Growing
You've Grown The Common Sunflower - Now Try One Of These Varieties Too
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Helianthus annuus 2) H. annuus ‘Valentine’ 3) H. annuus ‘Garden Statement’ 4) H. annuus ‘Sunsation Yellow’ 5) H. annuus ‘Pacino Gold’ 6) H. annuus ‘Little Leo’ 7) H. annuus ‘Titan’ 8) H. annuus ‘Giraffe’ 9) H. annuus ‘Russian Giant’ 10) H. annuus ‘Kong’ 11) H. annuus ‘Helios Flame’ 12) H. annuus ‘Copper Queen’ 13) H. annuus ‘Velvet Queen’ 14) H. annuus ‘Ruby Sunset’ 15) H. annuus ‘Claret’ 16) H. annuus ‘Black Magic’ 17) H. annuus ‘Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl’ 18) H. ‘Loddon Gold’ 19) H. scaberrimus 20) H. maximiliani References Sunflowers produce their floral reward very promptly after planting and in profusion, but they also have other pleasing characteristics. For example, as the flowers are a source of nectar, they will draw butterflies and bees to your garden in abundance. When they have withered, they form sunflower seeds which can be used for all your culinary needs and as a source of food for the wildlife in your garden. Most of all though, it’s the very large flowers, their uncomplicated daisy-like form, the brilliant yellow colour, and their height that make sunflowers so attractive. Underneath, I talk you through my favourite 20 sunflower varieties, selected for a wide choice of flower forms and colours, that can be found easily here in the UK. Other than where noted, they flower through most of the summer and are annuals. 1) Helianthus annuus COMMON NAME(S): common sunflower / comb flower HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow and brown SIZE: 2.5-4m in height, 0.5-1m spread Native to a swath of land from the central belt of the United States to that of Mexico, the common sunflower is found on prairies, grasslands and disturbed ground. This tough annual self-seeds readily and has become naturalised in many geographic regions outside North America. The plants are typically about 3m tall. The large leaves are well known for being hairy and heart-shaped, whilst the flowers are huge at 25-30cm across. On the species plant, the disc florets are in varying rich shades of brown and the ray florets are a bright, sunny yellow. 2) H. annuus ‘Valentine’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘valentine’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow and brown SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Rising to just over 1m and with flowers measuring 15-17cm in diameter, ‘Valentine’ produces amongst the lightest-coloured sunflowers – or the darkest, depending on your point of view. The rays are a pale, lemony yellow, sometimes even a pale cream. However, the disc is dark brown, sometimes virtually black! Either way, this is definitely the sunflower with the most contrasting colours and it has been credited with the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 3) H. annuus ‘Garden Statement’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘garden statement’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow and brown SIZE: 1.5-2m in height, 0.5-1m spread About 90cm tall, ‘Garden Statement’ is a relatively new cultivar that is rapidly gaining popularity. It has light, bright, lemony-yellow rays of a crinkly texture and a disc that is a chocolate brown shade. Though this cultivar has a narrowish profile, quite interestingly, it has the bonus of being a multi-stalked type, making it more of a typical garden plant. 4) H. annuus ‘Sunsation Yellow’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘sunsation yellow’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow and brown SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Technically qualifying as a dwarf variety at 75cm tall, ‘Sunsation Yellow’ boasts the plus point of a relatively long blooming season that goes well into autumn. Its 15-17cm wide flowers are a proper lemon yellow, with rich, chocolate-brown discs. This plant has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 5) H. annuus ‘Pacino Gold’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘Pacino gold’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread Only about 65cm tall, ‘Pacino Gold’ is another dwarf variety. A clear plus point is that this branching variety is especially floriferous. It has very bright sunny yellow rays centred by an amber disc so that the entire flower is rather lighter in shade than those of most varieties. 6) H. annuus ‘Little Leo’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘little leo’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread Unquestionably a dinky dwarf variety at only 50cm, ‘Little Leo’ lives up to its billing. It is a branching or multi-stalked type and the flowers are a bright sunny, sulphur yellow. It blooms from early to mid-summer and lasts well into autumn. 7) H. annuus ‘Titan’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘titan’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 2.5-4m in height, 0.5-1m spread At the opposite end of the size spectrum, ‘Titan’, a giant sunflower variety, grows between 3-4m high. Its flowers, held aloft, have a light brown disc surrounded by bright sunny-yellow to sulphur-yellow petals. These flowers are truly made for titans, having a mind-boggling width of nearly 50cm. 8) H. annuus ‘Giraffe’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘giraffe’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: brown and yellow SIZE: 4-8m in height, 0.5-1m spread Reaching a staggering height of about 4.5m, which is taller than some trees, the aptly-named ‘Giraffe’ is a giant sunflower. A point worth noting is that its stem, besides being long, is also quite strong. Not only is this cultivar super tall, but its flowers are also massive, often 30cm in diameter or even more. They bloom from mid-summer to early autumn. 9) H. annuus ‘Russian Giant’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘Russian giant’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow and brown SIZE: 2.5-4m in height, 0.5-1m spread While ‘Russian Giant’ is the least tall of our giant sunflower selections at 2.5-3m tall, it produces truly giant flowers at 30cm across. The rays’ colour varies from sunny yellow to sulphur yellow to a stunning golden shade. The disc is uniformly chocolate brown. This cultivar seems to be especially attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. 10) H. annuus ‘Kong’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘kong’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 2.5-4m in height, spread At 4m high, ‘Kong’ is not quite as tall as the fabled giant gorilla, but it is very much a giant among its kith and kin. A real plus point is that this giant cultivar is a branching type, so it bears multiple flowers on each stem. The big 16-18cm flowers are centred by a rich brown disc surrounded by equally rich deep yellow rays. 11) H. annuus ‘Helios Flame’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘helios flame’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow and brown SIZE: 1.5-2m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread ‘Helios Flame’ is a rarity among sunflowers, being properly bi-coloured. The near-black discs are surrounded by rays that are delicious mahogany at their medial halves, bleeding with streaks into a brilliant, popping yellow. The flowers are held on very sturdy stems. This cultivar is of medium height, towering at about 1.8m. 12) H. annuus ‘Copper Queen’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘copper queen’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: orange and brown SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread Of an intermediate height of 1.8m, what distinguishes ‘Copper Queen’ from the others on this list is the colour of its rays – they are out-and-out orange. The central disc is very dark brown, adding to the dramatic hue of this cultivar’s flower. It has a longer blooming season than most other varieties. 13) H. annuus ‘Velvet Queen’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘velvet queen’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: gold and orange SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread Reaching a height of around 1.5m and producing flowers of average size and which has a corresponding average blooming season, ‘Velvet Queen’ is actually a very special cultivar. The reason is that it produces fantastic flowers that are of a riveting coppery red hue with a distinctly velvety sheen. 