How to Grow Phlox
How to Grow Phlox
How to Grow: Phlox (Phlox drummondii)
Pronunciation: flaaks
INTRODUCTION
Many people are familiar with the Perennial “Garden Phlox” (Phlox paniculata), but in this blog post, we’ll be discussing Annual Phlox (Phlox drummondii). Both can be used as a cut flower, but I find the Annual Phlox to be much more useful in bouquets (especially as Garden Phlox can be susceptible to Powdery Mildew).
Annual Phlox can be a lovely addition to the cutting garden. Personally, I find harvesting them to be a bit cumbersome and I often mutter and complain the whole time… but once I weave the stems into mixed bouquets, I remember why I love them.
As a bonus, most Annual Phlox varieties have a delightful, delicate scent. Many cut flowers do not have a scent, so I’m always looking for beautiful sweetly scented flowers to mix into my bouquets.
Grandiflora Tapestry Mix
Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of growing Phlox for cut flower use.
PROS
They come in a wide variety of colors, from muted tones to bright hues.
They have a sweet scent.
They fill out a bouquet beautifully.
They are quick to flower, taking only 60-65 days.
They are very productive and abundant.
They have a good vase life of 7 days when harvested at the proper stage.
CONS
They tend to bloom early on stems that are too short for bouquets. The plants may require multiple “pinches” (pruning) before they begin blooming on longer stems. Pinching is not difficult, however, you have to remember to do it! I often pinch them 3x before they finally begin sending up 18-inch stems.
The stems can become tangled and difficult to harvest.
Cherry Carmel
CHOOSING SEEDS
When choosing seeds, the most important consideration is height. Look for varieties that will reach 18 inches.
Here are a few of my favorite Phlox to grow for cut flower use:
“Cherry Carmel”
“Creme Brulee”
“Sugar Stars”
Grandiflora Tapestry Mix
HOW TO SOW
Phlox can be a little fussy to start from seed. The trick is darkness - once sown, the seeds need to be kept in the dark until they germinate.
You’ve got a few options:
Sow seeds in trays and stick the trays somewhere dark and warm.
Cover the seeds completely with soil or vermiculite.
Cover the seed tray with another tray on top of it.
Once the seeds have germinated, you can move them into a bright location (under grow lights or a greenhouse). Seeds should germinate in about 5-10 days.
Transplants or Direct Sow?
Phlox can be direct sown or transplanted. I recommend transplanting since germination can be a bit tricky.
Start Phlox from seed indoors about 6 weeks before your Average Last Spring Frost.
Seedlings can be transplanted after the frost date. If the seedlings are starting to bloom in the trays, simply pinch off the blooms.
If you want blooms all summer, consider planting 2-3 successions of Phlox, about 3 weeks apart.
Phlox is considered an Annual, but I consider them a “Hardy Annual” since they can tolerate frost when the plants are mature. Annual Phlox is often one of the last flowers standing in the field after frost arrives.
Blushing Bride
Speaking of frost…
Side note: My neighbor hired a photographer to take photos of her beloved dog on our flower farm in early October. The night before the photo shoot, our farm was hit by a killing frost and all the flowers turned brown and dead… except for the Phlox! The Phlox was unscathed by the frost and the photographer managed to capture some beautiful images of the dog surrounded by the Phlox!
Phlox after a frost!
PLANT SPACING
Plants can be spaced 6-9 inches apart. I recommend close spacing to encourage the plants to grow taller.
GROWING ON
Phlox has average water and fertilizer requirements. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are recommended as too much water on the plants can cause disease issues.
Now let's talk about pinching (pruning or cutting back the plant).
Phlox has a very odd, rambling growth habit and without some pinching, the plants be quite unruly.
They often try to start blooming when they are only 2-3 inches tall. While these are cute, they are not usable in bouquets, where I need 18” stems.
Needs to be pinched!
The solution? I simply go in with a pair of snips, cut off the blooms and tell the plant “Nice try, but I know you can do better. Let’s try again.”
After 2-3 rounds of this treatment, the plants start sending up lovely 18” long stems.
I don’t recommend netting Phlox, because the stems would be a tangled mess in the netting.
