Wallflowers; with their scented colourful flowers on upright spikes, have been a favourite with gardeners for many years.
The multi and/or self coloured flowers appear from May until July.
There are many varieties available, and come in a wide array of self or bicoloured shades of pink, mauve, purple, yellow, orange, and various reds.
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It is a hardy biennial, that grows to around 300-400mm (12"-15") high making them an ideal subject for formal flower beds, cottage garden displays, and excellent cut flowers.
Prepare soil in advance of planting out, wallflower prefer Well-drained, rich, alkaline to neutral garden soil in a sheltered and sunny position.
Check acidity, and add ground limestone or hydrated lime up to 100gms (4oz) per sq metre subject to acidity.
Cultivation;
Week 25; Sow seeds in pots / trays of seed compost and place in coldframe to germinate.
Subject to weather seed should take up to a week to germinate.
Alternatively; sow directly into a seed bed in a sunny site with good soil.
Thin these plants out to about 150mm (6") apart when the first full leaves appear.
They should be moved to their permanent flowering site at the same time plants sown under glass would be done. (see below)
Week 27; If the plants being grown under glass are large enough to handle, prick out seedlings into 75m (3") pots or cell trays and grow on in cold frame until planting out time.
Week 36; When the plants are about 150mm (6") high, pinch out the growing tips to encourage branching.(both under glass or insitu types)
Week 40; Prepare site by deep digging, and applying a general fertiliser before planting.
Note; Wallflowers are of the 'brassicaceae' family and can be prone to attack by cabbage root fly maggots which causes the plant root to rot and the plant/s to fail.
Plant stunting can also occur as a result of a swelling on the roots called club root.
Avoid planting them on ground known to be infected.
Week 42; Plant out plants approx. 300-400mm (12"-15") apart in Well-drained, rich, alkaline to neutral soil.