14) H. annuus ‘Ruby Sunset’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘ruby sunset’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: red SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread Also of a nondescript height nearing 1.5m and also producing flowers of an average size, ‘Ruby Sunset’ is also very much a special cultivar. Again, it is because of the intense hues. Centred by a rich brown disc, the flowers are a thrilling coppery ruby-red. 15) H. annuus ‘Claret’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘claret’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: black, brown and red SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Dark drama is the name of the game here. To start with, the stems bearing the flowers of this variety are a dark bronzy-green colour. Then, the flowers are in a shade that varies from that of a red bordeaux to that of a tawny port. What’s more, these thrilling blooms are centred by a black disc. The flowers are of a sizeable width of 12-15cm and the plant rises to around 1.6-1.8m. ‘Claret’ has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 16) H. annuus ‘Black Magic’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘black magic’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: black and purple SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Probably more difficult to source than most of our other selections, ‘Black Magic’ produces a take-your-breath-away flower. Surrounding a hard black disc, the rays start black, then fade to a maroon, finishing a coppery-red at the tips. At 1.2m tall, this cultivar is quite compact. It is of a branching type and shows off its incredible, one-of-a-kind flowers nearly all summer long. 17) H. annuus ‘Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘sunbeliv01’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: brown, red and yellow SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread A relatively new cultivar appearing around 2018, ‘Sunbelievable Brown Eyed Girl’ took the bronze medal at that year’s Chelsea Flower Show and it is easy to see why.1 It produces a gorgeous flower, is prolific and floriferous, and it blooms all summer and autumn long! The lovely bi-coloured flower is centred by a black-brown disc. The petals start amber-mahogany and transition to bright sunny yellow. Of an unusually bushy form, this dwarf variety is 60cm tall with an equal spread. It is a sterile, seedless variety that is grown from cuttings. 18) H. ‘Loddon Gold’ COMMON NAME(S): sunflower ‘Loddon gold’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread Is that a sunflower or a marigold? ‘Loddon Gold’ is a clump-forming perennial and has a very convenient height of 1.5m. Its coarse leaves are more ovate than cordate. As for the flowers, they are 10-12cm across and are of a rich golden-yellow tone. They are dome-shaped, have narrow rays, and are in a fully double form. This plant is a recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 19) H. scaberrimus COMMON NAME(S): showy sunflower HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread ‘Showy Sunflower’ is another option for those who prefer perennials and this species also has a clump-forming habit. Its leaves are different too, as they are serrated and elliptic. The plants rise to about 2m tall. This species’ flowers appear in late summer to late autumn. They are in semi to double form. The rays are a light bright yellow and, at another point of departure, the light brown discs are quite small and not as prominent as in most other varieties’ flowers. They are nearly 12cm across. 20) H. maximiliani COMMON NAME(S): maximilian sunflower HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: yellow SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread A different species of sunflower, the Maximilian sunflower is a clump-forming perennial. It is quite tall and can grow beyond 2m in height. Unlike other sunflowers, this variety has lanceolate leaves. The rays are a very light yellow with small, light brown centres. On this species, flowers are held along the length of the stems. They are also scented, delicately but distinctly, which is an unusual trait among sunflowers. “As a perennial rather than an annual, this species has the edge in terms of annual gardening labour,” says Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “It doesn’t have the large discs associated with many of the annuals, but it more than makes up for it with multiple smaller discs that are hugely popular with pollinators in late summer. A great perennial for the back of the border.” References 1. Rice, G. (2018b, September 28). Graham Rice’s new plants blog: new everblooming sunflower. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/plants-blogs/plants/august-2018/helianthus-annuus-sunbelievable
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Sunflower Seeds Can Be Sown Directly Into Open Ground, But Will Need Protecting
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Select A Spot For Sowing 2) Prepare The Planting Site 3) Sow The Sunflower Seeds 4) Protect The Seedlings As They Grow 5) Thin Out Your Young Plants 6) Seedling Aftercare Brilliant and cheerful, sunflowers are among the easiest plants to grow from seed. Sunflower seeds germinate very reliably and can be sown directly in open ground, making these plants among the top contenders for introducing family members, especially children, to the pleasures of gardening. Regardless of the variety, sunflowers tend to be heavy feeders and drinkers, so, even though the plants are tough and vigorous, their needs will require aspiring gardeners to learn about plant care and requirements. You can grow sunflowers from seed by following these steps: Select an ideal spot for planting your sunflower seeds. Prepare the ground with rich and fertile soil. Sow your chosen variety of sunflower seeds. Protect the seedlings as they grow. Thin out your young sunflower seedlings. Provide the correct aftercare for your sunflowers. This process is explained in more depth below. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Gardening gloves, pots, seeds, suitable compost, trowel, bamboo canes, cotton string When To Sow April to May 1) Select A Spot For Sowing In warmer regions of the UK, sunflower seeds may be sown outdoors in the second half of April. In colder regions, wait until the weather warms up in May. Sunflowers need sun, so choose a spot that receives several hours of sunlight per day. A southern aspect is best, but east or west-facing aspects will work too. It is advisable for the growing site to be sheltered from blustery winds. 2) Prepare The Planting Site Most annual sunflowers will grow in almost any type of soil, but for them to flourish, they need rich and fertile soil that is kept moist but drains very well. Start with a mixed loam and enrich it with humus, compost and well-rotted manure, incorporating these into the ground at about a 1:3 ratio with the soil. Do not use chicken manure for these plants. To facilitate drainage, add some grit, sand or perlite to the soil, especially if the ground is clayey. Though not strictly necessary, till the ground with a rake or a hoe to break up clods and make a friable soil. The best soil pH is in the neutral to slightly alkaline range, between 6.6-7.8. Sunflowers will not thrive in acidic soil, so if your soil has an acidic pH, you should correct this before growing them. 3) Sow The Sunflower Seeds At the planting site, make a very shallow furrow using a gardening trowel or a stick. Sunflower seeds germinate reliably, so you may as well sow them thinly. Space them by about half the spread of the variety you are growing. If in doubt, sow seeds at around 20cm apart. Sunflower seeds need darkness to germinate. Cover the seeds with a 1cm layer of soil and gently pat it down, but do not firm it up. Moisten the ground well using a watering can fitted with a rose. Keep the ground moist and, if necessary, water daily. 4) Protect The Seedlings As They Grow Sunflower seedlings and young plants are prime targets for various garden pests, but none more so than slugs and snails, which can destroy many small plants overnight. “Aside from slugs and snails, mice would make a tasty meal of any sunflowers I direct sowed into the soil,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “I sow in pots in a greenhouse or cold frame, using mesh to protect the compost from unwanted snack-seeker, and plant out when the young plants are robust enough to be transplanted.” Other pests that are a threat to emerging sunflowers include squirrels and birds. If you know of slug and snail activity in your garden, protect seedlings proactively. Consider protecting seedlings with mesh netting to protect them from pests. It will need to be a stiff type of netting and its edges will have to be wedged into the ground all around so that slugs and snails cannot work their way in. It can be removed after the young plants are sufficiently mature and can withstand an attack from these garden pests. 5) Thin Out Your Young Plants About 3 weeks after germination, the young plants should be thinned as necessary. For all adjacently-sown seeds that have germinated, one young plant will need to be removed. It should be the one that is weaker and slower-growing. Water the ground first and then, after a short while, uproot the chosen plants. 6) Seedling Aftercare Sunflowers thrive in moist soil, so be sure that the ground does not dry out. If there has been no rainfall, water the ground well. In hot and dry weather, you may need to water every other day. Other than watering, sunflowers do not need any aftercare, with one exception. Some taller varieties that have an upright habit may droop or keel over. If your varieties show signs of doing so, insert long canes into the soil a few centimetres from the stem. Tie the stem loosely to the cane at two levels. I prefer to use cotton string and avoid string or twine made of synthetics for this purpose.
