How To Grow Balloon Flower – The balloon flower is so strong in the garden that many gardeners eventually want to propagate the plant to establish their own yard. As with most perennials, balloon flower propagation can be done in a number of ways. Let’s learn more about balloon flower propagation.
Create new ballflower plants by dividing existing mature plants or collect seeds in the fall and plant them next spring. Using balloon flower seeds is simple, but dividing the plants can be a little difficult.
How To Grow Balloon Flower
) are called so because their flowers start out looking like purple, white or blue balls, and then they bloom profusely. After flowering, you will see a brown pod at the end of the stem. Wait until the stem and bark are completely dry, then peel the stem and place the bark in a paper bag. When you open the pod, you will find hundreds of tiny brown seeds that look like miniature grains of rice.
Balloon Flowers Are Care Free Summer Bloomers
Sow bulb flower seeds in the spring after all chances of frost have passed. Choose a site with full sun to part shade and dig a 3 inch (8 cm) layer of compost into the soil. Sprinkle the seeds on the soil and water.
You should see sprouts within two weeks. Keep the soil moist around new plants. Most of the time you will get flowers the first year you plant them.
Balloon flower propagation can also be done by dividing the plants. The arrangement of the balloon flower can be a bit tricky as it is very tall and does not like to be disturbed. If you want to try it, choose the best and strongest plant.
Divide the plant in spring when it is 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Dig at least 12 inches (31 cm) from the main litter to minimize disturbance to the main roots. Cut the plant in half and transplant both to their new places, keeping the roots moist before burying them., Native to the Far East, China, Japan and Korea , became a garden sensation in the United States.
How To Grow Platycodon (balloon Flower)
A member of the Campanulacea family, which includes marigold and lobelia, its common name resembles a balloon that opens into starry bell flowers.
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Not a native blue flower, its hardy, disease-resistant nature and perennial blooms have made it a gem of American gardens.
Grows in densely packed litter, and is the best plant for a sunny border garden. This perennial is suitable for gardeners in USDA hardiness zones.
Platycodon Astra Blue (balloon Flower)
The two to three inch flowers bloom in various shades of blue, as well as pink and white. Some have prominent leaves.
Each erect stem may have one or more flowers. In the granular stage, they look like little balls. When they open, they look like a raised star-shaped bell.
It thrives in organically rich, loamy soil with moderate moisture. It is fleshy and spoils easily if the plants are disturbed.
The roots are not aggressive, but this plant is a vigorous self-sower, spreading through new shoots that appear every spring in fertile soil.
Vermont Garden Journal: A Fun Flower To Grow With Kids
Plant sizes vary. The true botanical species, in the wild in its native habitat, can reach 36 inches in length and 18 inches at maturity.
Scattered varieties include bushy plants that are four to six inches tall and the same width, as well as medium-sized specimens that are 12 to 18 inches high and wide.
Edible roots have long been cultivated and preserved, and are used in herbal medicine and dietary supplements for anti-inflammatory, antitussive and digestive benefits.
Because the roots are fragile and resistant to transplantation, this method may not be worth the investment, especially when the plants are very easy to direct the seeds and grow from the seeds.
Balloon Flower Blue
Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last average cold day for first-year flowering.
When the two flower leaves are true leaves and the danger of frost is over, you can gradually bring them outside.
Give them a few hours of fresh air and sunlight every day for three to five days. This is a process called “hardening”.
After it hardens, you can transplant the plants into the garden without damaging the fragile roots.
Ballon Flower Seeds
Keep the surface of the seedling soil even with the topsoil, and do not bury or remove the seedling to reduce transplant stress.
You can also sow the seeds after the last moderately cold day or any time during the growing season, but they may not produce flowers until the following year.
Moisten the soil and sprinkle your seed a few inches into the planting area. Do not cover them.
Keep moist for both methods, but avoid oversaturation as the seeds germinate and plants emerge in the garden.
Balloon Flower Blue Platycodon Grandiflorus Seeds
You can start the nursery at any time during the growing season, with flowers the following year.
When transplanting, dig a hole of the same depth and width as the root ball, keeping the soil level of the pots even with the soil level of the ground.
Use a clean, sharp knife to cut four inches off the stem. Peel off enough leaves to reveal about two inches of bare soap below.
Dip the bare stem in rooting hormone powder, then place it in a pot. Keep even moisture but don’t walk on water.
Platycodon G. ‘sentimental Blue’
You can perform a soil test to determine the characteristics of the soil. Lime to reduce acidity, or sphagnum peat moss to add as needed.
The soil should drain well. If your soil is dense and clay-like, you can add builder’s sand or leaf mulch to loosen it and improve drainage.
Work the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches, amending as needed to achieve proper pH and good drainage.
Nursery starts, seedlings, root cuttings, and space plants to mature sizes. Be careful not to damage the roots in the transplant.
Longest Lived Perennial Flowers
A layer of mulch can help conserve moisture with the bonus of inhibiting weeds that can compete for water and nutrients.
Choose pots that are at least two inches wider than the mature plants’ width and at least 10 to 12 inches deep.
Make sure the pots drain well. Keep them evenly moist, but not soggy, and remember that containers dry out faster than ground soil.
This low supply plant is self-contained under ideal conditions and requires little intervention once established.
Gardener’s Guide To The Perennial Balloon Flower By Paul R. Wonning
A very common complaint about this plant is that the stems of tall varieties are “leggy” and grow horizontally instead of vertically.
In autumn, when the growing season ends, you can cut all the dead stems back to the ground. You can also harvest in early spring as new growth appears.
And finally, if you decide not to take active measures, use the lessons and keep them straight.
Either give this plant a place to grow naturally of its own accord, or plan to randomly dig up seedlings each spring. Some even cross the garden border and end up on the lawn, proximity permitting.
Balloon Flowers, Perennials, Platycodon
You can also limit it by deadheading spent flowers during the growing season, and/or removing all stems after flowering and before sowing.
You can dry the harvested stems to collect the seeds. However, many tulips grow hybrid varieties, and these are likely to produce results that differ from the parent plants.
They show a moderate tolerance to drought, but in case of prolonged dry periods, water deeply once a week.
When you buy balloon flowers, you are likely to come across real botanical varieties, but you are more likely to find processed varieties.
Balloon Flower Seeds
‘Astra Double’ is a six to 12 inch compact planter type, six to nine inches wide that is easy to handle.
The flowers measure three inches across and boast two rows of lavender blue petals. They are particularly prolific with serial killing.
The slender stature of this species makes it a good choice for containers, the front of mixed beds, and borders.
‘Astra Pink’ is also a compact plant that grows six to 12 inches tall and six to nine inches wide.
Balloon Flowers: Plant Care & Growing Guide
Low profile ball flowers do not require staking, and are perfect for planting in a container garden, bed, border, or rock garden.
‘Fuji Blue’ is usually 18 to 18 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
The flowers have a single row of dark blue petals and are between two and two and a half inches across.
“Fuji Blue” can also be duplicated
Online Plant Guide
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