How to grow terry cornflower from seeds and does the plant need special care?

Wildflowers look very delicate and cute. Growing terry cornflower from seeds is not difficult. This is a surprisingly unpretentious plant that grows as freely as a real field cornflower. But unlike him, the species bred by breeders are distinguished by a wide variety of shades. They can be not only blue, but also white and purple. And some species are capable of producing inflorescences of different colors.

What kind of soil do cornflowers need?

Terry inflorescences of the plant rise on thin stems half a meter high. They can be planted on flower beds in arrays or in small groups, and curbs can be created. Bouquets also look beautiful. There are also undersized varieties that look even more interesting in flower beds.

Terry cornflowers are not in vain loved by gardeners. After all, their cultivation will not be difficult, there is no need for any special skills. Minimal care is also needed. But still, some knowledge will come in handy.

These plants can be safely grown from seeds, and they are sown directly into open ground. There is no need for seedlings. Although if there is a desire to keep flowers in pots on the balcony, then this is possible. The best time for planting is April-May. We must pay attention to the soil. The following soil is best suited for growing cornflowers: drained, suspended, non-acidic. If the soil is alkaline, then the colors will be brighter and more saturated. Clay soil must be mixed with sand, acidic - with lime. This must be done in advance, even before the onset of winter.

Before planting directly, you should do soil fertilization. To do this, additional fertilizing is added to the selected area per square meter: 2 kg of humus and peat, a large spoonful of nitrophoska and 100 g of wood ash. It is important to pay attention to the location of this site. Cornflowers love the sun, they are photophilous. So there should be no shadow on it. Although these plants are unpretentious, they can bloom in the shade. But this cannot be guaranteed, moreover, the flowering will not be so lush, and the brightness of the colors will also suffer.

How to sow seeds?

Now it's time to make the beds. They dug the flowerbed, make a depression of about 25 cm. Then they level the soil, crush it a little and make shallow grooves. Before sowing, it is thoroughly moistened, after which the seeds are planted. Top should be covered with pre-sifted earth. At the end of the procedure, the area is covered with a special cloth.

After planting has been done, the beds need to be watered. This is done directly through the tissue material, repeated every couple of days. The first shoots will appear in about a week. At this point, the covering material must be removed. After a while, the shoots should be thinned out, leaving a distance of about 10 cm. Flowers in the future should not shade each other.

Care features

In order for cornflowers to bloom profusely and delight the eye with bright colors, they need proper care. It consists in regular feeding and watering. Even before flowering, the soil must be fertilized. For this, urea and nitrophosphate are used. They are taken in a large spoon and dissolved in 10 liters of water. Then the appeared drug is poured over the beds. But it is not recommended to overdo it: if there is too much feeding, the leaves may turn yellow. To accelerate the onset of flowering, you can treat the plants with Zircon. Do this before budding begins.

Advice! Cornflower can be grown with daisies, white daisies, summer adonis, calendula. Together they form a vibrant flower garden.

Care includes mandatory watering.It should be regular, but not too abundant. Waterlogging can damage cornflowers, there is a risk that the plants will disappear. It is necessary to weed from weeds and carry out loosening.

Terry cornflower is susceptible to several diseases. For example, fusarium is common. It is easy to recognize by its dark spots that are clearly visible on the leaves. In such situations, the treatment of the plant with foundation is shown. Experienced gardeners recommend trying more axle-free ones before using chemicals.

Possible problems of cornflowers

These environmentally friendly products include ash, which is sprinkled on flowers. You can also sprinkle them with a solution of fresh manure. To prepare it, you need to mix water and mullein in equal proportions. The mixture should be infused for 3 days. This solution not only fights the fungus well, but is also a fertilizer. If these recipes turned out to be ineffective, then use the drugs from the store.

Work calendar

Most cornflowers are annuals. If the gardener sows them, then next summer they will already reproduce on their own. Additional landing is not needed. Self-seeding must be controlled. If the sprouts appear too thick, then they should be thinned out. There are also perennial flowers. They are recommended to be rejuvenated every four years. This is best done by dividing the bushes.

Cultivation of terry cornflowers can be carried out, focusing on the following work calendar:

• April. Seeds are planted, they do it immediately in the open ground.
• May. Caring for the plant during this period consists in feeding; special complex fertilizers are suitable for this.
• June. As needed, the flower bed should be watered, avoiding waterlogging. Loosening and weeding are also needed.
• July. The cornflowers should continue to be watered. If they are planted densely enough, maintenance is easier as the weeds grow more slowly.
• August... It's time to remove faded inflorescences, and towards the end of the month - to collect seeds.
• Prune plants between September and October. If necessary, weed or dig up the ground and apply fertilizer. For acidic soils, liming is recommended every three years. For this, lime or dolomite flour is scattered over the surface.

Terry cornflowers are delicate flowers that are very easy to grow. There is no need for seedlings, they will grow well immediately outdoors. Moreover, the soil can be quite problematic, enough minimal fertilizers. Although it is often possible to do without them.

But like any ornamental plant, the cornflower needs some care. This is watering as needed, weeding and loosening the soil. And then the flower garden will look bright and well-groomed.