Blushing Bride - Long stems after being pinched a few times!
STAGE OF HARVEST
Harvest the stems when about ½ of the blooms on the stem are open. The remaining blooms will slowly open up in the vase. If all of the blooms are fully open (fully ripe or over ripe), the flowers will not last as long in the vase.
Grandiflora Tapestry Mix
POST-HARVEST CARE
Phlox requires no special post-harvest care.
QUESTIONS?
Ask them here and I’ll get back to you!
Ready for more?
If you’re serious about growing the garden of your dreams this year, register for my online course, “Backyard Cutting Garden 101”. You’ll find everything you need to plan, grow, harvest and arrange your stunning blooms. I can’t WAIT to help you grow! Click on the button below for all the details.
How to Grow: Poppies
Delicate. Swoon-worthy. Delightful. You’ll want to grow some!
How to Grow: Poppies
Poppies might be the most swoon-worthy flower ever. Their delicate blooms unfurl each morning and bring delight to all who encounter them.
Pollinators also love poppies. In the morning, I like to sneak out to the garden right before sunrise and wait by the poppy patch. As the sun peeks over the horizon, the flowers pop out of their casings and the honeybees begin to crawl all over the blooms. It’s humbling, fascinating and quite possibly the best way to start the day.
Most Poppies are easy to grow and I think everyone should try growing a few.
But let’s get this out in the open: Most types of poppies are NOT good cut flowers. At best, they will last 2 days in the vase… but they are so beautiful, I don’t care!
Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of growing Poppies for cut flower use.
PROS
They come in a multitude of colors.
They are fairly easy to grow (most types).
They are loved by pollinators.
CONS
They prefer cool weather (days below 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and can be difficult to grow in climates with big temperature swings.
They stop blooming in hot summers.
They can be tricky to start from seed (I’m looking at you, Iceland Poppies!).
They are not long lasting.
They need to be harvested at precisely the right time and it can be difficult to do this.
They need special post-harvest treatment to prolong vase life (Iceland Poppies).
CHOOSING SEEDS
As I mentioned above, most poppies are not a good cut flower. However, they are so irresistible that people insist on cutting them anyway.
It’s helpful to think of Poppies as an “Event” flower, not a “Bouquet” flower. They are perfect for an event, like a dinner party or wedding, where they only need to last a day or two. They are not generally not a good choice for a bouquet intended for display for a week or more.
Poppies are divided into 4 main categories:
1. Shirley Poppies (Papaver rhoeas): Also called Field Poppy, Corn Poppy or Common Poppy. Grown as an Annual. These are easy to grow, but not long lasting. Expect about 2-3 days maximum. 1 day is more realistic.
“Shirley Double” Poppy
2. Breadseed Poppies (Papaver somniferum): Grown as an annual. These are mainly grown for their interesting seed pods, not as a cut flower. Allow the flower to bloom and die, then harvest the pods for dried arrangements.
“Peony Double” Breadseed Poppy
3. Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale): A perennial type of poppy that is popular for landscape use. Usually not used as a cut flower, but also has interesting pods.
4. Iceland Poppies (Pavaver nudicaule): The best type of poppy for cut flower use. Technically a perennial, but short lived and doesn’t like heat, so it’s usually grown as an annual or biennial. Of all the poppies, Iceland Poppies have the longest vase life of about 5 days if harvested at the correct stage and treated to prolong vase life (more about that later).
“Nudicaule Blend” Iceland Poppy
In my experience, Iceland Poppies are more temperamental to start from seed than other poppies. If you are a beginner, I recommend sticking to Shirley Poppies and Breadseed Poppies until your skill level increases.
Here are a few of my favorite Poppies to grow for cut flower use:
“Shirley Double” (Shirley)
“Angel’s Choir” (Shirley)
“Falling in Love” (Shirley)
“Mother of Pearl” (Shirley)
“Pandora” (Shirley)
“Peony Double” (Breadseed)
“Lauren’s Grape” (Breadseed)
“Champagne Bubbles” (Iceland)
“Nudicaule Blend” (Iceland)
HOW TO SOW
There are few flowers that seem to respond best to the S.T.U.N. growing technique.
