naglah a capsicum chinense and is a cross between Bhut Jolokia and Douglah
measured at over 1,000,000 scoville heat units, Habanero Black Stinger a hot
chilli pepper with a unique short tail similar to the Trinidad Scorpion, Bhut
Jolokia is an old favourite along with
Trinidad Scorpion. Chilli Basket
of Fire a capsicum frutescens is a medium heat compact chilli ideal for growing
in hanging baskets or containers. Vegetable
seeds include Aubergine Pot Black a baby vegetable with almost black fruits
and ideal for containers, fruits can be harvested young making them ideal for
baby veg. Brussels Sprout ‘Bitesize’ a unique hybrid baby veg Brussels sprout
with small dark green buttons that are approximately half the size of normal
sprouts. Tomato Peardrops this is a hybrid, high yielding trailing tomato with
a mounding habit. It produces golden yellow
peardrop shapes fruits that are sweet and delicious, ideal grown in hanging
baskets and containers. Tomato Tumbling Tiger is a compact trailing variety
that produces both red and green striped fruits, they are plum shaped. The
plants are ideal for hanging baskets and containers. Some of the many new flower seeds
that are being stocked this year include the cut flower Lisianthus or also
known as Texas Bluebell Arena series in Red, Green and Rose. These varieties
have been selected for their high quality double flowers and strong tall stems.
Lisianthus Magic series available in apricot, deep blue, green and white have
medium sized long lasting flowers on quality stems. New varieties are added to their online
catalogue throughout the year.

Aquilegia Origami Seed Germination

Aquilegia F1 Origami Mixed HPFirst year flowering with extended bloom window. Strong compact and controlled habit. Mixture will contain some of the following colours Blue and White, Pink and White, Red and White, Rose and White, White and Yellow. Seed Available from Nickys Seeds
Germination:-

Plant type: Hardy perennial

Uses: Pot plant, container or bedding plant

Plant Height: 35 – 40 cm

Sowing: Sow early November - April sales sow late February for June sales

20 ºC. Cover with a thin layer of vermiculite

Germination in 3 – 4 weeks

Light required for germination

Approximate crop timing (mid season)

Sowing to transplanting 8 – 9 weeks

Sowing to flowering 21 – 24 weeks Seed only

Growing on:

Temperature Grow at 14 – 18 ºC.

Vernalisation is needed to initiate flower buds. As plants begin to establish reduce night temperatures to 5 – 10 ºC for 2 – 3 weeks. If plants turn purple, temperatures are too cool. After vernalisation increase night temperatures to 16 – 18 ºC. Cooler temperatures are tolerated but will increase the final crop time. Keep day temperatures cool.

pH 5.8 – 6.2

Feeding Feed regularly with 200 ppm N at an EC of 1.0

Growth regulation Not usually required. If necessary the plant will respond to B-nine at 3g/l.

Pot size 10 - 13 cm pots

Planting out spacing 30 – 40 cm

Common diseases Powdery Mildew and Botrytis

Common pests Spider mites and Aphids



Any chemicals referred to should be used only in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The Technical and cultural details are written for gardeners and growers, they are not cut and dried and are for information purposes only. It is not intended as a blue print for growing. A guide for you to use and adjust the data to suit your growing conditions. All information is based on UK conditions and should be used for guidance only. No guarantee is given for the resultant crop, or liability accepted for using the information used on this website in any article web page or cd rom.

Chilli Atomic Starfish

Atomic Starfish capsicum baccatum
Back in stock. A rare and unique shaped chilli from Brazil, the unusual shape resmebles a starfish. A very hot chilli with a sweet and spicy flavour.