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Depending On Your Sunflower Type, Deadheading Might Extend The Flowering Season
IN THIS GUIDE Why Deadhead Sunflowers? 1) Sanitise Your Tools 2) Get The Timing Right 3) Identify The First Set Of Leaves 4) Make The Incision 5) Sweep Any Debris 6) Repeat Later In The Season Many people regard deadheading as a tiresome and unnecessary activity, and it is true that your sunflowers will survive just fine if you skip it. However, there are a host of benefits to be enjoyed by spending a few minutes doing so once or twice during the blooming season. All it requires is just a small investment of time, following these individual steps: Sanitise your tools (ideally with rubbing alcohol). Get the timing right – lop off flowers when they look tired and past their best. Look for the first set of leaves below the flower head. Make the incision just above these leaves – ensuring you don’t cut away any foliage. Sweep up the sunflower debris. Repeat again later in the season on your plants. For those who still don’t feel confident taking on the task from these instructions alone, I’ve delved into each step in greater detail below. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Pruners, gardening gloves, cloth, isopropyl alcohol When To Deadhead Summer to Autumn Why Deadhead Sunflowers? The main advantage of deadheading is bringing a halt to seed production. Why is this desirable? Well, it will divert the plant’s energies back towards blooming, ensuring a longer flowering season. “Large single-headed sunflowers will not need deadheading, but many sunflowers will typically have many smaller flowers that will benefit after the first, often larger, flowers have bloomed,” says Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “Deadheading will extend the season and provide many smaller flower heads for seed saving or wildlife.” It will also prevent self-seeding which will make the sunflower less attractive to pests. Finally, deadheading also carries the benefit of keeping your sunflower display neat and tidy. 1) Sanitise Your Tools Speaking from personal experience, there’s nothing worse than trying to extend your plant’s blooming cycle, but actually endangering its life through the spread of bacteria! For that reason, sanitising your tools is of paramount importance. 2) Get The Timing Right Successfully deadheading sunflowers involves removing fading blooms before they have a chance to produce seeds. This means being ruthless with any flowers that don’t quite look their best, that have been gnawed at by pests or that are jostling for space with other healthier blossoms. On the other hand, if you wish to save the seeds for propagation or bird-feeding purposes, you can wait until the reverse of the sunflower head has turned yellow. Save these after pruning and hang them upside down in a dry location with good ventilation to allow the seeds to fully mature. 3) Identify The First Set Of Leaves Once you have identified the sunflower you’re going to deadhead, look down its stem to locate the first set of leaves that sprout from the stem beneath the flower head. This is where you’ll make the cut. If the sunflower in your care is a multi-stemmed variety, you’ll need to repeat this process with every individual sunflower and look down at it to ascertain where it splits off from the main stalk. 4) Make The Incision With one hand, grasp the stem firmly but gently to ensure you don’t accidentally uproot or otherwise damage the plant. With the other, use your pruners to make the incision just above the leaf node. You should make the incision at a 45° angle or one close enough to that gradient. This will prevent rainfall from accumulating atop the stem and from adversely damaging the plant’s health. 5) Sweep Any Debris Once you have finished deadheading, it’s highly important to remember to sweep up all the flower heads, stems and foliage that have fallen from it during the process. There are a number of reasons why this is a sensible addition to your routine. Firstly, disposing of the debris will make the plant look tidier and more attractive, as well as improve air circulation and reduce the chance of fungal infections. What’s more, it will also give you access to any seeds inside the spent flower heads if you wish to harvest them, or at least some good-quality organic material for composting if you don’t. 6) Repeat Later In The Season Depending on the cultivar of sunflower you have selected, the growing conditions in your garden, and the climate in that particular year, you might find that deadheading your sunflowers just once is enough to ensure they enjoy a long and happy blooming season. However, robust plants in optimal conditions will replace the blooms you have removed with reasonable rapidity. For this reason, I always like to perform an initial deadheading round in mid to late summer, before repeating the process again in autumn. That way, I keep my plants looking impressive for as long as possible.
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17 Pretty Poppy (Papaver) Varieties - No They're Not All Red!