S.T.U.N. stands for “Sheer, Total, Utter Neglect”. Ha! Poppies tend to fall into this category.
I swear, the harder you try to grow them, the worse they do. But toss the seeds in the air out of frustration and they will take off like crazy! Seems like don’t like to be fussed with.
Poppies are a great candidate for the “hands off” growing method of Winter Sowing. I’ve had much success with growing Poppies this way. You can find out more about it HERE.
Transplants or Direct Sow?
Poppies are not a big fan of being transplanted and prefer to be direct sown.
However, they can be grown as transplants. If you are growing them as transplants in trays, be sure to “bottom water” the tray by setting it in a pan of water. Overhead watering can wash away the tiny seeds.
They may be slow growing, especially Iceland Poppies, so be patient.
You can plant them using the “toothpick method” (pour seeds into a bowl/jar, lick the toothpick and dip it into the seeds. Transfer seeds to your prepared trays) or you can evenly sprinkle the seeds over the tray.
Direct Sowing is the easiest method. The seeds are tiny, so just stand over the spot you want them to grow and sprinkle them like fairy dust.
Where you live determines how you direct sow poppies. If you live in Zone 6 or warmer, you might have the best luck preparing your growing area in the fall and sprinkling the seeds. They will lay dormant over the winter and germinate in the early spring.
If you live in Zone 5 or colder, you can sprinkle the seeds in the soil as soon as it’s thawed out in the spring (March, for most of us). They can handle frost and even some snow.
PLANT SPACING
Poppies can be spaced at 6” or less.
Obviously, when you sprinkle seeds over an area, it’s difficult to control the spacing. I’ve found my Poppies don’t seem to mind VERY crowded conditions and don’t bother thinning them out.
GROWING ON
If flowers are harvested and spent blooms are “deadheaded” (removed), the plants will continue to bloom until it gets too hot (mid July, around here). Of course, you can always leave them and allow the seed heads to form.
STAGE OF HARVEST
For the longest lasting blooms, Poppies need to be harvested at the correct stage. They move from “not quite ready” to “too late!” very quickly… and by quickly, I mean minutes, not hours!
Poppies should be harvested at the “cracked bud” stage. This is right before the flowers “pop” out of their casings. You’ll be able to see the color of the bloom through the crack in the casing.
The bloom will open up in the vase and you’ll get the longest vase life possible this way.
As soon as they pop out of their casing, Poppies are covered in pollinators…. And unfortunately, once they have been pollinated, they are basically useless as a cut flower. If the Poppy is fully open, don’t bother harvesting it. Leave it for the bees instead.
Be sure to cut deeply right into the base of the plant. Deep cuts signal the plants to produce MORE flowers to replace the one you just cut.
POST HARVEST CARE
Immediately after harvest, sear the stem ends of the poppies. The stem ends drip sap. Searing seals them and makes them last longer in the vase. You sear them out in the field as you harvest or do it as soon as you get back to your house.
You can do this with:
Boiling Water: Bring water to boil and dip stem ends in the water for about 10 seconds.
Flame: Use your gas stove, a lighter or a propane torch (the most fun! Ha!) to burn the stem ends for about 10 seconds.
After searing, place in cool water and keep them in a cool, dark place until ready to arrange.
QUESTIONS?
Ask them here and I’ll get back to you!
Ready for more?
If you’re serious about growing the garden of your dreams this year, register for my online course, “Backyard Cutting Garden 101”. You’ll find everything you need to plan, grow, harvest and arrange your stunning blooms. I can’t WAIT to help you grow! Click on the button below for all the details.
What's the Best Way to Plant Your Garden? Direct Sowing vs Transplanting
Find out how to choose the best planting method for your garden!
What’s the Best Way to Plant Your Garden? Direct Sowing vs Transplanting
You’ve been dreaming for years about planting a cut flower garden… and decided THIS IS THE YEAR!
So you head to your nearest garden center, fill your basket with seed packs, then rush home in excitement and eager expectation.
As you begin reading the back of the seed packs, you see all sorts of words like…
“Transplant after last spring frost”
“Direct sow after last spring frost”
…and sometimes “Transplant OR Direct Sow”
Huh?
