The evening primrose (Oenothera) is a versatile flowering perennial for colorful perennial beds and borders. The cheerful flowers also decorate naturally planted perennial meadows as well as sunny gravel and rock gardens. Propagating the popular summer flower by sowing purchased or self-collected seeds.
When and how should you sow evening primroses?
Depending on the species, evening primroses are sown either by direct sowing in the garden bed between June and August or by pre-cultivation on the windowsill from March. Young plants can be moved outdoors in May. Make sure you choose a sunny location with well-drained soil and always keep the soil slightly moist.
The right time
When the time is right to sow depends on the species. Direct sowing in the garden bed is usually carried out between June and August, although the young plants can also be grown on the windowsill at home from March. If you already have evening primroses in the garden and don't want to specifically sow new ones in a different location, you can simply let the plants sow themselves and save a bit of work.
Flowers only in the second year
But no matter whether you prefer the young plants or sow them directly in the garden, the evening primrose will still only bloom in its second year. In the first year only a low rosette of leaves develops; the actual growth in height and thus also the flowering does not occur until the following year.
Pre-culture and direct sowing
For pre-culture, place the seeds in pots with potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon) from March onwards and always keep them slightly moist. The resulting young plants can be transplanted outdoors or into pots from around mid to late May. Direct sowing is carried out as described:
- in a sunny location with rather poor, well-drained soil.
- Dig the bed thoroughly and, if necessary, thin it out with a little sand.
- Rake the soil so that all the larger chunks of soil are finely crumbled.
- Spread the seeds in furrows about two centimeters deep.
- Cover the seeds loosely with fine soil.
- Always keep the sowing area slightly moist.
The later young plants should be separated at a distance of around 25 centimeters.
Overwintering evening primroses
Since evening primroses are generally considered to be very hardy, the young plants can be left outside without worry. However, make sure that you do not plant the perennials in locations that are wet in winter - winter wetness is very difficult for evening primroses to tolerate. A vigorous cut in autumn or towards the end of winter stimulates early flowering.
Tip
There are a whole range of modern hybrid varieties (including “African Sun”, “Camel” or “Firework”) that cannot be propagated by sowing alone. In this case, however, propagation from half-ripe cuttings is possible in early summer.
