Tribute to my late cats: Forget me Nots

[AntiqueMaps]

Hello

I have had 2 cats pass away in the last 18 months. When the ashes of each were returned, they came with a packet of forget-me-not seeds.

I mixed them together and planted them in a pot in March and kept it on a bright but north-facing windowsill. Ever since, I've been watering the plant every 2 days or so. It seems v thirsty and also leaves go brown very quickly - I think I sowed the seeds too densely though so maybe there's not enough room for them all. Or is it too much/too little water/sun?

I was planning to keep the plant safe indoors until it flowers next year. And then plant on. Eventually having a plant outdoors that self-seeds into the flower beds.

I'm east coast of Scotland.

I'd be grateful for any advice, thanks.

Pics

First of all, sorry for your (double) loss!

Not an expert on myosotis, but I would imagine that it sort of prefers to be outside and that autumn is affecting things too.

I'm not sure what you'd do with them over winter in Scotland, but I suspect they want to be outdoors come spring, with a bit of a gradual hardening-off process. (Other posters will give you more informed advice!) To be honest, I'm not even sure if they are annual, perennial, or short-lived anyway.

If these plants don't work out, do you think you could grow catmint next summer? I did (further south than you!), as part of a sort of crazy garden shrine to my beloved cat after she died. It flourished over her grave and had the added bonus of luring in all sorts of cats that I could get my hands on (of course, none of them a patch on her, but I appreciated them nonetheless...) X

Thanks @Beachtastic I have a "new" (to me) cat. He doesn't like cat mint or cat grass!

I believe forget me nots flower in their 2nd year then die. So they only continue if they self-seed.

Yes I wonder if the plant would be happier outside but not sure if should do that right before the weather turns.

My front garden is south facing and my back garden north facing. I suspect the front garden might be too much for it.

Any more thoughts?

I'm wondering if the plant would be happier outside of it that would kill it stone dead. I've kept it alive for 6 months so keen to keep it!

I have a low, large round bowl of forget me nots that came from the vet when my cat was pts in September 2023, I made a memorial "garden" for him in the pot.

From memory the seeds didn't do anything much, if at all, in 2024 but this spring they bloomed and looked lovely. I also have dwarf tete a tete daffs in the bowl so the combination of yellow and blue looks really pretty.

Once the plants have died off I just put it out the way and bring it out this time of year so it gets more sun then put it on the patio where I can see it.

I have forget me nots in the back garden around the edge of the lawn which is north facing, the front I have them in pots and they bloom pretty well out there which is south facing. I put them in with the tulips.

thanks @Myblueclematis does your bowl live outside all year round? Sounds like the forget me nots self-seed in the bowls and pots if they flower every year?

Yes it's out all the time, there are lots of tiny forget me nots in the bowl at the moment so they have definitely self seeded. In the garden, I wait until they flowers have died off and then when I take the plants out to chuck away, I shake them really hard over the areas I want them to flower. Have lots coming up this year for next spring.

Thanks @Myblueclematis

Monty Don says something about the seeds clinging to his trousers and falling off and thereby self-seeding the rest of the garden.

I like the idea of the original plant just going on forever.

So sorry for your loss. Forget me nots are lovely. Tough as old boots and once you have them you have them for life! They seed everywhere and look very pretty usually when there’s not that much else going on in the garden too. The leaves of seedlings are sort of velvety. Don’t fuss over them, they’ll do their own thing. A bit like cats really!

Forget me nots are definitely a flower for outdoors.
The best thing you could do is turn the pot out and plant the contents in your garden soil. If it's easy to do you could even break the clump up by gently teasing the soil and roots apart. Keep all watered really well for a few weeks until they're really settled in.

In spring you'll have lovely flowers to remind you of your dear cats. When the flowers finish the plants will make thousands of seeds which will find their way all over your garden. This will happen every year and you'll have forget me nots forever. The old plants will just die back of their own accord.

Our lovely vet gave us some sees when we lost our dear dog a few years ago and today my garden is full of thousands of the little plants. We love them.

Thanks everyone. Bless our little departed pets!

Maybe it's my imagination but I feel the plant looks happier already being outside !

Just checking in to say that my plant is doing well outside. Looks lush and green. Clearly enjoying all that rain and sun. I've decided to leave it in the pot to contain it somewhat as I think I might regret it if it self-seeds everywhere and then I have a big job cutting it back every year.

I look forward to the flowers next year!

I think I can see a few tiny dots of colour...

I have 1 fully formed flower!

About to have hundreds I think, from the looks of the blue dots!

At long last, here we are. It's like my 2 late cats have come to say hello again! (My current cat wanted to be in on the action also).

Hoping to collect the seeds and plant a new pot for next year. Going to keep in pots though as might get out of hand in my flowerbeds by all accounts!

So pretty, OP (that pussycat, too)! There's nothing quite like that lovely sky blue.