Countryfile: Matt apologises for picking 'unacceptable' flowers
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Cornflowers are most commonly blue in colour, which can be a rarer colour of flower. These flowers look wonderful in beds and borders, especially when featured as part of an annual bedding display or cottage garden. Cornflowers are also beautiful flowers which are great for pollinators including bees, butterflies and more.
Cornflowers are quite easy to grow and therefore tend to be a popular choice for beginner gardeners or those who want to plant with children.
These plants are cheerful and attractive.
These cornflower flowers come in a range of colours including white, pink, purple and red, but are most common in blue.
Cornflowers grow best in sunny places in rich and fertile soil.
When to grow cornflowers
Cornflowers like to grow in well-drained soil in full sunspots.
You should sow cornflower plants from March until May, meaning they will flower from June to September.
You can also sow seeds during August and September to flower slightly earlier the following year.
How to grow cornflowers
You will need the following materials and supplies to grow cornflowers: a packet of cornflower seeds, gardening gloves, a rake, a trowel and a plant label and pencil.
Cornflowers can be sown straight into the ground where they will flower, but you will need to ensure they have enough space to grow without weeds.
You can try to avoid enabling weeds to interfere by using a towel to remove the weeds.
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When sowing seeds undertake the practice thinly in finely raked, moist soil where you want the plants to flower.
You should place these seeds at a depth of 13mm (half an inch) covering the seeds lightly with soil.
Next, you should water the soil and make sure to do so during the dry periods.
Thin the seedlings in stages to 15 to 23cm apart when they are large enough to handle.
When it comes to planting cornflowers, you can buy young plants to put into the ground in spring.
You should then dig over the planting area, incorporating lots of organic matter, especially if your soil is clay-rich or light, well-drained sandy soil.
Next, you should dig a good-sized hole big enough to easily accommodate the rootball.
Place the root ball into the holes you have made and adjust the planting depth so the crown of leaves is at soil level.
Add in more organic matter into the excavated soil and fill in the planting hole.
Tips to remember when planting cornflowers
- Make sure to water cornflowers well to keep the soil moist during spring and summer
- Remove all competing weeds, especially when the plants are young
- Use liquid plant food every couple of weeks to enable more flowering
- Deadhead plants regularly to prolong the flowering period into the autumn months.
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