How to Grow Verbena

Starting Verbena Plants

Purchase verbena starts or seedlings at a local garden store. They are available in zones two through eight. Since verbena seeds take a long time to germinate, you can save yourself time and space by starting with seedlings. Buying the verbena plants allows you to ask the clerks how tall they grow and compare different colors. You can find verbena plants in white, red, purple, pink or multi-colored varieties.

Plant your verbena seeds in the winter if you want to grow them from seed. Sew two seeds to every peat or fiber pot. Keep the soil damp but not overwatered. Use warm water to keep the soil warmer during germination. Seeds will take approximately one month to sprout.

Grow indoors until they produce three to four leaves. Then, start hardening them by placing them outside during the day in full sunlight.

Growing Verbena

Choose locations for your verbena plants that get 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight. Verbena plants are prone to developing powdery mildew if they don’t get enough sun.

Plant the verbena seedlings in late spring or early summer. Make sure that you are well past your last frost and the days are long.

Ensure they are planted in well-drained soil. After you place them in the ground, fertilize the ground with flower fertilizer. Fertilize monthly for the rest of the growing season.

Water to keep the soil moist during the first few weeks after planting.

Change your water regimen after the verbena plants are well rooted. Water once per week at the base of the plant, making sure they get about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water or rain. Allow the soil to dry out before the next watering. Overwatering and watering from overhead are common mistakes with verbena care.

Encouraging Verbena Flowers

Deadhead verbena plants after the first full bloom. Prune one-fourth of the plants top growth, include old flower blooms. Take care not to prune on the main stem.

Prune two to three times per season. The next bloom will appear in 15 to 20 days. This practice will produce more blooms and wider plants.

Consider using cuttings to multiply your verbena stock, if you want to grow them again. Cut a stem just below the node, or thickened place on a stem. Plant them in soil and keep them moist and shaded until they take root. Keep them in a container with as much sun as possible until you are ready to plant them in your beds.

Trim back the plant slightly in the fall if you live in a warmer locale and want to treat them as perennials. They will die with exposure to frost. Don’t overtrim them or they may not remain hardy.