IN THIS GUIDE 1) P. rhoeas 2) P. somniferum 3) P. nudicaule 4) P. alpinum 5) Meconopsis betonicifolia 6) M. ‘Strathspey’ 7) M. grandis ‘Betty Sherriff’s Dream Poppy’ 8) Romneya coulteri 9) P. commutatum 10) P. somniferum ‘Black Paeony’ 11) P. rhoeas ‘Picotee Mixed’ 12) P. orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’ 13) P. orientale ‘Black and White’ 14) P. orientale ‘Flamingo’ 15) P. orientale ‘Pinnacle’ 16) P. orientale ‘Carmen’ 17) P. rhoeas ‘Supreme’ References Poppy species and their derivatives combine for a total numbering many hundreds. The great majority of these varieties are annuals or biennials, whilst some are deciduous perennials. Many plants that we call poppies fall within the genus Papaver, but there’s a twist here. The common name ‘poppy’ has a one-to-one correspondence with the botanical family Papaveraceae, meaning that many genera and all their respective varieties are encompassed within the common name. This is the reason that you will find plants of different genera in our list underneath. However, the large majority of garden poppies are cultivars of Papaver orientale and, therefore, its cultivars make up the majority of our cultivar selections. 1) P. rhoeas COMMON NAME(S): common / field / flanders poppy HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: red The bowl-shaped flowers, tissue-thin translucent petals, and the glowing vermilion hue are the familiar elements from which the common poppy is composed. The leaves are very pretty too, being pinnate and of a cool green shade. This annual is 70-80cm tall. The flowering season is variable, but it typically occurs in June and sometimes runs into July. Those lapel pins and small artificial flowers you can see around Remembrance Day in the UK are modelled on this poppy species, which still blankets some World War I battlegrounds and burial grounds during the summer.1 2) P. somniferum COMMON NAME(S): opium poppy HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: purple, pink, red and white Listed objectively because of its unquestionable beauty, the opium poppy, for better or for worse, is very easy to grow and bears very decorative flowers. In single or semi-double form, they are open and cup-shaped, with fringed and frilly petals. In nature, this annual is found in tones of pink, magenta, purple and red. Its flowers have a yellow boss and its petals have a dark blotch at the base. The plant grows to 1-1.2m high. 3) P. nudicaule COMMON NAME(S): Icelandic poppy / arctic poppy HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: orange, red, yellow and white The Poppy species that looks most like a wildflower is perhaps the Icelandic poppy. The plants are relatively diminutive at 30-45cm and the bowl-shaped flowers are only about 5cm wide, occurring in light and bright tones of yellow, orange, white and scarlet, without any dark marks or blotches on the petals. They have a prominent centre of bright yellow stamens. This arctic native is in bloom throughout much of the summer. Belying its wildflower looks, this delightful poppy is a perennial, albeit a short-lived one. 4) P. alpinum COMMON NAME(S): alpine poppy HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERS: orange, white, red and yellow Giving stiff competition to any other poppy in the wildflower department, the alpine poppy grows to a height of only around 20cm. Its blooms are quite like meadow wildflowers, as they are bowl-shaped and occur in shades of pure white and in gentle, bright tones of yellow, orange and scarlet. Its unusual tufted habit, in addition to its other qualities, makes this short-lived perennial simply fantastic for rockeries. It blooms for most of the summer. 5) Meconopsis betonicifolia COMMON NAME(S): Himalayan poppy / blue poppy HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: blue Even though it is as hard to find as it is hard to grow, the Himalayan poppy still makes a name for itself because of the breathtaking blooms it produces. “I could not live without my meconopsis (Himalayan blue poppy),” says Caroline from The 3 Growbags. “It’s an absolute jaw-dropper and loves the Highland soil and climate. Laura bought me mine so they’ll always be special, however, neither of my sisters are able to grow this stunner where they live which, from a sibling rivalry point of view, is very satisfying.” The salver-shaped flowers have a delicate appearance courtesy of their frilly, crinkled petals, which are a light and limpid blue-to-lilac hue. These 8cm blooms are centred by a boss of yellow stamens. Measuring over 1m tall, this species is tall for a poppy. The large leaves are worth a mention, as they have a visible nap and are properly bluish-green. 6) M. ‘Strathspey’ COMMON NAME(S): Himalayan poppy ‘strathspey’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: blue and purple A relatively recent cultivar of Meconopsis, ‘Strathspey’ produces one of the most intensely coloured poppies of all the varieties on this list. These salver-shaped blooms are of a deep royal purple to a dramatic dark violet hue and present a satiny sheen. They have wonderfully contrasting golden-yellow centres. These perennials are 70-80cm tall. The blooming season starts in late spring and continues into mid-summer. 7) M. grandis ‘Betty Sherriff’s Dream Poppy’ COMMON NAME(S): Himalayan blue poppy ‘Bobby Masterton’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: blue This hard-to-grow poppy will have your guests enquiring about its mouthful of a name, for its flowers are an impossible sky-blue tone, sometimes with light purple flushes or streaks. They are made all the more striking because of the gauzy petals that appear translucent because of their light limpid shade. The flowers’ form is rather open and salver shaped and the central stamens are usually inconspicuous. The foliage brings a dash of interest, as young leaves display a purplish blush. This short-lived perennial can grow up to 1m in height. It flowers in the early part of summer and is a recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 8) Romneya coulteri COMMON NAME(S): Californian tree poppy HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: white and yellow Very much a real poppy considering that it belongs to the family Papaveraceae, the Californian tree poppy, not to be confused with Californian poppies, is very popular in the UK – and for good reason. The crinkly-petalled, bowl-shaped flowers can reach up to 15cm across and are a snowy-white colour with a conspicuous bright golden centre. This perennial rises to 1.5-2m. The flowering season is very variable and greatly depends on region and climate, but it covers a good part of the summer. This variety has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 9) P. commutatum COMMON NAME(S): caucasian scarlet poppy HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: red and black The caucasian scarlet poppy produces 7cm-wide flowers of a brilliant hue that ranges from scarlet to deep red. Each petal has a big black blotch near its base. One of the showier poppies, this species’ flowers are properly bowl-shaped. Their blooming schedule covers the bridge season of late spring to early summer. The longish leaves are both pretty and unusual for they are pinnatifid – partially pinnate-cut. This annual reaches up to 40cm in height and is another recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 10) P. somniferum ‘Black Paeony’ COMMON NAME(S): opium poppy ‘black paeony’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: black The most eye-catching and dramatic of all the poppies is, undoubtedly, the ‘Black Paeony.’ The fully double-form flowers, which resemble peonies, are composed of glossy, silky ruffled petals. These flowers are huge at 10-12cm in diameter and they range in colour from deep purple with white streaks to virtually black. Even the foliage is worth a mention, for the leaves are cordate, have wavy margins and are of a silvery sea-green tone. This annual is about 90cm tall and blooms from mid-summer and may continue to flower until early autumn. 