Stock StoX Sweetbar Mix

Pests: Stocks can be troubled by typical pests of cruciferous plants, such as flea beetles or pollen beetles.

Diseases: The most common problem is the fungal disease powdery mildew. This can be prevented by good air circulation, especially if you are growing the plants in a greenhouse (where it is necessary to ventilate regularly and keep temperatures below 20 °C!).

Not at all! Stock (Matthiola incana) is not poisonous or toxic. On the contrary, it is actually considered an edible plant.

Its beautiful white and pink four-centimeter flowers can be used without worry as an original garnish for desserts, cakes, or summer salads. Moreover, they have a fantastic sweet fragrance, which will not only delight you but also reliably attract beneficial pollinators.

The StoX Sweetbar stock creates strong, straight stems with stunning gray-green to silvery-green leaves. The individual flowers have a diameter of about 4 cm, and this Sweetbar mix features a rotation of delicate pastel pink and bright, pure white shades.

The greatest benefit and highlight of this annual is undoubtedly its strong, sweet, spicy fragrance, which makes it an absolute gem in any vase or bouquet.

Stock has excellent cold resistance. It can withstand frosts down to -5 °C without major issues.

However, it is absolutely essential to thoroughly harden off the seedlings before planting them outside. After about 4–5 weeks in a seed tray, move them outdoors to get some air. During this hardening-off process, they will strengthen significantly and handle the actual transplanting and cooler spring or autumn weather much better.

The StoX series is prized for its relatively high percentage of double-flowered plants. However, as with any stock flower, some plants with single flowers will appear.

Selecting only double-flowered seedlings is a very complex process, so we recommend being prepared for a portion of the crop to bloom with single flowers. These flowers are also beautiful and can be cleverly and creatively incorporated into bouquets!

No, unfortunately, Stock is not suitable for drying. Once dried, the flowers would quickly lose their attractive shape, shed their petals, and their wonderful pastel color would fade. We recommend enjoying this annual as a fresh cut flower instead!

We always start Stock indoors. Sow in seed trays in January, February, and March for spring flowering, or in July and August for an autumn harvest.

Sowing instructions: • Sow 1 seed per cell directly on the surface of the growing medium. • Do not cover the seeds with soil; you may only lightly sprinkle them with a layer of vermiculite. • Maintain a temperature of 18–22 °C, at which the seeds will germinate in 4–8 days.

Caution: conversely, temperatures that are too high (over 25 °C) radically reduce germination!

Yes, support is a necessity. StoX Stock grows to a height of 60–80 cm and produces robust, long stems. To keep them perfectly straight, especially if you are growing them professionally for cut flowers, we recommend stretching a support net that the plants can grow through. Without the net, there is a risk that the stems will bend or twist.

Initially, stock requires consistent and moderate watering. Immediately after transplanting the seedlings into the bed, ensure regular and thorough watering so the plants have a chance to root well while growing in height.

Once the stocks begin to set buds, you can slightly reduce watering. Also, remember to fertilize regularly during growth to strengthen the stems.

Definitely not! Never pinch this variety of stock. It is grown exclusively as a single-stem annual. Pinching the main shoot would prevent the plant from blooming at all, and you would lose your harvest.

Since stock is grown as a single-stem plant, it easily tolerates closer spacing. The ideal distance between seedlings is 10–20 cm.

We recommend a proven distance of 12 cm. This will allow you to plant more rows in one bed, thereby maximizing the use of available space.

Growing stock during the hot summer is not a very good idea. Although this plant does not react to day length, higher summer temperatures cause it to bloom too quickly and prematurely.

If you were to grow stock in the summer, the plant would bloom, but the stem would barely reach 15 cm. That is why it is much better to focus on the spring and autumn months.

StoX Sweetbar is a carefully blended mix of pastel pink and pure white. To ensure an even representation of both colors in your flower bed, we recommend sowing the entire packet at once. If you only sow a small portion, you risk the colors being unbalanced and missing out on the intended effect.

Stock loves a sunny location, but it also thrives very well in partial shade.

The ideal soil for successful cultivation should be: • Humus-rich and nutrient-dense • Well-drained • Loamy

Don't forget that stock is a cool-loving plant that performs best in daytime temperatures ranging from 15–20 °C.

For maximum vase life, stock is very often harvested with the roots—simply grab the stem and pull the entire plant from the bed.

During subsequent storage (which should not be too long), it is extremely important to change the water frequently. It is best to process the stock into arrangements as soon as possible after harvest.

The cause is usually unsuitable temperature or sowing too deeply.

• Temperature: Stock germinates ideally at 18–22 °C. If the ambient temperature exceeds 25 °C, germination decreases drastically and the seeds may go dormant. • Light: Stock seeds should not be covered with heavy substrate; they can only be lightly dusted with airy vermiculite. If you covered them with a thick layer of soil, the light necessary for growth likely did not reach them.