I love my teasel plants and the bees do too.

[megletthesecond]

Best thing I've ever planted. So much taller than I expected as well.

The bees are busy with it now, although they're probably fed up with me chatting to them. Hopefully the goldfinches will arrive in the autumn.

[Iggly]

Ah that’s great. I couldn’t get my seeds to germinate 😭

[Shockers]

[megletthesecond]

Oh iggly ((hugs)).

Aren't they splendid shockers!

[Iggly]

How long do they take to reach that stage??
I’m def going to try again!!!

[megletthesecond]

I planted mine in spring 18. They take over a year to grow tall. They were just small tough leafy plants for the first 10 months or so.

I need to get next year's in pronto.

[Beebumble2]

Once they’ve finished flowering leave them to dry in the ground. They make wonderful winter interest, especially when frosted.

[ParadigmGiraffe]

They self seed everywhere, I don’t mind as it’s at the allotment. Bees go crazy for them.

[youcouldbeGLAAD]

Mine didnt flower this year, planted them early spring I think, will they flower next year?

[megletthesecond]

They should do youcould.

Mine survived the snow over winter, they just sat there looking leafy for months before they sprung into action.

[rslsys]

Once you've got them - you'll never be without them!

Prolific self-seeders.

[longtompot]

I have let my thistles grow and we have had loads of goldfinches feeding on them. They tend to do it in the morning, so you may have had some but not seen them yet. Unlss, of course, you are meaning the teasles don't flower until the autumn?

[GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat]

I have a big one that hitched a lift in a pot of lily of the valley!

It's currently 2ft diameter but still at ground level with no signs of vertical growth. It looks extremely healthy! I'm wondering if I'm going to see any upward growth and seed heads this year or whether I'll have to wait? I've had it since last year but only planted it out in the spring. It's massive

[megletthesecond]

long thanks. The teasels are flowering. I've not watched them closely in the morning though. I'll keep my eyes peeled.

gareth it'll probably sit like that until spring then grow tall and flower next summer.

[megletthesecond]

Behold.

[Boilingfrog]

I love them!

[GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat]

Thanks meg! Do you think they mind a bit of shade? Mine's in a bed beside a snowberry hedge - conveniently under the bird feeders!

It's actually a good 3ft diameter and threatening to engulf my fuchsias and begonias

I'll cross my fingers for next year then

[GardenWoes231]

So glad to have spotted this thread - I’ve just planted loads of teasel seedlings into a new wildlife bed I’m making at my allotment! Yay

[megletthesecond]

gareth Mine have coped with some shade. They're by the back door so got very little sun until spring. Even now the sun doesn't hit them until 10am.

[GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat]

Excellent! My garden's pretty sunny and they should hopefully receive some filtered light through the hedge and once they gain some height

[Boilingfrog]

Ooh three feet diameter though, that’s quite a commitment of bed space.

[Moondancer73]

How lovely. My friend has some in her garden and they're looking beautiful at the moment. I'm definitely thinking I might plants some in my garden

[GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat]

Absolutely! It's an intriguing specimen

I'll let it have another year in the bed and see how it performs next spring/summer. The bed is an extra one I cleared of ivy and widened a bit.

Fingers crossed!

[MereDintofPandiculation]

Teasels are biennial. In the first year they concentrate on building up a good store of food in the root, then in the second year they use that store to shoot up a huge flowering stem.

[Tumbleweed101]

I put some seeds in pots to grow a couple years ago. The plastic green house blew over so I just ended up putting the mess of compost into the rest of the garden. Now I have a couple of lovely teasel plants flowering and more smaller ones that haven’t yet. I also have a giant thistle plant. I love the native plants in the garden.

[Siameasy]

Oooh I love a good teasel
I planted some in spring and they are in leaf stage. They’re still in pots. I’m wondering whether to transfer to open ground. We have a lot of slugs and I’m afraid they’ll fall victim. However they look quite established, furry and scratchy and not usual slug fodder