How to Start Cleome Indoors
Cleome hasslerana is an annual flower that can grow four to six feet in height, blooming early summer to mid-fall with shades of white and pink blossoms. Cleome's nickname is "Spider Flower," derived from its spidery blossoms that have long stamens and grow atop tall, leafy stems. Although the cleome's flowers emit a strong, musky fragrance that is slightly unpleasant, the flowers do attract many hummingbirds. Starting cleome seeds indoors can be tricky, and you'll have to carefully adjust daytime and nighttime temperatures in order for the seeds to germinate. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Cleome seeds
- Plastic bag
- Shallow tray
- All-purpose potting soil
- 40-watt grow lights
- Small planter pots
Instructions
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Place the cleome seeds into an unsealed plastic bag and put them in the refrigerator. Leave them in the refrigerator for five to seven days.
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Remove the cleome seeds from the refrigerator and sow them in all-purpose potting soil. Barely cover the seeds with soil. You can sow your cleome seeds indoors approximately four weeks prior to the last expected frost.
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Keep the soil temperature at 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime and 65 degrees at night. Use 40-watt grow lights to help warm the soil, and water the seeds with warm water in the morning to help increase the soil temperature during the day.
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Watch for the seedlings to sprout in about 10 days. If a cleome seed doesn't germinate and sprout in two weeks, it likely won't germinate at all.
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Transfer each seedling into its own planter pot as it develops four "true" leaves. True leaves are the larger leaves that develop after the cleome seedlings sprout their seed leaves, which are the initial, smaller leaves. The cleome seedlings should grow their true leaves and be ready to transplant in about four weeks.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a shallow seed tray to germinate your cleome seeds instead of a large planter pot. If the soil layer is shallower, you'll have an easier time warming the soil during the day to the correct temperature.
Place the seeds under grow lights or in bright indirect sunlight during and after germination.
Don't keep the soil at a constant temperature both day and night. Cleome seeds are finicky about soil temperature differentials during daytime and nighttime, and they won't germinate if you don't warm the soil during the day and cool it slightly at night.
