Strawflower Mango Mix

We strongly recommend growing strawflowers from seedlings; direct sowing in the garden bed is not suitable. Ideally, start pre-cultivating them between March and June, specifically 4 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. Sowing in seed trays is also suitable for complete beginners.

Watering must be very careful at the beginning. Until true seedlings have grown, it is necessary to water the plants exclusively from below. Simply place the entire seed tray into a bowl of water and let the water soak upward from the bottom. If you were to use classic overhead watering with a watering can, you could very easily wash away all the tiny seeds.

Exactly! Strawflower seeds need plenty of sunlight to germinate. Therefore, sow them exclusively on the surface of the substrate and do not cover them with a layer of soil. To maintain optimal moisture and protect the seeds, it is ideal to lightly cover them with a thin layer of vermiculite, which allows the important light to pass through without any issues.

Place 2 to 6 seeds into each cell of the seed tray. Strawflowers naturally have a lower germination rate, which is a common characteristic of the species. By sowing more seeds this way, you can easily compensate for any failures and ensure that a strong, healthy seedling grows in every cell.

For the germination process, maintain a temperature between 20-24°C; the first sprouts will appear in 7 to 14 days. Once the seeds have germinated and the very first leaves appear, you can safely lower the ambient temperature to 18-21°C. Even lower temperatures of around 16°C will be beneficial for the young plants, as they will grow stronger and sturdier.

Given that this particular variety grows to an impressive height of 80 to 100 cm, installing a support is highly advisable and often necessary. The support will protect the relatively tall stems from tipping over or breaking during strong winds or heavy rain.

Yes, we strongly recommend pinching back the plants. By pinching the main stem early on, you encourage side branching. The result will be a much more robust, dense, and sturdy bush with a significantly larger number of beautiful flowers.

Transplant seedlings started indoors to the garden bed only when there is no longer a risk of spring frosts. Maintain a spacing, or planting distance, of 15 to 30 cm between them. This space ensures sufficient nutrients for the roots and gives the plants room for bushy growth in both height and width.

This amazing seed mix, prepared by Loukykvět, will create the perfect summer palette in your garden, reminiscent of all the shades of mango! You can look forward to beautiful flowers in tones of yellow, orange, and red—specifically golden, lemon, apricot, coral, and vibrant orange hues. To ensure an even representation of every color in your flowerbed, we highly recommend sowing the entire packet of seeds at once.

Absolutely! Even though strawflowers do not have a strong scent and are not considered aromatic, their nectar and striking colors reliably attract bees, butterflies, and a wide variety of other beneficial pollinators to your garden.

Unfortunately no, Strawflower cannot be grown as a perennial here; it is an annual. Its frost resistance reaches a maximum of 0 degrees Celsius. With the arrival of the first heavy autumn frosts, the plant dies. Furthermore, it does not have the ability to successfully reseed itself in the garden bed, so you must start it from seeds again every year.

The plant is not poisonous or toxic to humans or animals, so you can grow it without any worries. However, please keep in mind that it is not an herb or a vegetable; the leaves and the flowers themselves are not edible and cannot be used in the kitchen.

Flowers about 3 cm in size appear throughout the summer and early autumn, from June to September. Strawflowers are absolutely perfect for use in vases and for drying! After drying, they retain their shape and vibrant color beautifully. If you want to dry them, harvest them while the flowers are not yet fully open and the center is not completely exposed.

Regarding insect pests, aphids pose the greatest threat, as they can attack and suck sap from young shoots and stems in particular. As for fungal diseases, in high humidity and with insufficient airflow, unpleasant powdery mildew or gray mold, scientifically known as Botrytis cinerea, may appear.

The most common mistake when growing Strawflower is covering the seeds with a thick layer of soil, because they simply will not germinate without exposure to light. Another cause could be unsuitable temperature—the seeds require warmth of around 20-24 degrees Celsius—or careless top-watering that washed the seeds away. Also, keep in mind that the germination rate of this species is naturally lower, so be sure to sow more of them.

Strawflower is a true sun-lover! When planting, choose a spot that receives direct sunlight for most of the day. They thrive best in quality, well-draining, and humus-rich soil. A huge advantage is that mature plants are very drought-tolerant, so they do not require constant watering.