Don’t worry.
I’ll help you make sense of these words and figure out the best way to plant YOUR garden.
FROST DATES
Many growing locations, like mine in Michigan, USA, can only grow plants part of the year before frost, snow and cold arrive to kill the plants or make them go dormant.
If you live in a climate that receives frost or snow, you need to know your “Frost Dates”. The space on the calendar between these 2 dates is your “frost free growing season”, which means it’s safe to plant during this time. Heavy frost will kill many plants, so I call this a “killing frost”.
You can easily find your “Frost Dates” by searching online. Just enter the name of where you live and the words “frost dates”.
Average Last Spring Frost: Approximate date (2 week swing either in either direction) of when you can expect to get the last “killing frost” of the spring. Remember this date is an '“average”, so it means if you plant your seedlings on your Average Last Spring Frost Date, there is still a 50% chance that you could lose your plants to frost. IT HAPPENS! Ask me how I know ;)
Average First Autumn Frost: Approximate date (2 week swing either in either direction) of when you can expect to get the first “killing frost” of the fall. Again, this is an average, so there is 50% chance it could come sooner (boo!!!) or later (yay!).
Direct Sowing vs. Transplanting
When it comes to planting your cut flower garden, you have 2 options:
1. DIRECT SOWING: This means you directly sowing the seed into your garden. You are…
literally walking out to your garden
plunking the seed in the ground
2. TRANSPLANTING: This means you are…
sowing the seeds into containers indoors (egg cartons, seed trays, yogurt cups, etc)
growing them indoors for a few weeks
gradually acclimating them to outdoor conditions (“hardening off”)
planting them in your garden
As you can see, Direct Sowing is easier, faster and more beginner friendly.
But unfortunately, not all cut flower types perform best when they are Direct Sown.
Which Method Should I Choose?
The answer to this question is determined by YOUR needs and the PLANT’S needs. Here are a few questions to consider:
1. When do you want your flowers to bloom? How long is your growing season?
Most seed packs will tell you approximately how many days it takes for the plant to grow from seed to bloom. I find many cut flowers average 100 days from seed to bloom. People who live in climates with a longer growing season are able to Direct Sow more types of plants, than those of us living in climates with short seasons.
EXAMPLE: If I Direct Sow seeds on May 15 (my Average Last Spring Frost), it means those flowers won’t bloom until late August. That’s a long time to wait!
If I want blooms earlier in the season, I can start them indoors a few weeks earlier then transplant them on May 15 to get blooms in July instead of August.
2. What does the seed pack recommend?
It’s wise to follow the recommendation on the seed pack. Some plants are quite slow growing (like Snapdragons) and must be started indoors weeks or months before being transplanted in order to harvest the blooms in time.
If the seed pack suggests you can try EITHER method, read on!
3. Do you have the time, space and dedication to start seeds indoors?
To learn more about starting seeds, read my blog post “How to Start Seeds”. It does require an investment of time, space and money to start seeds indoors.
WARNING: Once you decide to start seeds indoors, you cannot leave them unattended for more than 24-48 hours. Yup, they are little babies that need constant tending or they will die.
You would not believe the amount of frantic emails I get from people when they realize they are leaving for Spring Break and they don’t know what to do about their seedlings! Yes, you are going to have to hire a “Plant Sitter”. ;)
I hold off on starting seeds as long as possible, because once I start, I can’t go away for the next 6 months (I start seeds from Feb-July) unless I hire someone to take care of my babies.
The Pros and Cons of Direct Sowing vs Transplants
Still not sure which method is best for you? Here are some things to consider to help you decide.
DIRECT SOWING
Pros:
Easy
Inexpensive
Cons:
You’ve got to water the area often to make sure the seeds germinate
Weeds. Can you tell the difference between weeds and the flower you’re trying to grow?
Longer wait for blooms
TRANSPLANTING
Pros:
More predictable results
Earlier blooms
Tangible results - you get to “go plant your garden” and see results at the end of the day
Cons:
Need to be “babied”. Transplants need to be cared for every.single.day.
