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Forget-me-nots are a hugely popular flowering plant in the UK. There are more than 500 species with only 74 species presently accepted. The plant, officially known as Myosotis, gained their colloquial name from the German Vergissmeinnicht. This name was first used in England in 1398 through King Henry VI.
Forget-me-nots are a charming flower which can provide a lot of cheer to gardeners.
These plants are a humble but glorious spring flower.
They appear in frothy blue clouds and grow at the front of borders and at the edges of paths in your garden.
Forget-me-nots complement other spring plants and make a lovely backdrop for colourful flowers, such as tulips.
How to grow forget-me-nots
You can sow forget-me-not seeds directly outdoors in May and June.
Or if you want to sow these seeds indoors, you can do so in May, June and September.
If you are sowing these plants undercover, it is advised to sprinkle seeds and cover them with compost.
Use a heated propagator or a warm windowsill to store these seeds and allow them to germinate.
Once the seedlings have grown enough and you can handle them, prick them out and pot them.
Forget-me-not flowers should appear the following year.
Forget-me-nots prefer to grow in moist and well-drained soil and they ideally like sunny or shady spots.
They will not self-seed easily, but if you allow them to spread naturally or lift new seedlings and replant them where you choose.
Myosotis can be annuals, biennials or perennials, with simple leaves and clusters of small, salver-shaped blue, yellow or white flowers, with yellow or white eyes, in spring or early summer.
Generally, these plants are not targeted by pests, but the foliage can be prone to powdery mildew.
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Powdery mildews are a group of related fungi which attack a wide range of plants, causing a wide, dusty coating on leaves, stems and flowers.
Powdery mildew appears as a white powdery coating on the leaves on plants.
You can deal with powdery mildew non-chemically by managing the location, soil condition, humidity and wetness.
You can also control it chemically with products containing both insecticide and fungicide.
Tips to remember when growing forget-me-nots
- Site selection and soil amendment are important for planting forget-me-nots.
- Always pick a spot with partial shade to protect the plant on the hottest days.
- Sow plants inside to protect them until the last frost has passed.
- Deadhead it to cut down on its reseeding if you want to exercise control over forget-me-not.
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