11) P. rhoeas ‘Picotee Mixed’ COMMON NAME(S): poppy ‘picotee mixed’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: pink, red, orange and white One of the most elegant and refined poppies, ‘Picotee Mixed’ has semi-double or double picotee flowers that are bowl-shaped, and whose tidy petals appear as if someone carefully arranged them! These bicolour flowers are white with orange, pink or red tinges and streaks that appear progressively darker and more solid at the outer edges. Ideal for the summer garden, these annuals bloom for most of the season. They attain heights of 50-60cm. 12) P. orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’ COMMON NAME(S): oriental poppy ‘beauty of livermere’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: red Verily living up to its name, this ‘Goliath Group’ cultivar boasts a flower that is a staggering 20cm wide and is an intense red colour. This colour is then accentuated by a conspicuous black spot at the base of each petal. These spectacular blooms are borne on stems up to 1m high. This increasingly popular perennial’s flowers span the late spring to early summer bridge season. “Oriental poppies are fantastic perennials that can be used in different garden styles and come in a range of captivating colours like ‘Beauty of Livermere’,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Unlike many other poppies, their perennial characteristics mean that you don’t have to prepare the ground for them every year.” 13) P. orientale ‘Black and White’ COMMON NAME(S): oriental poppy ‘black and white’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: black and white You can’t get more basic than ‘Black and White’, but you can’t get more riveting either, for this stunner exhibits the ultimate contrast: pure white and hard black. The bowl-shaped flower is composed of gently ruffled petals that are pure white but with a very large black basal blotch. It is then centred by a dark maroon boss. This perennial reaches 50-60cm in height and produces flowers through much of the middle part of summer. This plant has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 14) P. orientale ‘Flamingo’ COMMON NAME(S): oriental poppy ‘flamingo’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: orange and white ‘Flamingo’ produces a double-form picotee flower that is big and bowl-shaped. It is composed of crinkly, ruffled petals that are white with a light, but wide and irregular, orange border rippling along their wavy edges. The overall effect is simply sumptuous. This perennial rises to nearly 80cm and conveniently produces flowers over the bridge season, spanning from spring to summer. 15) P. orientale ‘Pinnacle’ COMMON NAME(S): oriental poppy ‘pinnacle’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: orange and white A special cultivar because of the unusual, eye-pulling colour combination, ‘Pinnacle’ has a bowl-shaped flower made up of crinkly, ruffled petals. These petals are white on their inner halves and in tones of orange on their outer halves. They can seem to glow in the early morning or evening sunlight. The flower has a browny-black boss. This perennial grows to 70-75cm tall and also flowers during spring and summer. 16) P. orientale ‘Carmen’ COMMON NAME(S): oriental poppy ‘carmen’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: red ‘Carmen’ bears bowl-shaped flowers that are especially large, with petals that are only lightly ruffled. They vary in colour, occurring in tones of vermilion and scarlet. The petals have very small black spots at their bases and the flower has a brown-black boss. This perennial also flowers over the spring-summer bridge season. It grows to only about 40cm in height. 17) P. rhoeas ‘Supreme’ COMMON NAME(S): poppy ‘supreme’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERS: red, pink, white and orange A Chelsea near-miss from 2021, ‘Supreme’ is sure to prove a smash hit with gardeners.2 The fully double-form flowers are semi-dome-shaped and huge at up to 15cm wide. These picotee and bicoloured flowers are composed of frilly, ruffled petals that are variably flushed, tinged, margined or gradated, either delicately or boldly. Colours cover baby pink through cherry pink to the rose-red spectrum. Best of all, this captivating cultivar may be the longest bloomer amongst poppies, as it flowers all through summer, potentially seeping into spring and autumn. An annual, it grows to 70-75cm in height. References 1. Imperial War Museums. (n.d.). Why We Wear Poppies On Remembrance Day. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/why-we-wear-poppies-on-remembrance-day 2. Rice, G. (2018, January 3). Graham Rice new plants blog: Supreme new poppy. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/plants-blogs/plants/january-2018/papaver-rhoeas-supreme
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9 Standout Zinnias That Look Especially Attractive As Cut Flowers
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Z. elegans ‘Benary’s Giant’ 2) Z. ‘California Giant’ 3) Z. elegans (Dwarf Varieties) 4) Z. ‘Giant Cactus’ 5) Z. haageana ‘Jazzy Mixed’ 6) Z. elegans ‘Mazurkia’ 7) Z. ‘Oklahoma Mixed’ 8) Z. ‘Peppermint Stick Mixed’ 9) Z. elegans ‘Pop Art’ Zinnias are a hugely popular garden plant all across the UK. Easy to cultivate and available in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes, they can adapt to and enliven any existing aesthetic. Although all zinnias are easy on the eye, some of them are more suited to cutting for bouquet displays than others. That’s because there are many varieties of zinnia which are low-growing spreaders, meaning that they are perfect for filling out beds and borders, but not so impressive when placed in a vase. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a shortlist of some of my favourite zinnia varieties for cutting, making it super easy to select the flowers most suited to the type of arrangement you wish to create. 1) Z. elegans ‘Benary’s Giant’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread One of the most popular types of zinnia in the UK, ‘Benary’s Giant’ series is a dahlia-flowered mix which produces some of the largest flower heads (30-40cm in diameter) in the whole species. The fully double blossoms are held proudly aloft on sturdy stems, making them an excellent choice for a bouquet. This strain comes in a broad spectrum of colours, all of which are handily named for the hue they represent. “The ‘Benary’s Giant’ series provides outstanding cut flowers in a range of colours,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “For a more controlled crop, grow in a polytunnel where the optimal conditions will provide long stems of brilliantly coloured cut flowers.” For example, you can choose from pedestrian options like ‘Benary’s Giant Golden Yellow’, ‘Benary’s Giant White’ and ‘Benary’s Giant Deep Red’ to the more theatrically named (and tinted) ‘Benary’s Giant Salmon Rose’ and ‘Benary’s Giant Wine’ – which is pictured above. 2) Z. ‘California Giant’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread ‘California Giant’ is not quite as outsized as ‘Benary’s Giant’, but it still reaches a respectable 15cm in diameter if planted in optimum conditions. Due to their size and height, they work well at the rear of a mixed border, but they’ll sparkle just as brightly in a cut arrangement too. Again, there are a handful of different varieties available, each in its bright tones. ‘Oriole California Giant’ boasts blooms of brilliant orange, while ‘Polar Bear California Giant’ is as pure and white as the cold-driven snow. Mixed colour varieties are also available. 