Cleome Spinosa Plant Hybrid seeds (10 gm)

Cleome (Cleome hasslerana) starts blooming when it is only 1 foot or so high, and keeps growing higher until it is 4 to 5 feet tall and spreads 1 to 2 feet. After planting, blooming starts in mid-summer and continues through mid-to-late fall. For earlier flowers, let cleome seed germinate indoors. The cleome displays pink, purple and white flowers. They make beautiful cut flowers, and attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. Cleome are ideal for container planting, mixed border and cut-flower gardens. The cleome grow well in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 2a to 11b.

Cleome Planting & Care

Planting Seed Outside

1

Plant the seed around the time of the last frost, when the ground still feels cool to the touch. Find a well-drained, humus-rich and sunny to lightly shaded location.

2

Turn over soil to prepare the ground, mixing in well-rotted homemade or bagged compost and organic fertilizer. Rake the area until it is leveled and smooth.

3

Sprinkle the seed on top of the soil. Press the seeds into contact with the soil with the back of a hoe. Sprinkle the soil with water daily to keep it moist.

Planting Seed Indoors

1

Start off the seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. Chill the seed at 40 degrees for five days.

2

Sprinkle the chilled seed over a tray of seed-starting mix, then moisten them. Place the tray in a large, clear plastic bag, then put it in the refrigerator for approximately 2 weeks.

3

Remove the tray from the plastic bag. Put the tray in a sunny location that is 70 degrees, until germination. Plant seedlings outside when danger of frost has passed and night temperatures stay above 40 degrees.

4

Find a well-drained, humus-rich and sunny to lightly shaded location. Remove leaves and any organic material from the planting site.

5

Space seedlings 10 to 24 inches apart. Open a hole, then take a seedling and hold it in place in the hole. Check if the roots are straight and fully extended.

6

Confirm that the hole is neither too deep nor too shallow, then fill it with soil. Push the loose soil with your hands to remove any air pockets, then fill it with more soil. Continue until the seedling is anchored strongly. Keep the soil evenly moist for a few weeks after planting seedlings.