Four O'Clock Flower Seeds

About Four O'Clock Flower Seeds

Four O'Clock Flower Seeds grow in full sun positions. Flowering runs late summer through early fall or summer through fall. 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, summer. Seed can be started indoors ahead of the season or sown straight into prepared ground once it has warmed. Soaking or nicking the seed coat before sowing speeds up and evens out germination. Hardy in zones 2 to 10 — your local frost dates decide the exact week.

Where to plant

Choose a site in full sun. Water needs are average 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 12 to 18 inches between plants so air can move between them.

How to plant

Sow 1/4 inch deep, spaced 12 to 18 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, at the base of the plant rather than over the leaves. In zones 2 to 10 these come back each year: let the foliage die down naturally after flowering, since that is what feeds next season's growth. Flowers appear late summer through early fall or summer through fall; cutting or deadheading regularly keeps more coming.

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