How to Grow Four O'Clock Flowers? Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Care Tips

Four o'clock flower generally refers to Mirabilis jalapa (four o'clock flower), because they mostly bloom in the evening when children are bathing, so they are also called “bathing flower.” So how do you grow them? Let's find out below.

How to grow four o'clock flowers?

1. Planting methods

The cultivation and management of four o'clock flowers is simple. Sow in early spring, and they bloom and set seed in summer and autumn. They tolerate transplanting, grow fast, and are robust. Generally, they can be grown from seed or from tuberous roots.

Sowing: Sow directly in the open ground in mid-to-late April. The suitable germination temperature is 15-20°C, and they sprout in seven to eight days. Because they are deep-rooted flowers, it is not advisable to sow them in open-ground seedbeds and then transplant. If conditions permit, sow them in advance in cylindrical pots with an inner diameter of 10 cm, and plant them out after removing them from the pots once they have grown into seedlings.

Tuberous roots: In the north, at the end of autumn, you can cut off the aboveground parts, dig up the perennial roots, bury them in moist soil in flower pots, and place them in a low-temperature room to overwinter. In the following spring, continue cultivating them in the open ground; they grow into mature plants quickly and bloom early.

2. Watering

After sowing, four o'clock flowers need watering. During the seedling emergence period, their water demand is relatively high, so water frequently. In addition, regular watering can be done on sunny days, but in summer it should be done in the morning and evening, while in winter it should be done at noon. Generally, the amount and frequency of watering should be determined according to the dryness and moisture of the soil and the season. In winter, keep the soil on the dry side; in other seasons, keep it slightly moist.

3. Fertilizing

When fertilizing four o'clock flowers, pay attention to the combined use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In addition, apply a dilute fertilizer 1-2 times per week in the evening to support normal growth.

Basically, by doing the above points well, you can care for four o'clock flowers properly. After reading this, don't you think it's simple? You can try planting them too.