Bachelor's button

Flower · cool season · also called cornflower

A blue bachelor's button flower
Photo: cogdogblog, Flickr (CC0)

When to plant

  • Sow seeds outdoors about 4 weeks before your average last spring frost.
  • Ready to harvest about 65 days after planting.
  • Sow again every 3 weeks for a steady harvest.

Easy cornflower. Edible petals; attracts beneficial insects.

Frost dates depend on where you live. Enter your ZIP code to get exact dates.

Growing basics

Sun
Full sun (6+ hours)
Spacing
8–12 in
Soil temperature
At least 45°F
Time to harvest
About 65 days
Containers
At least 1 gallons
Plant family
Lettuce and daisy family
Harvest per plant
About 0.05 lb
Seeds keep
About 3 years

Companions

Keep apart: Horseradish. Horseradish spreads aggressively. Give it its own spot.

Keep apart: Mint. Mint spreads aggressively into neighbors. Keep it in a pot.

Keep apart: Fennel (bulb). Fennel slows the growth of most garden plants. Grow it on its own.

Keep apart: Sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke). Sunchokes spread aggressively and shade neighbors.

Grow it well

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