- Sow Outside: Surface. Spring or summer.
- Sow Inside: Germination time: two to four weeks in the light. Temperature: 70°F (21°C). Use peat pots as seedlings are delicate. Start seven or eight weeks in advance. Transplant outdoors towards the end of spring. Spacing 10 to 18 inches (25—45 cm).
How do you plant a balloon plant?
Whether you transplant your seedlings or go with starter plants from a nursery, place them in a sunny spot in the garden. They'll grow in partial shade, but you'll get the most flowers if the plant gets eight or more hours of sun a day. Balloon flowers prefer well-drained, loamy soil that's slightly acidic.
Is platycodon an annual or perennial?
Platycodon grandiflorus is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial that bears starry flowers in summer. These are mostly in shades of vivid violet-blue, although white and pink cultivars are also available. It is a member of the Campanula family, and its flowers look similar to those of campanulas, or bell flowers.
Can you keep platycodon in pots?
These Platycodon grandiflorus, also known as Balloon Flowers after their round buds, will produce pretty long-lasting flowers throughout the summer. They are very easy-going plants and are best enjoyed outdoors in a pot or border.
Can you plant Balloon Flowers in pots?
Balloon flower does well in containers and is great for cut flowers. It attracts butterflies and is a magnet for birds. The plant looks great as a border plant and is lovely in rock gardens.
How do you prepare a platycodon for winter?
Typically, you can simply cover the plant in an inch or two of mulch to protect it, but you can also use compost or leaves that fall from the trees to cover the plants and keep them moist and warm all winter. When spring arrives, uncover the plant so that it can start to grow.
Do balloon flowers grow back every year?
Balloon Flowers are easy to grow, long-lived perennials. Long-lasting star-shaped flowers emerge from balloon-like buds in summer. Balloon flower plants will occasionally repeat bloom in the fall when old flowers are removed.
How big do platycodon get?
As Platycodon grows in dense clumps and most cultivars attain heights between 55 and 95 centimetres, when their foliage and flowers are taken into account, these plants are verily made to order for borders front and rear, edging, and mixed beds.
Do balloon flowers need a trellis?
Low-profile balloon flowers are unlikely to require staking, and are well-suited to container gardening as well as bed, border, and rock garden placements. Remember to deadhead spent blossoms to encourage optimal blooming. Find P. grandiflorus 'Astra Pink' seeds now from Amazon.
Will balloon flowers survive winter?
Balloon Flower plants prefer slightly warm temperatures between 60 and 80 °F (15-26 °C). They are hardy plants that can tolerate even higher temperatures if they are provided with some shade in the afternoon. Keep in mind that these plants can be killed by frost, so you should bring them indoors in the winter.
Are balloon flowers hard to grow?
The balloon plant is easy to grow and hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 8. It will thrive in sun or partial shade. It likes well-drained, slightly acidic soil; and although the balloon flower plant will tolerate dry conditions, it prefers (and needs) plenty of moisture.
Is platycodon a hardy perennial?
It goes by the common names of Balloon Flower or Bellflower. Platycodon grandiflorus (Balloon flower) by Carl E Lewis. What is this? The plant is a hardy perennial.
Is a balloon flower indoor or outdoor?
Balloon flower prefers a light spot, and can even tolerate full sun. It requires a lot of water - don't allow the soil to dry out. Give it plant food once a week to encourage flowering. It can be placed indoors or outdoors in the warmer months.
Is platycodon a hardy perennial?
It goes by the common names of Balloon Flower or Bellflower. Platycodon grandiflorus (Balloon flower) by Carl E Lewis. What is this? The plant is a hardy perennial.
Will balloon flowers survive winter?
Balloon Flower plants prefer slightly warm temperatures between 60 and 80 °F (15-26 °C). They are hardy plants that can tolerate even higher temperatures if they are provided with some shade in the afternoon. Keep in mind that these plants can be killed by frost, so you should bring them indoors in the winter.
Should balloon flowers be cut back for winter?
Cut all stems by one-half in late spring to encourage more branching, and compact, bushy growth. In fall, after the growing season is over, you may also cut all of the dead stems to the ground.
Is balloon vine perennial?
Balloon Vine Cardiospermum Halicacabum is a climbing, tropical and subtropical perennial herb that is grown widely as an annual. Another common names of this woody climber are Heartseed Vine, Love in a Puff Vine and Heart Pea.
Where does platycodon come from?
Platycodon hails from East Asia and is a popular plant in Korea, Japan, China and the US. Perfect for the front of a cottage or herbaceous border or a container, it deserves to be more widely grown in the UK – it has the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM). It also makes a good cut flower.
What is a Platycodon grandiflorus?
Platycodon grandiflorus is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial that bears starry flowers in summer. These are mostly in shades of vivid violet-blue, although white and pink cultivars are also available.
