Matthiola (Evening Scented Stocks) P H N
Brassicaceae:  Matthiola bicornis
Evening Scented Stocks
Evening Scented Stocks, 2003
2023
~May 26: I sowed many seeds and kept them watered.
June 23: No sprouts, but it rained today.
24: Many sprouts.
 

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Other Years

2022
April 9: I seeded 12 cells.
June 13: Ben set about 24 plants out.
August 20: Growing well, and have enriched the evening air most beautifully.
 
2021
June 25: One volunteer.
 
2020
April 10: I seeded 18 cells using seeds collected in 2008 and bits of seed tape from even earlier.
May 7: No sprouts so I bought fresh seeds.
8: I seeded another 18 cells.
10: The exposed seeds are germinating.
June 13: I planted my 4 surviving seedlings yesterday and today I planted a strip of seeds in the garden.
July 10: The seedlings started in cells are doing well but there are no plants from seeds started outdoors.
August 11: Flowering prolifically and scenting the evening air.
 
2013
June 23: One volunteer is flowering in the semi-circular flower bed.
September 23: I never noticed it thereafter.
 
2012
September 17: There were many volunteers where they grew last year, and they developed fine.
 
2011
March 29: I started 12 cells, using seed from 2008.
April 1: No sprouts in the early morning; lots of sprouts by mid-morning.
June 6: Still in their cells. I have no idea where to put them.
12: I chose a spot and set them out.
 
2010
June 17: I set them out a couple of weeks ago, near the sweet peas.
 
2009
March 30: I started 18 cells, 9 with seeds from the tape and 9 with my own seeds. The soil mixture is half perlite.
April 3: Sprouts this morning.
May 30: I set out most of my plants, although I had put a few out earlier.
July 4: Coming along fine. Some are flowering.
August 3: You can smell them in the evening.
 
2008
March 20: I started 18 cells, 9 with seeds from 2003 and 9 with the tape seeds plus some from 2003. I put perlite into the mix to lighten it.
31: Thinned.
May 10: I set out 9 plants. They are good condition, much better than previous years. Perhaps it is the effect of the perlite.
14: I set out 9 more.
June 24: Doing very well.
October 8: Finished long ago, and cleaned up already.
 
2007
May 8: I sowed 2 rows in the garden, mostly using last year's seed tape.
26: There are a few sprouts that may be matthiola where I sowed them.
 
2006
March 25: Because I have no seed of my own, I bought a McKenzie brand seed tape from Walmart, $2.99. I planted 2 seeds in each of 12 cells, each still in a bit of tape, using a soil mix with a lot of perlite and vermiculite in it.
30: Sprouts.
May 16: Planted along the garlic. The plants are much stronger looking than usual. I attribute this to there being a lot of perlite in their starting mix, giving them a very well-drained medium.
21: I planted the last 5 alongside the tomatoes.
June 4: One of those 5 is in flower.
August 1: Doing well.
 
2005
March 29:  I sowed 12 cells of soil mix using seed from 2002.
April 1:  Sprouts.
19:  Thinned.
May 28:  Set out. I am surprised by how few roots there are in the cells.
October 4:  Not much growth this year.
 
2004
March 17:  I started 9 cells using seeds from last year.
20:  3 sprouts.
April 10:  I treated them with acid fertilizer and chelated iron.
May 18:  I set out a row behind the sweet peas.
July 30:  Perfuming the evening air most spice-ily.
 
2003
March 20:  I seeded 1 9-paks with seeds from 1999 and another 9-pak with seeds from 2002.   I covered the seeds with a fine mixture of peat moss and soil.
22:  A few small roots can be seen heading down into the soil.
25:  23 sprouts, in equal numbers in the 2 paks.
April 1:  Thinned and transferred to have 1 or 2 in each cell.
May 6:  About a third of the seedlings are in poor condition.   They are wilting from the bottom up.
~8:  I set out my plants.
29:  Doing fine.
June 8:  First flower.
July 5:  Doing well; the evening air is perfumed magically.
August 18:  I collected seeds a few days ago and cleared some plants.   Today I cleared the others.
 
2002
March 16: I seeded one 9-pak, with multiple seeds collected in 1996 and 1999.   I covered the seeds with a fine mixture of peat moss and soil, and put them in the piano room.
18: Sprouts!
29: Thinned.
April 7: Transplanted to give 25 plants.
~May 5: I set out 9 plants.
6: Freezing temperatures overnight affected them.   One would survive, the others die.
28:  No, they all died.   I replaced them today.
June 8:  First flowers.   6 plants remain.
August 2:  They are flowering well, and perfume the evening air most marvellously.
 
2001
May 19: I sowed 2 rows, using seed from 1996 and 1999.
June 13: Although there were sprouts 2 weeks ago, almost none remain now.
December 2: A few plants flowered during the later part of the season.
 
2000
March 18: I planted 9 cells, with several seeds in each cell. I covered them with vermiculite, then, oops, with a sprinkling of unsterilized seeding mix.
21: Sprouts in 6 of the cells.
May 21: I set out 9 plants.
27: Seeded in the matthiola row, as several plants did not make it.
August 7: I am enjoying their scent in the evenings.
October 4: Frost last night does not seem to have affected them.
 
1999
March 19: I planted seeds today, several seeds in each of 9 cell. The seeds were collected in 1995.
22: There are a few sprouts today.
23: The same today.
25: I planted some more seeds in starter mix today.
29: The new sprouts are coming up.
31: I transplanted 3 new sprouts to cells.
April 3: The 3 new sprouts died, so I replaced them.
May 13: I set out the 5 remaining sprouts. I have no real idea why these seedlings have done so poorly.
May 24: Only 2 plants remain. They are doing well.
June 5: I seeded the matthiola area in the garden.
7: First flower.
15: Sprouts in the garden.
June 30: Flourishing. The scent was quite noticeable last night.
August 3: Flourishing nicely.
31: Finished.
 
1998
March 23: Started 1 9-pak, using many seeds.
26: Many sprouts.
April 8: Thinned to 1 per cell.
June 1: Doing fine in garden.
17: Several in flower.
 
1997
March 24: Started 1 9-pak.
29: Sprouts.
May 14: Growing but not thriving.
26: 6 plants set out.
December 18: A good show last summer.
 
1996
March 23: 2 6-paks started, from bought seed (1994) and self-grown seed (1995).
May 4: Doing well.
3(?): Set out. There are 1000's of volunteers out there.
June 11: First flower.
15: I moved several volunteers.
July 7: Scent quite perceptible in evening near garden.
September 4: They have grown well and flowered profusely.
 
1995
May 11: Planted 2 patches in the garden.
23: Sprouts visible.
June 10: Transplanted some.
17: The tiny transplants all died, but the unmoved plants have grown rapidly in this heat wave.
July 4: In bloom. Small flowers in the evening.
29: The evening aroma is incredible! They're wonderful!