A Complete Guide to the Latest Coreopsis Cultivation Methods

Coreopsis is also known as small cosmos, money chrysanthemum, peacock chrysanthemum, etc. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Coreopsis in the Asteraceae family, native to the southern United States. It is one of the early introduced species and once broke out on a small scale in some areas such as Henan. It works extremely well as a covering material in roof greening and can also be used as flower border material. Now let us take a look at how to cultivate coreopsis!

Growth Habits of Coreopsis

Coreopsis is native to the southern United States and prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight. It is relatively cold-tolerant, highly drought-tolerant, and not demanding about soil. It has strong adaptability and also strong resistance to sulfur dioxide. The suitable germination temperature is 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. It is easy to cultivate and often self-propagates. In production, sowing or division propagation is mostly used, and cutting propagation can also be done in summer.

Sowing Methods for Coreopsis

1. Seedbed preparation: Coreopsis is usually sown indoors in pots in early spring. A sowing pot or wooden box with a diameter of 30 cm and a depth of 5 cm is usually chosen. Cover the drainage holes with broken tiles, then add coarse gravel 1/3, coarse culture soil 1/3, and sowing soil 1/3 in sequence. Then, use a wooden strip to press and level the soil surface so that the soil is 1 cm below the rim of the pot. Use the “pot immersion method” to soak the pot soil thoroughly, then lift the pot out, and wait until the water has fully seeped in before sowing.

2. Sowing method: When sowing coreopsis, open the seed bag and directly scatter the seeds evenly into the pot, or mix the seeds with fine sand and then scatter them evenly into the pot. After sowing, cover with a thin layer of fine soil, then cover the surface with glass, and then cover the glass with newspaper to reduce water evaporation.

3. Seedling management: Before the coreopsis seeds sprout, keep the soil moist. Do not let the seedbed alternate between dry and wet, or become too dry or too wet. In the morning and evening, it is best to lift the glass for a few minutes to allow ventilation, and keep it covered during the day. After the seeds germinate and emerge, remove the covering promptly and gradually expose them to light. Once 1 to 2 true leaves have grown, transplant them.

Cultivation Methods for Coreopsis

1. Soil: For planting coreopsis, it is best to use loose, well-aerated soil rich in humus. Before planting coreopsis, loosen the soil. Loosening the soil after rain helps the roots of coreopsis breathe. During the rainy season, weed once a week.

2. Watering: Coreopsis is easy to cultivate. After planting, water thoroughly once, then control watering afterward to prevent the plants from growing leggy.

3. Light: Coreopsis likes direct sunlight, and in overly shady environments it tends to grow leggy. It is a short-day plant, and short-day conditions can ensure that coreopsis blooms brightly.

4. Fertilizing: Before planting coreopsis, rotten leaves can be used in the soil as a base fertilizer (1 kg per sq m). During the transition from the growing period to the flowering period of coreopsis, stop fertilizing, and apply topdressing after 4 flower buds have grown.

5. Pruning: When coreopsis grows to 6 cm tall, pinch once. When the branches reach 10 cm, pinch a second time, and promptly remove willow buds.

6. Diseases: Common diseases of coreopsis include powdery mildew and black spot, which are caused by rain exposure and miscellaneous bacteria in the soil. Chlorothalonil and thiophanate-methyl can be used alternately, once every 10 days.

7. Pests: Common pests of coreopsis include aphids, cutworms, and white grubs. Omethoate and fenvalerate can be used alternately, once every 10 days.