When to plant Forget Me Not in Temperate Australia

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow forget-me-nots direct from January to May, timing them for the cooling autumn soil so seedlings establish before winter and flower in spring. Cover the seed lightly at 3 mm; it germinates in a brisk 7 to 14 days, and plants reach their haze of tiny blue flowers in about 80 to 90 days. Space or thin them to 30 cm apart with rows 15 to 20 cm wide, letting them knit together into a low carpet. Hardy and content in dappled shade, forget-me-nots naturalise easily under deciduous trees and shrubs in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth gardens.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: January to May.

Growing notes

Forget-me-nots are a classic autumn-sown filler for temperate borders. They prefer moist, humus-rich soil and part shade, and they genuinely do better out of hot afternoon sun, which scorches the foliage and cuts the flowering short. Under deciduous trees or on the shaded side of a fence they are at their happiest.

The usual failure mode is powdery mildew late in the season. As the weather warms and the plants finish, a grey bloom spreads over the leaves and they collapse. This is largely a sign the plant has done its job — pull spent plants once flowering fades rather than trying to nurse them through, and improve airflow by not crowding them next time.

The other thing every temperate gardener learns is that forget-me-nots self-seed prolifically. The seed clings to clothing and pet fur and turns up everywhere. That is exactly why they naturalise so well under shrubs, but if you want control, shear the plants off before the seed sets. Sowing in the January-to-May window gives seedlings the cool, damp conditions they germinate best in, so avoid trying to start them in the heat of high summer.

Forget Me Not at a glance

Common questions

when do you sow forget-me-nots in Australia

In temperate zones sow direct from January to May, aiming for the cooling autumn soil. Seedlings establish over winter and flower in spring, roughly 80 to 90 days from sowing.

do forget-me-nots grow in shade

Yes, they prefer part shade and moist, humus-rich soil, and they do better out of hot afternoon sun. Under deciduous trees or on the shaded side of a fence is ideal in Melbourne or Perth.

are forget-me-nots invasive

They self-seed very freely and the seed sticks to clothing and pet fur, so they spread readily. This makes them excellent for naturalising under shrubs, but shear the plants before the seed sets if you want to keep them contained.

why do my forget-me-nots get white powder on the leaves

That is powdery mildew, common as the plants finish in warming weather. It usually signals the end of their season, so pull spent plants rather than treating them, and avoid crowding next time to improve airflow.

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