What to do with clay soil in a pot?
If your garden has clay soil, add some organic matter, such as garden compost, to the planting hole. If growing in a pot, plant into peat-free, multipurpose compost.
What zone do balloon flowers grow in?
According to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service, it grows best within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3a to 8a, where it makes a long-lasting addition to cottage gardens and perennial borders. Balloon flowers resists most pests and disease, which makes it one of the more low-maintenance common garden flowers. However, these showy ornamentals will bloom more abundantly and produce fuller, more attractive foliage if provided with regular care throughout the year.
How tall do balloon flowers get?
Cultivars such as Fuji (Platycodon grandiflora 'Fuji,' zones 4 to 9) top out at 2 to 3 feet in height, according to Cornell University, and staking will help keep the stems upright when they are weighted down with flowers. Balloon flowers sometimes develop floppy or leggy growth if they are deprived of sunlight, so prune back any overhanging shrubs to improve their sun exposure if you suspect this to be a problem.
Do Komachi blossoms open?
The blossoms of the Komachi cultivar never fully open and retain their balloon-like shape.
What type of soil do balloon flowers like?
Balloon flowers prefer organically rich, loamy soil that has good drainage. They don’t grow well in dense soil, such as clay. They like a soil pH in the 5.5 to 7.5 range.
What temperature do balloon flowers need to grow?
Balloon flowers are hardy and do well in USDA growing zones 3 to 8. Their ideal temperature range is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit , but they can withstand higher temperatures if they have some shade in the afternoon. Frost can kill young plants and will cause established plants to die back into the ground in the fall. Balloon flowers tolerate both humid and dry air conditions, provided they have the right amount of soil moisture.
How much sun do balloon flowers need?
You will get the most flowers if you plant balloon flowers in full sun (at least six hours of sunlight on most days). However, they will be fine in part shade and might actually prefer some shade from where the afternoon sun is especially hot.
How to root a sage plant?
Use a rooting hormone on the bare stem if you wish, and then pot it in moist soil.
Can balloon flowers survive in hot environments?
Balloon flowers will thrive in just about any condition, except for especially hot environments.
How to grow balloon flowers?
Propagation. Growing the Balloon Flower (Platycodon) from seeds isn’t difficult. You can buy them or harvest them in autumn. Just wait until the fruits are dried up and start to open. You can use a regular potting or cacti mix. Place the seeds just on the soil. They don’t need to be be soaked before sowing.
How long does it take for a sage plant to germinate?
give the pot to a bright location without afternoon sun. to avoid mildew keep the soil moist but not soggy. At temperatures between 16-20 °c/60.8-68 °f the seeds need about three weeks to germinate.
How to propagate balloon flowers?
Balloon flower propagation can also be done by dividing the plants. Dividing balloon flower can be a bit tricky because it has a very long taproot and doesn’t like being disturbed. If you want to try it, though, choose the best, healthiest plant you have.
How to make balloon flower plants?
Create new balloon flower plants by dividing existing mature plants, or by collecting the seeds in the fall and planting them the next spring. Using balloon flower seeds is very simple to do, but dividing the plants can be a bit trickier.
What is a balloon flower seed?
Balloon Flower Seeds. Balloon flowers ( Platycodon grandiflorus) are named because their bloom starts out looking like a purple, white or blue balloon, then it pops open to a wide bloom. After the bloom dies off, you’ll see a brown pod at the end of the stem.
Can balloon flowers be propagated?
Like most perennials, propagating balloon flowers can be done in more than one way. Let’s learn more about balloon flower propagation.
How to make a potted plant?
Put several handfuls of planting mix in hole and mix with existing soil and soil from original location. Water. Carefully transport plant to new location and lift carefully into hole. Fill in with soil, tamping it down all around plant, careful not to make soil too compacted.
How to transplant a plant with loose soil?
Lift plant, with as much soil clinging to it as possible, and place it carefully (on its side to protect roots) on plastic bag, so as to keep loose soil handy for transplanting.
How to care for balloon flowers after transplant?
Be patient if your balloon flower looks a little less vigorous after transplanting; give it time to recover. You may have noticed that established plants, especially in bloom, often have stems that flop, so staking is usually needed.
Why do you transplant a plant on a cool day?
Transplant on a cool, overcast day to minimize stress on the plant.
When do balloon flowers emerge?
If you're transplanting balloon flowers, known botanically as platycodon, you may already know that the plant likes sun and well-drained soil and is long-lived, but slow to emerge in spring.
Do balloon flowers need water?
Keep plant watered after transplanting but do not over-water, as balloon flowers are susceptible to root rot. Balloon flower's new location should not retain water. Transplant on a cool, overcast day to minimize stress on the plant. Don't rush to do the job; take your time.
