How to sow your free cornflower seeds
Sow your free seeds of bee-friendly cornflower 'Blue Ball', included with the subscriber edition of our June 2021 issue.
Cornflowers are easy-to-grow annuals with vibrant blue flowers. They're a magnet for bees and butterflies and work particularly well in informal, cottage garden planting schemes.
Your June subscriber edition includes a free double-pack of seeds including Zinnia 'Early Wonder' and striking cornflower variety 'Blue Ball'.
More on growing wildflowers
Find more advice on growing wildflowers in our subscriber-only collection of extras for June. Plus, find more advice on growing the zinnias you've raised from the free seeds included with this issue.
Get the best results from your cornflower seeds by following our simple video guide, below.
You Will Need
- Cornflower seeds
- Watering can with rose attachment
Step 1
Prepare the bed where you're going to sow your seeds by weeding it completely, then lightly forking and levelling the surface.
Step 2
Make short, shallow drills to sow into. By sowing into drills you can identify weed seedlings growing outside the rows. Space the seeds along the drills about 5cm apart, then cover lightly with soil.
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Step 3
Water in to start germination.
Step 4: Seedling care
Water during dry spells as the seeds germinate and seedlings grow. Protect from slugs and snails, and weed the bed regularly.
Thin out the seedlings gradually as they grow, removing the weaker ones, until they're spaced about 20cm apart.
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The September issue of BBC Gardeners' World magazine is on sale now, buy online or in stores now.
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Offer ends 23.59, Sunday 22 September.
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Offer ends 23.59, Thursday 31 October.
