How to Germinate Foxglove Seeds

Foxglove produces a tall spire lined with bell-shaped blooms in midsummer. Colors range from white and yellow to deep rose and lavender. These biennials form a rosette of leaves in the first year and bloom in the second year. Some cultivars bloom the first year if they are planted inside during late winter or early spring, then transplanted to the flowerbed once the danger of frost has passed.

Peat pellets
Plant tray with cover

Instructions

- 1
  Place the peat pellets with the opening facing upward in the plant tray, allowing 1/4 inch between the pellets. Peat pellets swell when water is added and require room to expand.
- 2
  Pour tepid water over the peat pellets, which begin to expand almost immediately when water is applied. Allow them to set for 10 to 15 minutes to expand fully. The amount of time required to rehydrate the pellets depends on the product and its compression.
- 3
  Add more water if the pellets stop expanding before they reach full size. Fully expanded peat pellets are dark brown, plump and cylindrical. If the "soil" appears light and powdery or the cylinder is misshapen, the pellets require more water. Pour off any excess water once all the peat pellets are fully expanded.
- 4
  Make an indention in the center of the opening, using the tip of a pencil. Drop the seed into the depression and cover lightly with the soil in the pot. Sow two foxglove seeds per pot. Although only one seed is necessary, sowing an extra seed per pot safeguards against poor germination.
- 5
  Cover the plant tray with the plastic cover to form a mini-greenhouse that retains moisture and heat.
- 6
  Place the plant tray in a warm location where it receives bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight overheats the interior of the greenhouse quickly and may damage seeds and prevent germination.
- 7
  Check the plant tray daily for signs of mold or excessive moisture. If the underside of the cover remains fogged and the soil remains soggy, the moisture level is too high. Mold appears as green tint on the soil surface soil. Remove the cover for several hours to allow moisture to evaporate. Otherwise, water enough to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
- 8
  Remove the cover completely when the foxglove seeds germinate.
- 9
  Thin to one plant per pot when the seedlings have their second set of true leaves. Clip the smallest seedling at the soil level, using scissors to avoid disturbing the roots of the remaining plant.
- 10
  Transplant the foxglove seedlings to individual pots when they are 4 inches high or if they outgrow the peat pot. Roots protruding through the bottom or sides of the pot indicate the plant needs a larger container.
- 11
  Plant the foxglove seedlings in the flowerbed once the danger of frost has passed.

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