3) Z. elegans (Dwarf Varieties) HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread The name might suggest that Dwarf Zinnias are not suitable for cutting, but at 25cm in height, they’re still tall enough to look stately in a vase. Flower heads normally span anywhere between 6-12cm in diameter, depending on the cultivar chosen, so you might want to mix them in with larger flowers for a pleasing contrast. Some of the best dwarf zinnias for cutting include the ‘Magellan Mix’ (featuring clusters of petals in warm, Magellan tones), ‘Star Starbright’ (with star-shaped blossoms in gold, orange and white colours) and ‘Thumbelina Mix’ (boasting dainty blooms in every shade of pink and purple you can think of). 4) Z. ‘Giant Cactus’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Hailing from the balmy climes of Mexico, ‘Giant Cactus’ zinnias differ from all other varieties on this list in that their petals are curled rather than flat. This is especially alluring in a cut display, as it will stand out against other contrasting flower heads. Their petals are also double-flowering and reach around 12cm in diameter normally, with stems that can exceed 70cm tall on occasion. With shades ranging from whites, through yellows and oranges, into pinks and purples, there’s a ‘Giant Cactus’ for every colour scheme. 5) Z. haageana ‘Jazzy Mixed’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread The double and half-double blooms of ‘Jazzy Mix’ are certainly not the largest out there, generally only spanning between 2-5cm in diameter. However, what they lack in stature, they more than make up for in vigour, since they belong to the cut-and-come-again family of zinnias. This means that you can take multiple cuttings from the same plant, and even the same stem, throughout the growing season. What’s more, the white or yellow edging at their tips immediately draws focus through the striking contrast with the darker tones of scarlet and burgundy at their centre. These flowers are small but mighty. 6) Z. elegans ‘Mazurkia’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread ‘Mazurkia’ zinnias are not a million miles away from ‘Jazzy Mix’ in their colour scheme, since they too feature a two-toned aesthetic. At the centre, their flowers are a deep crimson, fading out to light cream at the extremities of the petals. They’re also on the smaller side, rarely exceeding 8cm in diameter. As such, they’re an ideal choice for placing alongside other red and white zinnias or, indeed, any other flower of that hue. For best results, try combining blossoms of various sizes to create texture and structure in your cut display. 7) Z. ‘Oklahoma Mixed’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Another cultivar featuring blossoms on the smaller side (around 6cm in diameter), the ‘Oklahoma Series’ was specifically engineered for those who grow with the explicit intention of cutting for arrangements. As such, they lend themselves perfectly to any type of bouquet thanks to their lengthy stems. Like ‘Benary’s Giant’, these zinnias come in a wide variety of different shades and they’re handily named as such too. What’s more, every colour comes in semi-double and fully-double guises, so you can really customise the aesthetic you’re trying to achieve. 8) Z. ‘Peppermint Stick Mixed’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread One of the most striking types of zinnia, the ‘Peppermint Stick Mix’ looks like something you might find in a bell jar in an old-fashioned sweet shop from the Dickensian era. The flashes of dappled colour really offset the brilliant whiteness of their background, making them an eye-catching cut flower. Indeed, they’re especially attractive in a vase, since they require close quarters for the full extent of their charms to reveal themselves. As such, they’ll grow just fine in your back garden, but they won’t be nearly as head-turning when viewed from a distance. 9) Z. elegans ‘Pop Art’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread Would you just feast your eyes on this marvel of the horticultural world? Admittedly, I’ve never had the good fortune to witness a specimen as truly stunning as the one pictured above in the flesh, but even your run-of-the-mill ‘Pop Art’ zinnias are quite a sight to behold. Like their ‘Peppermint Stick Mix’ counterparts, ‘Pop Art’ zinnias feature speckles of red on either a white or yellow background. They’ll certainly create a talking point for your indoor display, regardless of the actual appearance of the specimen you end up with.
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Cultivate Zinnias From Seed With This 5 Step Guide From Master Horticulturists
IN THIS GUIDE When To Sow Zinnia 1) Select Your Variety 2) Prepare Your Planters 3) Sow Your Zinnia Seeds 4) Transplant Outdoors 5) Provide The Right Aftercare Natives of Mexico and the surrounding regions, zinnias are eye-catching flowers which come in a wide variety of shapes, colours and sizes, making them versatile enough to fit any existing design scheme. As annuals, zinnias will die out with the first kiss of frost in late autumn and early winter. Fortunately, you can sow new seeds and coax them into beautiful blooms in a matter of weeks with little fuss. For those not yet confident in their abilities to cultivate zinnias from seed, the following list is a straightforward and easy-to-follow guide: Select your zinnia variety. Prepare your planters (skip this step if sowing outdoors). Sow and allow the zinnia seeds to germinate. Transplant the zinnia seedlings outdoors (skip this step if sowing outdoors). Provide the right aftercare for your zinnias. That might seem a little confusing to the uninitiated, especially since there are two options to sow indoors or directly outdoors. For that reason, we’ve covered each step in greater detail below, alongside some useful information about when is best to tackle the job. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Plant pots or bags, multi-purpose compost, fertiliser When To Sow 6 weeks before the last frost (indoors), after the last frost (outdoors) When To Plant Out After the last frost When To Sow Zinnia The time when it’s most appropriate to sow your zinnia seeds is entirely dependent on whether you intend to start them indoors or not. The only real advantage of this is that they will germinate more quickly and you’ll be able to enjoy colourful blossoms sooner. If you’re going to go down this route, it’s best to sow them indoors around 6 weeks before the last frost of the season, whenever that might be in your particular part of the country. Be mindful that zinnias don’t always take kindly to transplantation, so using a compostable planter pot or bag is advisable. Since they’re fussy about moving and the advantages of sowing indoors are minimal, I personally recommend growing your zinnias from seed directly in your garden. You can do this immediately after the last frost has passed. 1) Select Your Variety With literally hundreds of different varieties to choose from, there’s one for every aesthetic. Taller types are great for adding architectural intrigue to the rear of beds and borders, while low-growing spreaders are better at filling gaps and providing coverage. “I grow Zinnias in pots, so I choose shorter cultivars to avoid the need for supporting or staking,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “These shorter cultivars are also perfect for growing at the front of larger containers tiered in front of taller Dahlias.” You can buy packets of seeds from your local garden centre or you can choose from a vast selection online. Alternatively, you can harvest the seeds from last year’s zinnias to create perfect replica plants. 2) Prepare Your Planters As mentioned above, zinnias are very sensitive to movement and any damage to their root systems can be terminal. As such, it’s a good idea to use compostable planters (or a similar solution) so that you can transplant the whole thing, pot and all, into the outdoor soil later on. Different varieties will require different dimensions for their root system to develop, but as a general rule of thumb, the planter should be 15cm in diameter and depth. Use an all-purpose compost with additional perlite for better drainage, taking care to ensure the pots have holes in their base as well. 3) Sow Your Zinnia Seeds If planting directly outdoors, work the soil over and, if necessary, enrich it with organic compost to enhance its nutrient levels. Sow the seeds and cover over with 0.5cm of soil, then water lightly so that the soil is moist but not saturated. If sowing indoors, cover your planters with plastic and keep the medium moist and humid until sprouts appear. Germination should take around 3-5 days, at which point the plastic can be removed and the planter can be placed on a sunny windowsill. 