Biennial in Review - Foxglove

(pictures from my foxglove, in my garden 2 seasons ago)

Digitalis Purpurea

I would have called the title to this post "perennial in review" But in all actuality, that would have been false. Foxglove is really a Biennial. Growing in it's first year, and flowering, then setting seed the following year.

This year I await a new batch of my foxglove to come up and flower again. There are also hybrids that will grow and flower in the same season, but my experience is, they just don't get as big and tall as the old cottage garden variety. So I stick to what I know works for me. I have the pink and white. Here is a little info on foxglove if you wish to give it a try and grow this old favorite cottage garden flower in your garden.

Care and Cultivation: Sun to part shade is best (mine get morning and noon sun, shade the rest of the day)

Fertile, compost rich soil, slightly acid. Plentiful moisture. Zones 4- 9

Plant container grown plants in spring, spacing about a foot apart (they do spread out and get quite leafy and big)

Start seeds indoors about 6 weeks before last frost date. Seeds need a chilling in the fridge before sowing, otherwise they wont sprout.

When done flowering, cut off stalks of ripened seed pods and sprinkle or shake out the seeds where you want them to grow the next season. Or allow to self sow. However i find it useful to just shake them out onto the soil. Make sure you mark where they are so as not to disturb the soil the next season until you see the sprouts emerging. (speaking from experience here, you may think you'll remember where they are, but chances are, you wont...LOL)

Don't let foxglove dry out completely when growing, they don't like it at all. Most foxglove will get anywhere between 3- to 5 feet tall, if your soil is 'the bomb', even taller. So it's best to put them in the back of the garden bed, or plant them solo to show off their beauty.

Jo.