Cosmos – Cupcakes Blush – West Coast Seeds

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  Cornflower – Tall Mixed – West Coast Seeds

  $4.49

  Centaurea cyanus. A mix of purple, blue, pink, and white papery blossoms bring summer colour to the garden. Try planting some Tall Mixed Cornflowers in a big clump at the edge of the yard for stunning summer colour. They are an excellent cut flower and they dry well, looking fresh for ages. Cornflowers are highly attractive to pollinators and beneficial insects like Syrphid flies. The flowers are edible, and the plants are drought resistant for xeriscaping. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong the bloom period, and to keep plants looking tidy. Tall Mixed Cornflowers seeds are easy to save from year to year.  Annual.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow starting just before last frost, and again every two weeks until end of spring. Centaurea can be direct sown in autumn as well. Starting indoors is not necessary, but can be accomplished by keeping seed trays in the dark at the optimal soil temperature of 15-21°C. Move under bright lights once germination occurs, and transplant out in late spring, after all risk of frost has passed.

  How To Grow, Starting:  Just cover the small seeds. Thin or space to 15-30cm apart.

  How To Grow, Growing:  We acknowledge that Centaurea cyanus sometimes appears on lists of invasive species. In our experience, for the back yard or balcony gardener, this is not an issue, and the plants are easily controlled. They are short rooted, and can be pulled up with little effort. Unlike some plants, its seeds simply drop locally if allowed to mature, and do not eject, and they do not spread by underground rhizome. We respectfully ask that gardeners who live in threatened or sensitive ecosystems take this into consideration when planting Centaurea, just like any other type of seed.

  Approx: 225 Seeds.

  
  

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• 

  Calendula – Pacific Beauty – West Coast Seeds

  $3.49

  Calendula officinalis. Semi-double flowers glow in warm apricot, cream, gold, and shades of yellow offering a brilliant range of coloured blooms. Pacific Beauty Mix have long stems, excellent for cutting. Sun or partial shade works well for these bright annual flowers. Tear the edible petals off and sprinkle them over summer meals. Most Calendula varieties require little care once established, so they are a good candidate for xeriscaping. While they may self sow, they are easy to control, so will not become weedy. Deadhead spent flowers for the tidiest look. This blend grows 30-60cm tall.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow in early spring when light frost is still a possibility, and continue to sow every two to three weeks until early summer for fall flowers. Calendula is easiest from direct sowing, but can also be started indoors late winter for transplanting once daytime temperatures are steadily above 10°C. If starting indoors, maintain darkness and a soil temperature of 21°C until germination occurs in 6-14 days, and then supply bright light to keep seedlings compact. Or direct sow in early autumn in Zones 8-10.

  How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm deep, and aim for a spacing of 15-45cm between plants.

  How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 5.5-7.0.  Calendula grows easily in any regular garden soil. Pinch back young plants to encourage bushy growth. Occasional feeding is rewarded, but unnecessary. Keep plants watered, but try to avoid overhead watering as plants are susceptible to mildew. Deadhead regularly to prevent self-sowing.

  Approx: 80 Seeds.

   

  
  

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• 

  Morning Glory – Heavenly Blue – West Coast Seeds

  $3.99

  Ipomoea tricolor. It is a great shame that so many gardeners confuse this tidy heirloom annual with the invasive bindweed, Convovulus arvensis. Both share the name Morning Glory, and both have trumpet shaped flowers, but the similarities end there. Heavenly Blue morning glory seeds produce short vines bearing copious, huge, intensely blue flowers that open each morning and then fade to pink before closing for good in the evening. Every day more flowers open from mid to late summer. It looks spectacular climbing along a fence or trellis, with really large flowers that can only be described as Heavenly Blue.  Annual.

  Note: This variety is not an invasive weed.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow where they are to grow 1-2 weeks after the last frost date. Or try sowing some indoors in peat or coir pots 3-4 weeks before last frost, but they do not transplant well. If starting indoors, chip the seeds and soak them in warm water for 24 hours, and then provide a constant soil temperature of 21-30°C. The seeds should sprout in 5-21 days, but may be longer outdoors. Be patient.

  How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm deep. Space or thin to 30-45cm between plants.

  How To Grow, Growing:  Make sure to provide some support for these tall vines to climb up. Moist, well drained soil that is not too nitrogen-rich is ideal. Excess nitrogen leads to large, bushy vines with fewer flowers. Dry soil is tolerated. Pinch the tips of the plants as soon as you see them start to climb in order to produce branching growth.

  Approx: 40 Seeds.

  
  

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• 

  Cosmos – Mini Blend – West Coast Seeds

  $3.49

  Cosmos bipinnatus. Lovely, delicate Cosmos in a range of colours, from fuchsia to pink to white, that only grows to 90cm tall in full sun. This is a shorter version of the Sensation Mix, but not technically a dwarf variety. Mini Blend Cosmos seeds produce flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies and wild pollinators. This blend looks fantastic on its own as a short growing meadow flower, and it is quite drought tolerant, so it’s useful in xeriscaping. They’re also pretty enough for gathering as cut flowers. Direct sow Cosmos seeds from April to early June and keep the mature plants deadheaded to prolong the blooming season until first frost.  Annual.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow after the last frost date. Several sowings will result in a very long bloom period. Cosmos can also be started indoors in late winter for transplanting after last frost, once daytime temperatures are above 10°C. Seeds will sprout in 3-10 days. Optimal temperature for germination: 21-25°C.

  How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds very shallowly only a few millimetres deep. Thin or transplant to 20-25cm apart.

  How To Grow, Growing:  Most varieties can get quite tall, and in exposed or windy gardens can benefit from staking or trellis netting laid horizontally over the bed for the stems to grow through before blooming. Deadhead and cut for bouquets regularly to extend the bloom period.

  Approx: 160 Seeds.

   

  
  

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