How long does alyssum take to grow

Starting Sow seeds on the surface of the soil. The seeds require light to germinate, so do not cover them. They should sprout in days. Watch for slug damage in the early spring. Alyssum prefers freely draining, loamy soil with a pH in the 6. It is tolerant of dry soil and hot weather, and can be used for xeriscaping.

Grow alyssum tightly together in groups spaced only 6 inches apart to create a quicker flowering carpet effect. Keep alyssum well-watered during hot, dry weather. It has few pests and diseases. Is Sweet alyssum toxic to dogs? You can have colorful annual plants to grow for borders, garden beds and cutting flowers that are safe for dogs. Ideal for edgings and borders, sweet alyssum Lobularia maritima has fragrant white, purple and lavender flower heads for cool-season bloom.

How do you keep alyssum blooming all summer? Fertilize afterward with a balanced product and water and they will regrow for a late summer flower show. Should alyssum be cut back? Although this annual blooms dependably throughout summer and into fall, it looks better with occasional trimming. A light prune removes the spent flowers and leggy stems so the alyssum maintains its dense mounds of foliage and blooms. Is Sweet alyssum invasive? The propensity of sweet alyssum to form a mat without becoming invasive makes it an excellent filler plant in the garden.

Do alyssum flowers spread? Alyssum flowers are an adorable option for ground cover in gardens. Alyssum plants are small, about a few inches but they spread as much as a foot in diameter. Alyssum flowers are tiny and tightly grouped. What's best about alyssum plants is that they are tiny and easy to grow. What colors does alyssum come in? Alyssum is most often found in a crisp, clean white. However, sometimes you will see the flowers in deep purple, light pink, or even a soft peach color.

The abundant white blooms make this plant easy to use in garden designs—they can truly go with everything. When can I plant alyssum? Sow and Plant Sow alyssum from early spring to early summer, and in autumn where winters are mild. Alyssum grows fast and often stops blooming in hot weather. Broadcast seeds into cultivated soil or containers about 2 inches 5cm apart, and barely cover them with soil.

Sweet alyssum takes just six to eight weeks to bloom from seed, so it's possible to start the seeds directly in the garden in mid to late spring and still enjoy their blooms all summer long. Choose a garden bed with full sun or partial shade and moist, fast-draining soil. Till the bed to break up the soil and mix a 3-inch-thick layer of compost into the bed to improve the soil's moisture retention and texture. Water the bed to settle the soil and then lightly rake the surface of the bed to create furrows for the sweet alyssum seeds.

Scatter the seeds over the prepared bed and do not cover them with soil because they need light to germinate. Mist the bed daily to keep the seeds moist. Sweet alyssum seeds need 15 to 20 days to germinate in the garden, so start watching for seedlings in two weeks.

Sweet alyssum needs very little hands-on care apart from regular watering and occasional pruning. It does not need fertilizer, and most common issues, such as crown or root rot and downy mildew, are the result of poor growing conditions and overwatering, according to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service.

Water weekly during the summer months if the soil dries out in the top few inches. Sweet alyssum will bloom all summer long and into the fall if the spent blossoms are continually removed.