Mountain cornflower: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow mountain cornflower outdoors?
Sow mountain cornflower in spring once the soil has warmed, outside periods of hard frost. Choose a small nursery patch in sun or partial shade, with moist but well-drained soil. This perennial does not require acidic conditions, so there is no reason to add ericaceous compost to the seedbed.
Remove competing weeds, crumble the surface and make shallow drills. Distribute seeds sparingly, then cover them lightly, about 3 mm deep for direct sowing unless the packet gives different instructions. Firm gently and water with a fine spray without washing seeds away. Label the spot so you can identify emerging seedlings.
Keep the surface layer moist during germination, without standing water. If rain creates a crust, avoid scratching the areas containing seeds. Weed by hand once you can recognise the young cornflowers.
Thin crowded seedlings gradually, retaining the strongest plants. Temporary spacing of around 15 cm is suitable in a nursery bed; it does not represent the size of a mature clump. Allow more room when moving plants to their final positions because this perennial spreads through rhizomes.
When does mountain cornflower bloom?
