Basic Knowledge About Planting Cornflower

Cornflower is an annual flowering plant, bearing rich blue flower which has a charm of its own. It belongs to the daisy family of Asteraceae. This flower is nicknamed "cornflower" and is native to Europe. Its rich blue flowers are used for flower arrangements and garden decoration. Cornflower is grown wild in the grain fields of Southern Europe. It often grew as a weed in the fields of rye, wheat, oats and barley and hence its name. Cornflower is endangered thesedays due to excessive use of herbicides.

Instructions:

Things You'll Need:

• Cornflower bedding plants
• Compost or manure
• Spade
• Trowel

Purchase young cornflower bedding plants at a local nursery or garden center. Look for compact plants with buds but no open flowers. Avoid long, leggy plants and plants that have wilted, yellowing leaves.

Prepare a sunny spot for your cornflowers, as the plants will do best with at least six hours of sun per day. If you live in a desert climate, plant the cornflowers where they will be in shade during the afternoon. Spread a 1- to 2-inch layer of compost or aged manure over the top of the soil, then spade the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches.

Use a trowel to dig a hole for each cornflower plant. The hole should be two to three times wider than the cornflower’s root ball. Place the cornflower plant in the hole, planted at the same soil depth it was planted in the nursery pot. Planting too deeply can cause the cornflower to rot. Allow 10 to 12 inches between each plant.

Water the cornflower plants thoroughly immediately after planting and keep the soil moist until you see new growth, which indicates that the roots are established. Thereafter, water cornflower infrequently, only when the soil is dry. Cornflower is drought-tolerant and doesn’t do well in wet soil.

Pinch off wilted blooms so that the cornflower will continue blooming as long as possible.

Tips & Warnings

Cornflower seeds can be planted directly in the garden in early spring. Plant the seeds about 1/2 inch deep, then keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate, which usually takes about a week. Thin the cornflower seedlings when the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall. Allow 6 to 12 inches between each plant.