4) Transplant Outdoors When the seedlings have reached a few centimetres in height and show two sets of leaves, you can thin them out and move outdoors. For best results, you might want to stagger this process so that the sudden change in temperature doesn’t cause undue stress. You can begin by moving them to a shadier spot indoors, then finally move them outside when the time is right. If using a compostable planter, place the whole thing in the ground and ease some soil in around it. If not, take extra care not to disturb the roots when transplanting. 5) Provide The Right Aftercare Zinnias need regular irrigation but can’t stand waterlogged soil, so aim to keep them moist but not saturated. Always water the soil itself rather than the foliage, since wet leaves can instigate powdery mildew or other fungal diseases. Remember to collect seeds at the end of the zinnia’s lifespan if you wish to grow them again the following spring.
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Zinnias Can Be Grown In Pots - But Follow These Cardinal Rules Very Carefully
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Choose Low-Growing Varieties 2) Leave Room For Their Roots! 3) Use Well-Draining, Slightly Acidic Soil 4) Grow From Seed To Avoid Transplantation 5) Leave A Gap Between Plants 6) Keep Well-Watered 7) Add Fertiliser To Pots 8) Deadhead To Prolong Flowering With their bright colours, beautiful blossoms and popularity amongst bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, zinnias are extremely attractive flowers that can brighten up any outdoor border or bed. What’s more, they’re one of the easiest annuals to coax into impressive blooms and that’s just as true when planting in containers as it is in the ground. So, if space is at a premium in your garden, potted zinnias might be the answer. While experienced gardeners should face no problems whatsoever in cultivating zinnias in containers, amateurs might still have a few questions about the process. Here are eight of my top tips when growing zinnias in pots: 1) Choose Low-Growing Varieties So can zinnia be grown in pots? The answer is a resounding yes! All types of zinnia lend themselves to container growing, though you might find that taller varieties can become top-heavy and require staking – or that their root systems can become overcrowded. To avoid complications, I’d advise seeking out smaller, low-growing varieties of zinnia. Some good options include Sanvitalia procumbens (Creeping Zinnia), Zinnia elegans, Zinnia marylandica – while the Profusion and Dreamland Series are also good choices. 2) Leave Room For Their Roots! It’s important to note that zinnias can react negatively to transplantation, so the best course of action would be to plant them directly in the pot you intend to grow for the long term. They’re not fussy in terms of materials – plastic, terracotta, concrete or indeed any other substance will work well as long as it has adequate drainage holes. However, size is an important consideration. Zinnias need room for their roots to develop, so always choose a pot with a minimum depth of 15-20cm. The width of the pot should be the same for individual plants and bigger for multiple groupings. Elongated pots are a great option for combining different colours and varieties, but just be sure to leave a 10cm minimum spacing on either side of your seedlings. 3) Use Well-Draining, Slightly Acidic Soil Zinnias are quite resilient and will cope tolerably well in almost any type of soil, as long as it drains sufficiently. Having said that, they will perform better when the growing medium has rich organic content and is slightly on the acidic side, with a pH level of between 5.5-7.5. If you’re using soil you’ve taken from the garden, you can boost its drainage properties by adding perlite mix. You can also enrich it with aged compost, which will infuse the pot with the nutrients that the plant needs to really thrive. 4) Grow From Seed To Avoid Transplantation Zinnias are generally grown from seeds, which are thankfully quite large and easy to handle. If you’re planning to position your potted zinnias outdoors, begin the sowing process (indoors) around 6 weeks before the last frost. This will give them enough time to establish themselves indoors. If they’re going to stay inside indefinitely, you can start them at any time. Fill your container with the soil mix mentioned above, leaving a few centimetres free at the top. Sprinkle a handful of seeds onto the soil and cover them with a little more soil. Water the top of the soil lightly so that it’s moist but not saturated. Bear in mind that potted zinnias started indoors will germinate far more quickly than those planted outside in the ground. Even just a few days after sowing you might begin to see sprouts emerge. As soon as this happens, remove the plastic film and move the pot to a location where it will receive ample sunlight (at least 6 hours per day). This could be a sunny windowsill, balcony or conservatory. Once the seedlings have 2 true leaves apiece, thin them out and keep only the healthiest-looking plants. If moving outdoors, it’s a good idea to do so in stages so that the sudden change in temperature and climate doesn’t shock your young plants to death. For example, you could move it to a shadier spot indoors first to acclimatise it to lower temperatures. 5) Leave A Gap Between Plants As mentioned above, a good rule of thumb is to allow 10cm on either side of your seedlings so that the roots of the plant have enough space to develop. As a result, the number of zinnias you can plant per pot will depend entirely on the dimensions of your container. Many people simply stick to one per pot and achieve fantastic results that way. 6) Keep Well-Watered It’s important to ensure that the soil serving your potted zinnia never fully dries out, but is never waterlogged either. Instead, aim to maintain moisture levels at all times. You can check whether it needs a drink by sticking a finger into the soil and if the top 2-3cm feels dry, it’s definitely thirsty. Water the soil directly and avoid getting the leaves wet, as this can cause fungal diseases. 7) Add Fertiliser To Pots For the best results, you can fertilise your zinnia plants with a well-balanced household plant fertiliser, diluted to half its strength. Products with high phosphorous levels help the plant to process nutrients. Fertilise 1-2 times a month right through the growing season, but stop altogether as soon as autumn hits. 8) Deadhead To Prolong Flowering Deadheading is strongly encouraged for zinnias, as this will redirect energy away from the seed pods of the spent blooms and prompt it to produce more flowers. “Zinnias are one of the few plants that I would deadhead, both because the spent blooms detract from the overall appearance and because flowering will be sustained over a longer period with regular deadheading,” shares Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. When managed appropriately, deadheading can prolong and intensify the blooming season. It’s also a good idea to prune your zinnia plant if it looks like it’s becoming bushy or overcrowded. If there’s not enough air circulation between the foliage and the stems, you could run the risk of blight. As zinnias are annuals, there’s no need to consider overwintering. You should, however, keep your seeds handy, since you’ll need them to gain a fresh batch of beautiful flowering plants the following spring.
