How to Plant Cornflower Seeds
Cornflowers, also called bachelor's buttons, earned their name because they grow wild in cornfields. The blue fringed flowers add a bright touch to gardens and cut-flower arrangements. Cornflowers are hardy annuals that can survive a light freeze. Sow the seeds inside four weeks before you plan to move the plants to the garden. They can be transplanted once the ground has thawed enough to be worked, generally two to four weeks before the last expected frost date in your area. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Containers
- Compost
- Peat moss
- Perlite
- Plastic wrap
- Spray bottle
- Grow lights
- Fertilizer
Instructions
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1
Prepare seed pots or flats for planting. Wash the containers in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, then rinse thoroughly. Allow to air dry.
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2
Fill pots or flats with moist, store-bought seed starting mix to within 1 inch of the rim. Make your own mix with 1 part sterilized compost, 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite.
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3
Sow two to three seeds in the center of each pot, or in rows 3 inches apart in flats. Cover with 1/2 inch of soil.
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4
Mist the top of the soil with a spray bottle filled with water. Cover the pots with plastic wrap and place them in a dark room to germinate. The temperature should be kept at 60 to 70 degrees F.
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5
Remove the plastic wrap once seedlings emerge, approximately seven to 14 days after planting. Place seedlings in a warm, sunny window or position grow lights 2 inches over the seedlings.
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6
Keep the soil moist at all times, but not soggy. Water as needed to provide proper moisture.
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7
Snip off all seedlings but one in each pot after the seedlings are 2 inches tall and the first set of true leaves--the second set of leaves the plants grow--emerges. Choose the strongest and healthiest-looking seedling to remain.
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8
Fertilize with a 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer once the seedlings are 2 weeks old. Choose a general-purpose balanced fertilizer.
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9
Transplant outdoors into a well-drained garden bed in full to partial sun. Space the plants 12 inches apart in rows.
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Tips & Warnings
Harden off your plants before transplanting. Place the pots outdoors for two hours, gradually increasing the time each day for one to two weeks. Transplant on a cloudy day to minimize shock to the plants. Pinch off fading blooms to encourage further flowering.
Tall cornflower varieties may require staking so the stems don't break. Avoid getting the leaves wet when watering. Wet leaves may cause powdery mildew.