Transplants need to be “hardened off” before transplanting (acclimate the seedlings to living outdoors by bringing them outside for 1 hour per day, gradually increasing by an hour each day until they are used to being outdoors 24 hours per day). Plants that are not hardened off may experience “transplant shock” and die
Supplies can be costly
Not everyone has good space for growing transplants
Time consuming
List of Plants to Direct Sow vs Plants to Transplant
Here’s a list of SUGGESTIONS for some of the most popular cut flowers. These are not hard and fast rules. Be sure to experiment to find out which method works best for YOUR garden. What works well for one garden might not be the best method for YOURS. I cannot stress this enough!
*Some plants are on both lists. If you have time, space and inclination to start them as transplants, go for it. If you don’t, simply direct sow them instead.
P.S. I almost exclusively Direct Sow all of my Cosmos, Sunflowers and Zinnias. On my farm, these plants perform MUCH BETTER when I Direct Sow them as opposed to Transplanting them. This saves me so much time, space and effort!
Other people have the most success growing these flowers as Transplants, but that has not been the case for my farm.
Again, different methods work best in different situations. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Happy planting!
Transplant
Ammi*
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Delphinium
Yarrow
QUESTIONS?
Questions or comments? Leave them below and I’ll get back to you!
READY FOR MORE?
If you’re serious about growing the garden of your dreams this year, register for my online course, “Backyard Cutting Garden 101”. You’ll find everything you need to plan, grow, harvest and arrange your stunning blooms. I can’t WAIT to help you grow! Click on the button below for all the details.
How to Choose the Best Cut Flowers to Grow in YOUR Garden
Want to start a cut flower garden, but not sure what to grow? Start here!
How to Choose the Best Cut Flowers to Grow in YOUR Garden
If you want to grow a cut flower garden this year, but you’re confused and don’t even know how to begin choosing what to grow…
I’ve got you, friend.
In this blog post, you will learn:
What IS a cut flower garden?
What qualities are we looking for in a “Good” cut flower?
What are the different types of cut flowers/foliage for making bouquets?
I’ve helped hundreds of people create the garden of their dreams, so let’s dive right in and start at the very beginning.
What IS a cut flower garden?
A cut flower garden is an area dedicated to the sole purpose of growing and harvesting/cutting blooms to be displayed in a vase.
I’ll be completely honest. Many cut flowers plants are unattractive! In fact, I often recommend that people keep their “Cutting Garden” separate from their landscaping.
Cutting gardens are utilitarian. They are working spaces, not display gardens.
The whole point of a cutting garden is to CUT ALL THE FLOWERS!!!! The blooms are meant to be enjoyed in a VASE, not blooming on the plant. This can be difficult for landscape/bedding flower lovers to embrace.
For example, our Dahlia field is quite ugly. It’s full of rusty t-posts, twine, stakes and fabric pathways. It’s not very picturesque… and that’s OK because we do not care how the flowers look in the field - we care how they look in the vase!
Not all flowers are good candidates for "Cut Flowers". Many of the flowers grown and sold at your local garden are designed for landscapes and flower beds ("landscape plants" and "bedding plants").
These are plants that have often been bred to be low growing and compact (which is the opposite of what we’re looking for in cut flowers!). Some of these may also work as cut flowers... but not always.
Thankfully, plant breeders have been hard at work creating new plant varieties designed specifically for "Cut Flowers".
There may be some crossover between the flower groups (landscape/ bedding plants vs. cut flower plants), but if you want to grow flowers for cutting, it's best to buy seeds/plants that are bred exclusively for that purpose.
2. What qualities are we looking for in a “Good” cut flower?
Good cut flower meets the following requirements:
LONG STEMS
For cut flowers, the stems are a minimum of 12"-18", preferably closer to 24".
Trying to create arrangements with flowers with short stems is frustrating. You can ALWAYS cut stems shorter... but you can't make them grow longer!
It’s VITAL that you read seed packets and plant tags carefully to check the plant height. I will not grow plants that are less than 18” tall.
Long stems give you lots of options when arranging. Short stems are limiting.