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Extend The Flowering Season Of Your Cosmos By Deadheading Spent Blooms
IN THIS GUIDE Do You Need To Deadhead Cosmos? When To Deadhead Cosmos How To Deadhead Cosmos Cosmos are attractive flowering plants that are mostly grown as annuals and used to bring a splash of cheerful colour to a garden. C. bipinnatus are the most common types and can bloom over a long period of time, potentially from May right through to October, and bring plenty of pollinators to your garden. “Cosmos flowers best when day lengths are shorter; in the UK with cold springs this generally means from late summer into autumn,” shares Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. To make sure that you can enjoy these cosmos blooms in your garden for as long as possible, you have to ensure that you care for your plants correctly. One job not to neglect when growing cosmos is deadheading. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Secateurs or gardening shears When To Deadhead June to September Do You Need To Deadhead Cosmos? It is not essential to deadhead many of the flowering plants that you grow in your garden, but with some, cosmos included, it really can be a good idea. Deadheading cosmos plants is a good idea because if you do not deadhead after the first flush of blooms begins to fade, the plants will focus their attention on producing seeds rather than on producing more flowers. This means that if you do not deadhead cosmos, this can significantly reduce the number of blooms you can expect – and curtail the length of time for which these annuals can be in bloom. “The fading blooms of old flowers also detract from the display as they don’t look nearly as good as the newer flowers,” adds Roy. However, one thing to note is that you might harvest your flowers before it becomes necessary to deadhead them. Cosmos make wonderful cut flowers for use in your home, so you may cut the flowering stems for use in this way before the flowers begin to fade, which is when you would usually think about deadheading. Since harvesting cosmos for cut flowers will remove the flowers and prevent the plants from flowering in exactly the same way, deadheading will not be required afterwards. When To Deadhead Cosmos If you are taking the route of cut flowers, then you can simply take flowers when you want them, cutting them with the amount of stem that you desire or require for your displays. Cosmos can flower from May or June, so if you do not harvest these blooms to use as cut flowers, those first flowers will begin to die back. You can, if you wish, simply nip off the faded flowers one by one as they fade. However, with cosmos, especially if you are growing a lot of them in a bed or border, it can be easier to wait until almost all of the flowers on a particular plant have faded. Then, you can cut back the whole of the area all at once rather than focussing on deadheading particular blooms individually. How To Deadhead Cosmos If you are only growing a few cosmos, you can deadhead by simply nipping (with a finger and thumb) or snipping off (with secateurs or gardening scissors) the faded flowering head and the top of the stem down to the next set of leaves. However, in an area where a lot of cosmos are grown in a drift, you might also decide on a simpler, less time-consuming approach. Once the flowers in an area have mostly faded, you can take a pair of shears and cut off the faded flowers, also trimming back the tops of all your plants. Cutting back the foliage as well as simply removing the blooms can promote bushier growth and encourage an abundant crop of new flowers. Whichever method you choose, you can expect to see the next flush of blooms within a couple of weeks.
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Pinching Out Cosmos Will Encourage Your Plant To Grow Fuller And Less Spindly
IN THIS GUIDE What Does ‘Pinching Out’ Mean? When To Pinch Out Cosmos How To Pinch Out Cosmos Cosmos plants are easy and straightforward flowering annuals to grow in a garden. As long as you can provide a sunny location with moist yet free-draining conditions, they could be a great addition to your space. However, to make sure that your cosmos thrive in your garden, it is important to care for them correctly. Of course, you need to think about things like watering and fertility, but there are also a few other things that you can do to get the best possible results. One of these is pinching out. Difficulty Easy When To Pinch Out March to May What Does ‘Pinching Out’ Mean? When we talk about ‘pinching out’, we are referring to the process of nipping off the main growing tip of a plant when it reaches a certain size, in order to encourage the plant to bush out and become lusher, fuller and less spindly. This is something that is often recommended for certain plants – cosmos included. This process is not absolutely essential, but it can help you to grow cosmos that look good and perform at their best. Pinching out cosmos can be a good idea because it will improve the appearance of the plants and help ensure that they have a full and bushy appearance. What’s more, while pinching out won’t have this effect on all plants, pinching back the top growth on cosmos can also encourage the plant to produce more blooms. “As cosmos flowers best when the day lengths become shorter in the late summer and autumn, the process of pinching-out helps to maximise the flowering potential of the plant at this time,” shares Horticultural Consultant Roy Nicol. When To Pinch Out Cosmos You should pinch out the growing tip of a cosmos seedling when the plant has developed its first 2-3 sets of true leaves. This is a job that you will do in the spring, after sowing the seeds sometime between March and May (depending on where you live and whether you are sowing indoors or outdoors). Precisely how long plants will take to reach this stage will depend on the specific variety and the growing conditions. How To Pinch Out Cosmos This process could not be simpler. Pinching out simply involves taking a finger and thumb and nipping off the top of each growing stem down to just above the next set of leaves. “Alternatively a pair of sharp, clean secateurs can be used to cut off the stem neatly at the correct point,” says Roy. This video from Van Meuwen shows this simple process in more detail: By pinching away the top of these stems, your cosmos will focus more of its energy on developing side shoots on existing stems – thereby helping the plant to ‘fill out’ and become bushier. It might seem counterintuitive to curtail the growth of the plants in this way, but this process can avoid issues caused by legginess – and help to ensure that you get healthier, more attractive, bushier and more abundantly flowering plants later in the growing season. After you have pinched back your cosmos, you should begin to see new side shoots forming within a matter of days.
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