Hello! It's your Cornflower here. We're known for our vibrant blue blooms that traditionally grace sunny fields, but with the right care, we can be convinced to put on a repeat show for you indoors. To get us to bloom again, you need to understand our core needs and mimic our ideal natural conditions as closely as possible. Here’s what we require from our perspective.
First and foremost, we are sun worshippers. Our entire lifecycle is powered by abundant, direct light. To initiate and sustain blooming, we need a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. A south-facing window is our absolute favorite spot indoors. An east or west-facing window can work, but we may become leggy as we stretch toward the light, and our flowering will be less prolific. Without sufficient light, our energy goes into mere survival, not into producing the beautiful flowers you desire. If your home lacks such a bright spot, please consider supplementing with a full-spectrum grow light for 12-14 hours a day to convince us it's a long, sunny summer.
Our roots despise being waterlogged. We thrive in well-draining, sandy, or even slightly gritty potting soil that allows water to flow through quickly. When you water us, please do so thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes, but then allow the top inch of soil to dry out completely before watering again. Constantly soggy soil will lead to root rot, which is a death sentence for us and will certainly prevent any chance of re-blooming. Think of our native prairie habitat—we like a good drink followed by a period of dryness.
While we aren't heavy feeders, we do need the right nutrients to fuel a second round of flowering. Once you see new growth or the first set of blooms begins to fade, it's time to feed us. However, please avoid fertilizers high in nitrogen, as that will encourage lots of leafy green growth at the expense of flowers. Instead, look for a fertilizer with a higher middle number (phosphorus), which promotes bud development. A balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength, applied every 4-6 weeks during our growing season, is perfect for supporting our energy needs for repeated blooming.
This is the single most important task you can do to encourage us to bloom again. Our primary biological goal is to produce seeds to ensure the survival of the next generation. Once a flower fades and begins to form a seed head, our job is done, and we have no reason to produce more flowers. By carefully snipping off the spent blooms (deadheading), you are tricking us into thinking we haven't successfully produced seeds yet. This forces us to redirect our energy into producing more flowers in a continued effort to reproduce. Regularly removing these old blooms is the direct signal we need to keep the show going.
We prefer cooler conditions, especially at night. We thrive in daytime temperatures between 60-75°F (15-24°C) and appreciate a slight drop at night. Stagnant, hot, and dry air can stress us and make us more susceptible to pests like spider mites, which will further hinder our performance. Good air circulation from a gentle breeze (provided by an oscillating fan on a low setting) helps strengthen our stems and keeps our foliage healthy, creating an overall environment where we have the energy to re-bloom.
