How to sow clarkia?

Clarkia or godetia is an annual plant highly prized for its pretty, satiny trumpet-shaped flowers in soft or vibrant shades of pink, white, red, or purple. It is easy to grow from seed, but it's important to follow a few rules to ensure successful sowing and healthy, vigorous plants. Godetia seeds can be sown directly in the garden or in pots in spring! Here’s when and how to sow clarkia for beautiful flowering!

To learn everything about clarkia, check out our complete guide!

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When to sow clarkia?

Godetia seeds can be sown directly in the ground from April to May, after the last frost, for flowering from July to September. It’s best to wait until temperatures are mild and the soil is well warmed up. Consider staggering your sowings until June to extend the flowering period. If you live in a mild climate, you can sow clarkia in autumn, before the first frosts. Young godetia plants do not tolerate transplanting well, so direct sowing is preferable, either in the ground or in pots. You can also start sowing under cover as early as February, directly in pots or trays filled with good compost. This allows for earlier flowering! This type of pot sowing can also be done outdoors after the last frosts.

How to sow clarkia?

Here are the steps to follow for each method:

Sowing in pots:

Prepare perforated pots with a layer of gravel or clay pebbles at the bottom.
Fill the containers with seed compost.
Sow thinly or in clusters of 3 seeds.
Water and keep moist until germination.
Move the pots outside in May, once all risk of frost has passed.

Direct sowing in the ground:

Choose a sunny or partially shaded spot with well-drained soil and weed the area.
Rake the soil to loosen and level it.
Sow godetia seeds in clusters of 2 to 3 seeds, 3mm deep and spaced 25cm apart.
Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and lightly firm with the back of a rake.
Water gently to moisten the soil without displacing the seeds.
Keep the soil moist until germination.
No thinning is required!