How do you take care of alyssum?
- Keep sweet alyssum in full sun. The plants do best in full sun but can also survive in partial shade. ...
- Water sweet alyssum sparingly. Give the plants one inch of water per week and make sure the soil dries out completely between waterings. ...
- Deadhead the plants to encourage growth.
Full Answer
How do you take care of Alyssum in the summer?
Caring for Your Sweet Alyssum Plants. Sweet Alyssum loves full sun, but it does not like prolonged dry periods. To keep it going into summer, provide at least a inch of water every week, more during hot or dry spells. Deadheading will keep the plants flowering.
How do you plant sweet alyssum in the garden?
As the plants spread, they will create a living mulch under taller plants. You can use Sweet Alyssum along edges, in the garden, or to fill nooks and crannies on walkways and walls. If you plant it near stone or anywhere that dries out quickly, you will need to provide some extra water.
Can you plant Alyssum in the fall?
Easy to grow from plant or seed, sweet alyssum is a cool-season flower that can be set out in early spring once all danger of frost has passed (in frost-free climates, sweet alyssum can also be grown throughout the fall and winter). Most varieties will fade in the heat but bloom again in the fall.
Does sweet alyssum spread?
Sweet alyssum is generally problem-free, although aphids can become a pest, especially when the plants are under stress. As sweet alyssum plants spread, they create a living mulch under taller plants. You can use sweet alyssum along edges, in the garden, or to fill nooks and crannies on walkways and walls.
Sweet Alyssum Care
Sweet alyssum is nearly unmatched for ease of care and is hardy during heat and drought. The flowers have a lively, honey-like fragrance and are related to cabbage and mustard. They will self-sow and provide bright colors year after year in milder climates.
Pruning
Deadheading sweet alyssum will keep the plants flowering and set new buds quickly. If you have a significant drift of plants, shearing them by one-third is an easier option than deadheading. Some varieties will readily re-seed themselves. The plants tend to become leggy and gangly species, so pruning will keep the plants looking trim and neat.
Propagating Sweet Alyssum
It is best to grow this fast-growing plant in the early spring. It proliferates from seed. You can start the seeds indoors before the last frost and transplant them outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. Alyssum is somewhat frost-tolerant once established, but tender transplants are not hardy enough for frost.
How to Grow Sweet Alyssum From Seed
You can start sweet alyssum from seed or directly transplant it into your garden from nursery flats; both are widely available. To start from seed, scatter the seeds on top of the soil and press them down lightly, so they make good contact with the dirt and remain exposed to light.
Potting and Repotting Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum grows well in containers. When growing in containers, use good quality potting soil and ensure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot for excess water to seep out. It's favored for hanging baskets or window boxes, alone or as a companion to petunias and other similar-care plants.
Overwintering
To overwinter alyssum, cut it down in winter, cover it with frost cloth, or take containers inside. You can also leave it untouched. It's a prolific self-seeder, so in late winter or early spring, as the ground begins to thaw, you can cut away the dead brush to make way for the seeds left behind from the previous growing season.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Sweet alyssum is favored by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Since the flowers are accustomed to beneficial insects, it rarely falls victim to common insects. However, bagrada bugs or cyclamen mites are rarer insects, they will infest these plants if given a chance.
