We thrive when we feel the sun's warmth on our leaves all day long. Please plant us in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. Without it, our stems will become weak and leggy, and we will produce far fewer of the vibrant flowers we know you love. As for our soil, we are not overly fussy but we do insist on good drainage. While we enjoy consistent moisture, our roots will rot if left sitting in soggy, waterlogged earth. A rich, fertile, and moist loam is our idea of paradise. Amending the planting area with compost will make us very happy and give us the nutrients we need to grow strong.
Our name, Sneezeweed, is quite a misnomer; we do not cause hay fever (that’s typically the work of ragweed). In fact, we prefer our soil to be consistently moist, especially during our first growing season as we establish our root systems. Once we are mature, we have a moderate tolerance for dry spells, but we will truly flourish and produce the most abundant blooms if you provide us with about an inch of water per week. The goal is to keep the soil damp but not saturated. Water us at the base to keep our leaves dry and help prevent fungal diseases.
We are not greedy plants, but a little nutritional encouragement helps us put on our best show. Feeding us once in the early spring as we break dormancy with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a top-dressing of compost will give us the energy for strong growth. If your soil is particularly poor, you can give us another light feeding just as we begin to form our flower buds. This extra energy will go directly into producing more and larger blooms for you to enjoy from late summer into the fall.
To ensure we grow into bushy, well-shaped plants and avoid becoming too tall and floppy, we appreciate a technique called pinching. In late spring to early summer, when we are about 12 inches tall, simply pinch or cut back the top few inches of our main stems. This encourages us to branch out laterally, creating a sturdier plant that will support the weight of our flowers. To prolong our blooming period, deadhead the spent flowers by cutting the stem back to a side shoot. In late fall or early spring, you can cut our entire stature down to just a few inches above the ground.
Every two to three years, we begin to feel a bit crowded at our base. The center of our clump may start to die out, and our flowering might diminish. This is the perfect time to divide us. The best times for this are in early spring, just as new growth appears, or in the fall after we have finished blooming. Carefully dig up our entire root clump and use a sharp spade or knife to divide us into smaller sections. Replant the healthy outer divisions immediately, water them well, and we will reward you with renewed vigor and spectacular blooms.
