How to Plant Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate Seeds

Kiss me over the garden gate, also called prince's feather, is an easy-to-grow annual that can reach up to 12 feet tall and two feet wide under excellent conditions. While often considered an old-fashioned plant since its popularity has decreased among the past few generations of gardeners, this fast-grower adds beauty to the garden with only a minimal amount of attention needed. Kiss me over the garden gate boasts long clusters of pink bead-shaped flowers, which hang at the ends of the green stems and sit among lush heart-shaped leaves. Blooms last from summer until the first frost and look spectacular as both dried and cut flowers. This plant can adapt to a variety of conditions but is at its best when given full sun and rich soil; once established you can simply enjoy its beauty from afar since it will reseed itself year after year.

Things You'll Need

• Kiss me over the garden gate seeds
• Organic growing matter such as compost or manure
• Mulch or leaves

Instructions

1. Choose a planting site with full sun and rich soil; add some organic growing matter, such as well-decomposed manure or compost if soil quality is poor.

2. Scatter seeds over the planting area and press them gently into the soil; cover seeds with a sprinkling of soil and water thoroughly.

3. Add a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch or leaves to help the soil retain moisture.

4. Thin out the seedlings when they sprout leaves in the spring, leaving 15 to 18 inches of space between each seedling.

Tips & Warnings

• Kiss me over the garden gate seeds need a cold period to germinate so plant in fall to expose seeds to winter temperatures; gardeners in very warm climates can store seeds in the refrigerator before planting in the spring.

• The heavy, drooping flower clusters that make kiss me over the garden gate so attractive can sometimes weigh the entire plant down; simply stake your plants if you encounter this problem.

• Kiss me over the garden gate's fast-growing habit makes it an excellent plant for creating privacy in your yard.

• Kiss me over the garden gate tends to attract Japanese beetles, which can quickly devastate the plant if not controlled. If you spot beetles on your plant, remove them immediately and drop them into a bucket of soapy water; Japanese beetles tend to attract even more beetles to the plant they inhabit so it's important to act as soon as you spot them. If your plants are already affected by a large number of beetles, apply a commercial insecticide designed specifically to combat Japanese beetles.

References

• Garden Guides: How to Plant Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate Seeds
• Cornell University: Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate