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| Ceanothus | Common name; Californian Lilac |
A hardy evergreen shrub or small tree growing to around a height of 3metres (10ft) with a similar spread, panicles of small pale blue flowers appear in late May early June.
Week 9; Sow seed in trays of seed compost and germinate at a temperature of 16°-18°C (60°-64°F).
Dousing the seeds in boiling water for a few seconds can aid the germination process.
Germination should take three to four weeks.
Week 13; When seedlings are large enough to handle prick them out into 70mm(3") pots of potting compost and grow on in a coldframe until planting out time.
Week 18; They require no regular pruning other that required to keep them tidy and within limits.
Week 20; Pot up cuttings (taken the previous season) into 125-150mm (5"-6") and grow on until planting out time in September (Week 35)
Week 28; Take 75mm (3") heel cuttings using firm lateral shoots, inserting them into a compost of equal parts( by volume) peat & river sand, and root at 16°C (60°F).
Pot on rooted cuttings into 75mm (3") pots of potting compost and over-winter in a cold frame or cool greenhouse.
Week 35; Plant out in good, fertile garden soil in an open sunny position, or against a south or west facing wall.
n.b. If unable to plant out purchased plants at this time, then plant out any time between now and March if weather & ground conditions allow.
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