How to grow Sweet Alyssum

Lobularia maritima

Cut back aggressively after it starts to bloom, after the first flush of flowers, to keep it from getting leggy and encourage a second flush of colour.

Alyssum is very easy to care for and as long as it gets sun and average water it will be happy. A bit of balanced fertilizer will make your plants vigorous and blooming profusely.

Growing Sweet Alyssum from seed

Drought resistant, appropriate for xeriscaping; reseeds like a mad thing. Deer resistant. Sow seeds outdoors as soon as the ground can be worked. Seeds germinate in 7 to 14 days at 65 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The seeds can be started indoor if needed from late winter to early spring. U se trays of compost, sow thinly and cover only 0.5cm. Firm gently and keep moist. Cover with a sheet of perspex or glass and keep at 10 tp 15C.
Remove the cover when the seedlings emerge. When large enough to handle pot on to 5cm apart in trays. When all danger of frost has past, harden off and plant into final flowering position

Aim to sow 0.0 inches (0.0 cm) deep and try to ensure a gap of at least 5.85 inches (15.0 cm). For optimal germination, soil temperature should be a minimum of 13°C / 55°F.

By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Sweet Alyssum about 35 days before your last frost date .

Transplanting Sweet Alyssum

Reseeds like crazy, but you can also easily transplant volunteers. You can encourage better blooms in new generations by weeding out the non-blooming offspring.

The best way to transplant alyssum is to start seeds in 2 1/2 in. pots and then transplanted to the ground or in a container such as a hanging basket.

If starting seeds from indoor germination
When large enough to handle pot on to 5cm apart in trays. When all danger of frost has past, harden off and plant into final flowering position 15cm apart

Sweet Alyssum is very hardy, so ensure you wait until all danger of frost has passed in your area before considering planting outside.

By our calculations*, you should look at planting out Sweet Alyssum about 14 days before your last frost date.

Seed Saving Sweet Alyssum

Let the tiny seeds pods dry on the plant and then carefully collect seeds, by shaking the seed pods into a paper bag. Store in a cool dry place

How long does Sweet Alyssum take to grow?

These estimates for how long Sweet Alyssum takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Days to Germination How long does it take Sweet Alyssum to germinate?
7 days

Average 7 days | Min 2 days | Max 24 days (44)

Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Sweet Alyssum?
+ 25 days

Average 25 days | Min 13 days | Max 193 days (3)

Days to Maturity How long until Sweet Alyssum is ready for harvest / bloom?
+ 30 days

Average 30 days | Min 1 days | Max 446 days (5)

Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Sweet Alyssum?
= 62 days

When should I plant Sweet Alyssum?

Our when to plant Sweet Alyssum estimates are relative to your last frost date.

When to sow The number of days to sow Sweet Alyssum before or after your last frost date.
35 days before Last Frost Date
When to plant out The number of days to plant out Sweet Alyssum before or after your last frost date.
14 days before Last Frost Date

Sweet Alyssum Etymology

The Greek word lyssa means rage or madness, a is against. Sweet alyssum was once used to cure madness and rabies.3

Lobularia is “small pod”.3

The meaning of maritima is “from the sea”3, referring to its preference for coastal areas.

Sweet Alyssum Folklore & Trivia

The plant was once thought to cure madness and rabies.3

Other names for Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alison, Alyssum, Ladies in Waiting, Lavender Snow

Alyssum maritima procumbens, Alyssum maritima, Alyssum maritimum, Lobularia maritimum, Alyssum maritimum f. argentatum Font Quer, Alyssum maritimum f. crassifolium Font Quer, Alyssum maritimum f. densiflorum (Lange) Briq., Alyssum maritimum f. densiflorum

Misspellings: alissum

Footnotes

1 howstuffworks.com

2 OrganicGardening.com

3 www.vplants.org


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