When to sow verbena? Detailed guide to sowing time and method

Verbena is generally seen in parks, flower beds, roadside planting troughs, and lawn edges. Verbena has a very long flowering period, blooming for most of the year, and its flower colors are bright and beautiful, giving it high ornamental value and making it very popular. So which month is best for sowing verbena?

When to sow verbena (which month)

Verbena is commonly propagated by two methods: sowing and cuttings. Sowing is generally done in spring, and after sowing, it will bloom around July. However, with the sowing method, the seed germination rate is relatively low, only about 50%, and germination is slow and uneven. At a temperature of 15-17°C, it still takes two to three weeks before seedlings begin to emerge. To ensure the germination rate, good care work is needed.

How to sow verbena

1. Seed selection

Do not use old seeds for sowing verbena, because verbena seeds already have a low germination rate, and using old seeds will make even fewer of the sown seeds germinate. So when sowing verbena, try to use fresh seeds.

2. Treatment before sowing

Before sowing verbena seeds, carry out some treatments first to increase the chance of sprouting. First is vernalization: put the verbena seeds into a sealed bag, then place it in the refrigerator for one week.

Then comes germination promotion. Take a wet paper towel (not too wet), spread it on the bottom of a lightproof box, then place the seeds on the paper towel, spray the seeds lightly with water, cover the box lid, and patiently wait for the seeds to show white. During the waiting period, open the lid from time to time to let air in.

3. Choice of soil

Verbena is not strict about soil, but it likes loose, fertile, well-drained neutral soil, so gardeners do not need to specially mix soil.

4. Sowing

Many people completely soak the soil before sowing, then bury the seeds in it. For most flower seeds, this method is fine, but for verbena it is not correct, because when verbena seeds receive too much water, they produce a substance that inhibits germination. So when sowing verbena, sow the seeds into half-dry, half-moist soil, then cover with a thin layer of soil.

Management after sowing verbena

After sowing in autumn, when encountering a cold wave and low temperatures, you can wrap the flower pot with plastic film to help keep it warm and moist; after the seedlings emerge, uncover the film promptly, and let the seedlings receive sunlight before 9:30 every morning or after 3:30 in the afternoon, otherwise the seedlings will grow very weak; after most of the seeds have emerged, thin them appropriately: pull out the diseased and unhealthy seedlings so that the remaining seedlings have a certain amount of space between each other; when most of the seedlings have grown 3 or more leaves, they can be transplanted into pots.

Care methods for verbena to bloom in all four seasons

1. Soil

Verbena is not strict about soil, but in loose, fertile, relatively moist neutral soil it can root at each node, grow robustly, and bloom abundantly.

2. Watering

Because verbena has a relatively shallow root system, attention should be paid to watering in summer to prevent drought. During the care period, too much or too little water is unfavorable to growth. With too much water, the stems become thin and weak and grow excessively, reducing the amount of blooming; with a lack of water, the plant grows and develops poorly, and there will be premature seed setting.

3. Sunlight

Verbena needs to be cared for under shaded conditions in spring, summer, and autumn. When the temperature is relatively high, if it is placed under direct sunlight for care, the leaves will noticeably become smaller, the internodes of the branches will shorten, the lower leaves will turn yellow and fall off, and growth will be very slow or it will enter a semi-dormant state.

4. Temperature

Verbena likes a warm climate and dislikes extreme heat. When the summer temperature is above 34°C, growth is noticeably poor; it is not tolerant of frost and cold, and when the winter temperature is below 4°C, it enters dormancy or dies. The most suitable growth temperature is 15-25°C. Generally sow in autumn and winter to avoid the high summer temperatures.

5. Fertilizing

Like other herbaceous flowers, verbena has a relatively high demand for fertilizer and water, but the fertilizing (watering) principle of “apply dilute fertilizer frequently, use small amounts but many times, and complete nutrition” should be followed, and after fertilizing, keep the leaves and flowers dry at night.

6. Pruning

Before verbena blooms, generally pinch the tips twice to encourage more flowering branches to sprout.

As described above, verbena has a long flowering period, generally blooming continuously from February to November, and planting and care are relatively simple, without needing much time for maintenance, making it very suitable for growing in home courtyards.