Growing cornflowers with kids
Cornflowers are easy to grow wildflowers that bees and butterflies love. You can even eat the petals! Sprinkle them over salads or use them to decorate cupcakes. Although cornflowers are usually blue you can get them in other colours or packets of mixed seeds.
What you'll need:
• Packet of cornflower seeds
• Container and multi-purpose compost
• Trowel and rake (if growing int he ground)
• Watering can
Step 1: Prepare the ground
• If you're growing cornflowers in the ground, pick a sunny spot.
• Remove any weeds.
• Rake the soil so it's fine and crumbly.
• If you're using a container, fill it with compost.
• Water the soil before sowing.
Step 2: Sow your cornflower seeds
Sow them with other wild flowers for an amazing display!
Image:
Anjo Kan
• If you sow from March to May, you'll have flowers from June to September.
• Sow your seeds where you want the flowers to grow.
• You can grow them on their own, or with other wild flowers like poppies.
• Sow your seeds 1cm deep and 5cm apart.
• Cover with soil.
Step 2: Grow your cornflowers
• Cornflowers are easy to look after and can even clpe with frost.
• They should start growing in three weeks.
• Thin them to 20cm apart in all directions.
• They'll reach their full height in 3-4 months.
• Pick your flowers just before they're fully open.
• SCut them just above a leaf and they should flower again.
• Cornflowers 'self-seed' and come back next year.
Suggested varieties:
There's plenty more information in the downloadable guide . Print it out for more detailed instructions and even more cornflower facts!
Click the image to download the full pdf guide