LONG VASE LIFE
Every flower has its own “vase life”. This is a rough estimation of how long you can expect the bloom to last in the vase when displayed properly.
Vase life can vary wildly, from 1 day to 2+weeks.
5-7 days is considered a "good" vase life. Most cut flowers can last 5+ days with proper harvesting and care.
Some popular cut flowers, such as Poppies and Dahlias, have less than optimal vase lives (2-3 days for Poppies, 3-5 days for Dahlias), but they are still often used in arrangements.
It’s best to consider these flowers "Event Flowers".
This means they are best suited for arrangements where they only need to look spectacular for 1 day (like a wedding bouquet or a dinner party).
Dahlias
3. LONG(er) GROWING/BLOOMING SEASON:
Does the plant bloom for at least 2 weeks during the season? If you’re short on space, you may want to focus on plants that have a longer growing/blooming season.
For example, Peonies are beautiful, but they only produce blooms for about 2 weeks of the year. The other 50 weeks, they are taking up valuable space in the cutting garden. The same could be said of many other Perennial flowers.
Perennials might not be the best choice for a small cutting garden, where every square inch matters. It may be more useful to fill that space with a flower that will bloom consecutively for at least 4 weeks.
Peony
3. What are the different types of cut flowers/foliage for making bouquets?
There are several types of plants that make good cut flower material.
Be sure to pay attention and read the plant information carefully, so you know what type of plant you are dealing with.
If you’re a beginner, I recommend planting a garden of Annual cut flowers for your first season.
Annuals are:
Generally easy to grow from seed.
Inexpensive. Seeds are very affordable and have a spectacular ROI (Return on Investment). I don’t know anything else on earth that brings as much joy, happiness and delight for such a small price!
Low maintenance. They grow, bloom and die in one season, so you don’t have to keep taking care of them.
As you gain skill over the years, you can begin adding other types of cut flowers to your garden.
*We have a great selection of seeds for cut flower gardens. These are the “tried and true” favorites on our farm that meet all the high standards for our bouquets and arrangements!
Zinnia
2. Biennials:
Plants require 2 seasons to set blooms. The first year, the plant grows and establishes itself. The second year, it will bloom in the spring, then die back.
Biennials are tricky to grow in a small cutting garden because they take up space for 2 years, but only provide cutting material for 1 year.
To solve this problem, plant them in late summer/early fall. You'll likely have an empty place to fill in your garden by then, as some annuals stop blooming and are removed.
Examples:
Columbine
Foxglove
Sweet William
Foxglove
3. Bulbs (including Tubers and Corms):
Plants that have underground, fleshy structures. These plants are usually propagated (multiplied) by their bulbs/tubers/corms, not their seeds.
Examples:
Daffodil (bulb)
Ranunculus (corm)
Dahlia
4. Hardy Annuals:
Annual flowers (1 year life cycle) that have more "frost-hardiness" than typical annuals.
Hardy Annuals do not like heat and thrive in cool weather. They generally bloom in the spring/early summer and die back in the heat of the summer.
The seeds should be planted either in the fall OR in late winter/early spring, as soon as the ground has thawed enough for you to work the top few inches of soil.
Examples:
Bells of Ireland
Larkspur
Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)
Larkspur
5. Perennials:
Plants that live for more than 2 years (seasons). Perennials can be slow-growing and some are difficult to start from seed.
If you can find the plant at your local garden center/nursery, it's worth buying from there so you don't have to wait a few years for them to bloom.
Perennials can make beautiful cut flowers, but they often have a short bloom time of only a few weeks out of the year, so they take up valuable space for little output.
Examples:
Daisy
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Veronica
Veronica
6. Shrubs/Trees:
Some of the plants you have growing in your landscaping can be lovely additions to your cutting garden.
They can be expensive and take a long time to grow, so unless you happen to have them growing on your property already, most beginners skip these the first few years.
Examples:
Hydrangea
Lilac
Viburnum
Lilac
Ready for more?
If you’re serious about growing the garden of your dreams this year, register for my online course, “Backyard Cutting Garden 101”. You’ll find everything you need to plan, grow, harvest and arrange your stunning blooms. I can’t WAIT to help you grow! Click on the button below for all the details.
