Balloon Flower Care and Growing Tips :- The balloon flower, which is blueish-purple in colour, grows nicely in practically any garden. This lovely perennial requires minimal maintenance to flourish.
Balloon Flower Care and Growing Tips
How to Grow Balloon Flower
Since common names differ so much, even though the Latin botanical names are the best method to communicate about flowers, certain popular names are still very entertaining and highly worth learning. One excellent example is the balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus). You will understand the origin of the common term once you see one of these plants covered in balloon-shaped buds, ready to burst into bloom. You should definitely use these plants in your cottage garden.
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Are Balloon Flowers Perennials?
Plant balloon flowers in areas with part to full sun and enough drainage for maximum blooms, advises Jen McGuinness, author of Bird-Friendly Gardening: Advice and Projects for Encouraging Birds in Your Landscape. “In my front garden, I grow pink balloon flowers in soil that drains quickly after rain.” It is partially shaded and interplanted with daylilies and bearded irises.
The plant can survive the hottest summer days with a little midday shade.
The plant dies back to the ground in the winter in colder climates. Since it frequently emerges later in the spring than other perennials, you’ll definitely want to mark the location in some way to prevent planting over it or unintentionally pulling it up. And pick that location carefully because balloon flowers don’t like to have their delicate fleshy root system split or moved.
“Be careful not to unintentionally remove the plant when the garden season begins, since it takes some time to emerge in the spring. It performs well in a location that won’t be moved. Mine has been with me for a few years. says Jen.
Where to Plant Balloon Flower
Keep in mind that you might not receive blooms your first year if you choose to start from a packet of seeds. Certain types, as well as those that are started inside early enough, might flower the same year. Starting with plants from your neighbourhood garden centre will make it easier. Once the risk of frost has passed in the spring, add them to your flower beds.
If you deadhead them on a regular basis, they should start to bloom in the middle to late summer and keep on producing blossoms. But that will be about all the attention they require. Additionally, deadheading will stop the plants from proliferating and self-seeding.
Wait until the pods become brown and dry fully before opening them and putting the seeds inside a paper bag if you wish to preserve them. The next spring, directly sow the seeds into your garden.
Watering Needs
Once established in the garden, new plants require frequent watering; beyond that, they are relatively disease- and drought-resistant.
Can You Grow Balloon Flower in Containers?
As long as the pot is deep enough—10 to 12 inches is typically sufficient—to hold the plant’s long, thick roots, the plants grow well in huge containers. To prevent the potting mix from becoming wet, make sure the container you use includes a drainage hole.
Top Varieties for Planting
Though there are many variants with pink and white flowers, blue hues are the most popular. Blooming blue-violet kinds like “Astra Blue,” “Fuji Blue,” and “Sentimental Blue” are suggested.
Balloon flowers can reach a height of two feet under most circumstances; for smaller gardens and pots, seek out miniature cultivars.
Because it is smaller than some of the blue kinds, the pink balloon flower works nicely as a border plant along garden paths. Early June is when it begins to bloom,” explains Jen.
