Brighten your garden (and your bouquets) with the wonderfully spicy scent of stock flowers.
Julie Maris Semarco
Stock flowers offer a wonderfully spicy, distinctive scent reminiscent of cloves.
Stock plants are slightly spirelike, and their blooms come in a wide range of colors.
Credit:Julie Maris Semarco
They also make greatcut flowersand are favored by florists for their long-lasting flowers and intoxicating perfume.
They are excellent forcottage gardensor planted near seating areas where their perfume can be appreciated.
Seedlings can be transplanted outdoors (after a brief hardening off) in early spring.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
If you are planting seeds directly in the ground, you could do so after the last spring frost.
Sow the seeds on the surface of the soil and moisten them daily until they begin to germinate.
Once the seeds sprout, thin the seedlings until they are about 6 to 12 inches apart.
Credit:Better Homes and Gardens
Stock Flower Care Tips
Stock flowers need little care once they are established.
Mature plants are relativelydrought-tolerantand only require some deadheading to stimulate regrowth throughout the season.
Fertilizer
Stock plants do not need fertilizer to thrive if they are planted in the proper soil.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Cut the stalk as close to the base as possible to direct the plants energy into producing new stalks.
The plants will need moist, well-draining, relatively neutral soil.
To keep the container from being too top-heavy, its best to stick with shorter varieties.
Credit:Helen Norman
Since stock plants are grown as annuals in most climates, it’s not necessary to repot them.
Stock plants also have occasional issues withaphids, flea beetles, spider mites, and whiteflies.
Spritz some water on the surface of the soil and then cover the tray with plastic wrap or glass.
Credit:Jason Wilde
Keep the soil moist for about 10 to 14 days, spritzing every day but never oversaturating the soil.
It may take 10 to 12 weeks for your plants to reach full maturity.
you could alsopropagate stock plants from cuttingsat the end of the season when warmer weather kicks in.
Credit:Denny Schrock
Dip the cut end of the shoot into arooting hormoneand plant it in some good,organic compost.
Gently press the soil against the stem to keep it sturdy and upright in the pot.
Set cuttings in bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist but not wet.
Credit:BHG / Evgeniya Vlasova
New roots should form a few weeks after planting a cutting.
The compact plants grow 10 inches tall.
They grow 2 feet tall.
It grows 18 inches tall.
It fares best in well-drained soil with full sun.
It prefers full to partial sun and well-draining, neutral to slightly alkaline soil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes!
The plant pods are also edible and have a sharp, radish-like flavor.
Stock flowers get their name from a 16th-century Italian doctor and botanist, Pietro Andrea Mattioli.
His work focused on identifying plants, and he appreciated stock for its medicinal properties and lovely aroma.
