Cleome Flower Seeds

About Cleome Flower Seeds

Cleome Flower Seeds grow in full sun positions. Flowering runs summer or summer through fall. Harvest begins around 90 to 120 days from sowing. The figures below are the ones on the packets in this group; each product page carries the exact numbers for that variety.

When to plant

Plant in fall, spring. Seed can be started indoors ahead of the season or sown straight into prepared ground once it has warmed. The seed needs a cold, moist period before it will break dormancy: sow in late fall and let winter do the work, or chill it in damp medium in the refrigerator first. Hardy in zones 3 to 10 — your local frost dates decide the exact week.

Where to plant

Choose a site in full sun. Water needs are average, low once the plants are established. Free-draining soil matters more than rich soil; seed sown into ground that stays wet rots before it germinates. Allow 18 to 24 inches or 24 to 30 inches between plants so air can move between them.

How to plant

Sow 1/8 inch deep, spaced 18 to 24 inches or 24 to 30 inches apart. This seed needs light to germinate, so press it onto the surface and firm it in rather than burying it. Water gently to settle the soil, then keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings or shoots appear. Indoor starts do best in warmth and bright light; harden the seedlings off over a week before planting out.

How to care

Keep watering average, low, at the base of the plant rather than over the leaves. Grown as an annual, so plan to sow again next season. Flowers appear summer or summer through fall; cutting or deadheading regularly keeps more coming. Expect to start harvesting around 90 to 120 days after sowing.

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