Things You Need In Growing Alyssum Flowers
The first point of this Alyssum planting guide is preparing the things you need to grow these flowers. Here are they:
- A place with free-draining and non-damp soil.
- Alyssum seeds – Alyssum itself is available in three colors which are white, pink, and purple. Be sure to choose the accurate seeds for each color.
- Shallow drills to sow the seeds.
- A lot of exposure to sunlight.
Each season tends to have different sunlight degrees. In general, environments with partial shades or full sun are the best environments for Alyssum flowers. The next part will be about the best times (including seasons) to plant these flowers.
During hot, dry weather, keep alyssum well-watered. In mid-summer, it has few pests and illnesses, so shear your alyssum plants by one-third of their height to promote greater growth and flowering.
After that, they fertilize with a balanced product and water, and they will sprout in time for a late summer flower show. Fertilize weekly to maintain plants growing healthy in containers or tiny places with minimal soil.
Alyssum is a low-growing annual that produces a carpet of fragrant white, violet, or purple blooms.
It grows and blossoms best during the cooler summer periods in New England, although it can bloom all year in northern and coastal locations.
The short-hairy leaves are hardly visible when the alyssum is in full bloom.
Alyssum is a favorite of bees, butterflies, and other insects, making it an excellent choice for a pollinator garden. It self-sows effortlessly in my garden and becomes a year-round presence.
However, I prefer to transplant different types each spring for increased color and to create stronger plants.
When Can I Plant Alyssum Flowers?
Most of the Alyssum planting guide writers on the internet will advise planting these flowers somewhere around early spring to early summer. The sunlight energies are ideal in these season ranges in encouraging Alyssum flowers’ growth in most garden zones.
However, some people plant or sow alyssum in autumn or early winter. These people sow alyssum in these seasons since they have the mildest cold, particularly when compared to mid-winters.
On the other hand, we don’t recommend you to sow Alyssum flowers in mid-summer or whenever the sun is scorching hot. The hotter the sun energies, the more likely Alyssum flowers will stop blooming. It applies to all Alyssum variants even though they can sustain at least six hours of full sun.
How Can I Sow Alyssum Flowers’ Seeds?
Alyssum flowers are some of the most convenient flower types to sow seeds from. The number one rule in sowing Alyssum flowers’ seeds is always to do it on the soil’s surface.
6-8 weeks before the last frosting date is an ideal timeline for planting Alyssum seeds in indoor settings. Then, you can use a seed starting mix that has been sterilized after sowing the seeds.
Keep the soil’s temperature between 12-21 degrees Fahrenheit (or -11.11 to -6.11 degrees Celcius) under the bright sun. Meanwhile, water the flowers as much as you can so they will grow. Never cover the seeds or sow directly when there are still some frostings since these two things can affect Alyssum flowers’ growth.
How Can I Put Alyssum Flowers Inside A Container?
Some people have nursery containers for their flowers, including Alyssum flowers. So, follow through these steps in this Alyssum planting guide article to plant these flowers inside a hanging basket (or any other similar containers):
- Dig the hole in the container by using a trowel.
- Place the flower inside the hole. Ensure the top part of the plant’s root ball is even with the soil’s surface.
- Fill up the remaining empty part of the container with soil.
- Gently water the flower.
- Repeat Step 3 and Step 4 every day.
It would be best to remind yourself to do some other things: Expose the Alyssum inside the container, either to partial shades or full sun (for around six hours). Also, never put Alyssum flowers with other plants and flowers inside the same container.
Alyssum Companion Planting
Sweet alyssum thrives best in areas where it can be seen.
Plant or sow seeds in front of flower borders, in containers with higher growing annuals like salvia and profuse zinnias, and on walls or in rock gardens with columbine and other low growing perennials and wildflowers.
What Types Of Insects Do Alyssum Flowers Attract?
No flowers will react without insects’ involvement, regardless of whether the interaction is beneficial or not. Alyssum is one of the flower types that attract many kinds of insects. More specifically, these insect types are the insects that frequently attract Alyssum flowers through positive ways and natures:
- The minute pirate bugs that consume aphids, insect eggs, mites, and more.
- The parasitic wasps lay eggs in aphids, beetles, moths, mealy bugs, and scales. Larvae that can kill the hosts also belong to this insect category.
- The hover flies’ larvae feed on aphids.
- Several types of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Monarch butterflies are some butterfly types that often pollinate from Alyssum flowers.
What About The Insects That Have Negative Attractions To Alyssum Flowers?
When we look back at the four insect types that positively attract Alyssum flowers, we will find out that three have the same thing in common. That is all about the aphids beneficial for nurturing Alyssum flowers’ growth.
At the same time, these flowers also attract insects in non-beneficial and questionable ways. For example, the Bagrada bug (or the Bagrada hilaris), is a stink bug that can have devastating effects on various plants.
Their needle-like mouthparts can cause various negative effects, from spotting leaves to the complete death of the plants. Such things include Alyssum flowers that they are attracted to.
Slugs are yet some other insect groups that tend to eat Alyssum flowers. Unfortunately, no people have proved that Alyssums can get rid of slugs. The good news is that slugs can be eliminated by hand-picking them.