Polka Dot Mix Dwarf Cornflower Seeds

Direct sow Cornflower Polka Dot Mix seeds 2–4 weeks before the last expected frost, press seeds into the soil and cover with ¼ inch of soil. Soil temperature should be around 60–65°F (15–18°C); at that range, expect sprouts in 7–14 days. In zones 8–11, fall sowing gives you blooms from late winter through spring. If you want flowers all season, sow in batches every 3–4 weeks through early spring. Cornflower Polka Dot flowers develop a taproot quickly, so it’s a bad idea to start them indoors. 

Full sun is non-negotiable — at least 6 hours daily. Plants grown in partial shade become leggy and produce fewer blooms. Cornflowers can grow in poor, sandy, or average ground with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Polka Dot Mix Cornflower don’t like heavy clay and waterlogged spots, so make sure the soil is well-drained. Water consistently for the first few weeks, then back off once the plants are established. Don’t add nitrogen fertilizer, as it causes only foliage to grow, not the flowers.

Deadhead Polka Dot Cornflowers to prolong the blooming window. If not, flowers put all their energy into seed production. For cutting, take stems when the blooms are about halfway open and they last 5–7 days in water. If you let a few plants go to seed at the end of the season, they'll self-sow and come back the following year on their own.