Planting cornflower seeds – a guide
This is your guide to planting cornflowers. Cornflowers are tough, hardy annuals which are colourful beauties in a bedding display. Their colours range from pale pinks, through to mid and dark purples. My favourite cornflowers are the traditional blue.
I have a dream…
To transform this south-facing bed, at the end of a large square lawn…
……by planting a cottage garden scheme, containing a profusion of romantic blooms, to bring some colour and softness to the luscious shades of green and towering trees. Im starting with Cornflowers…
Click below to see Number 1 “Up Front” on the map. The border on the far right hand side is the location for my cottage bed.
What’s not to love about Cornflowers?…
Cornflowers were once common sights growing wild in farmers’ fields. However more modern farming practices have made cornflowers a rare sight to see in the wild. I love the idea of bringing them back to life in our gardens, perhaps in a wild meadow scheme or in my case a cottage garden scheme. The Wildlife Trust have created an amazing display at the College Lake Nature Reserve in Buckinghamshire.
Cornflowers are attractive to pollinators. Bees are particularly drawn to the blue varieties.
With a steady profusion of flowers from Spring, through into Autumn, cornflowers make beautiful cut-flower arrangements wither on their own or as part of a larger arrangement.
When to plant cornflower seeds
Plant cornflower seeds:
* Between March and May for June to September flowering
* Between August and September for a slightly earlier flowering.
Cornflower seeds can be planted directly into the patch where you want them to grow in a sunny position.
Once cleared of weeds, rake the area into a fine tilth. Make some drills about 10-12mm deep, in rows spaced about 30cm apart. Water in. Once seedlings appear, thin them out to about 30cm apart.
I have a lot of weeds, roots, brambles, tree stumps and compacted soil to clear in the bed I am trying to create, so for now, I have sown my cornflower seeds into seed trays. They are now settled in my little zippy greenhouse until they are ready to pot on. Meanwhile I’ll carry on weeding their future home!
Watch the Reel
See how I planted my Cornflower Seeds