How to Grow Salpiglossis
How to Grow Salpiglossis
How to Grow: Salpiglossis (Salpiglossis sinuata)
Pronunciation: sal-pi-gloss-us
INTRODUCTION
Never heard of Salpiglossis before? Join the club!
It goes by many names, including “Painted Tongue Flower”, “Velvet Trumpet Flower” and even “Stained Glass Flower”.
Salpiglossis is an unusual flower with an unusual name… and it’s perfect for people who like to grow things that are a bit, well… unusual!
Superbissimia
Superbissimia
I’ve grown hundreds of different types of flowers on my farm, but Salpiglossis wins the award for the most people saying “Oh my gosh, WHAT IS THAT?!? It’s STUNNING!!!”
Yes, indeed, they ARE stunning. There’s no other flower quite like them! Each bloom looks like it was hand-painted with the utmost care and precision.
Salpiglossis is native to South America (Chile and Argentina) and it’s actually related to Petunias. Once you grow it, you’ll notice it has slightly sticky stems and the flowers are similar to Petunias. But unlike Petunias, Salpiglossis grows tall, long stems that work in cut flower arrangements.
Royale Mix
Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of growing Salpiglossis for cut flower use.
PROS
They are unique and delightful.
They add a special touch to bouquets.
They are a wonderful addition to the cutting garden or flower garden
They are easy to grow.
CONS
They have slightly sticky stems, which can be a turn-off to some people.
They are not particularly long-lasting in the vase.
They don’t handle heat well. On our farm, they bloom in early summer, then fade during the heat of summer (however, if cut back in mid-summer, they may rebloom in the fall!)
Superbissimia
CHOOSING SEEDS
Here is my favorite Salpiglossis to grow for cut flower use:
“Royale Mix”
“Superbissima” (this color combination was my favorite for cut flower use)
I’ve tried other varieties but found the colors too difficult to incorporate into bouquets. However, they would be lovely in a display garden!
Superbissimia
HOW TO SOW
How to grow Salpiglossis seems to be a bit of a mystery! Every source I’ve combed over seems to offer contradictory information. To me, that simply indicates there are LOTS of different ways to grow it ;) So be willing to experiment!
Over the years, I’ve noticed that Salpiglossis tends to act like a Hardy Annual in my growing climate, and shows some frost-tolerant qualities. In the future, I may experiment with Winter Sowing the seeds or overwintering them in our unheated hoophouse.
Transplants or Direct Sow?
Salpiglossis seeds are tiny (like dust!), so I don’t recommend direct sowing.
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost. Sow the seeds on the surface of the seed-starting mix, 1-2 seeds per cell, and press them down to make sure they are in contact with the mix. Cover very lightly with a scattering of vermiculite or seed-starting mix.
Many sources suggest that the seeds germinate best in darkness. This is easy to achieve by simply covering the tray with another tray.
Seeds take about 7-14 days to germinate. Once they germinate, move the tray under lights or into a sunny space.
Transplant after the threat of frost.
Superbissimia
Royale Mix
PLANT SPACING
Plants grow best at 6-9 spacing. Closer spacing will encourage longer stems.
GROWING ON
Salpiglossis grows best in fertile soils with average watering.
I have not experimented with pinching them, so I can’t offer any feedback at this time.
Salpiglossis will need netting or support to keep the plants upright. This does make harvesting a bit cumbersome, but you’ll be glad you did it.
It’s important to harvest stems each week to keep the plants productive longer over the growing season. Salpiglossis can handle some heat but thrives in the cooler temperatures of late spring/early summer and early fall.
Royale Mix
STAGE OF HARVEST
When the top few blooms on the spray/stem are open. The other blooms will open up in the vase. Salpiglossis is very popular with pollinators, but unfortunately, once a bloom has been pollinated, it will decline rapidly. This is why I suggest harvesting the stems when only 1-2 blooms have opened.
POST-HARVEST CARE
Salpiglossis requires no special post-harvest care. If the stem is harvested before most of the blooms are pollinated, you can expect a vase life of about 5-7 days. If the blooms were open when harvested, expect a vase life of about 3 days.
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