{"product_id":"bachelors-button-seeds-black","title":"Bachelor's Button Seeds - Black","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCentaurea cyanus\u003c\/em\u003e 'Black Ball' — the cornflower, in a strain so deep a maroon it reads as black in the border. Double, thistle-like blooms on wiry 2 to 3 foot stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the one that makes a goth garden work. Against the orange of marigolds or the cherry red of zinnias it does what nothing else quite does, and it dries as well as it cuts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChill the seed first.\u003c\/strong\u003e Five days to two weeks in the refrigerator before sowing noticeably improves germination.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1\/4 to 1\/2 inch deep, directly where they are to grow. Bachelor's button is taprooted and does not transplant well, so skip the seed trays.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGermination:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7 to 14 days at 60 to 70°F.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpace:\u003c\/strong\u003e Thin to 8 to 12 inches apart.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun. In warm climates it appreciates part shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2 to 3 feet. Benefits from staking in wind.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80 to 90 days from sowing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn Florida — sow this one in fall, not spring\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBachelor's button is a \u003cstrong\u003ecool-season\u003c\/strong\u003e annual. A spring sowing in Florida bolts and collapses in the heat before it does anything worth looking at. Direct sow \u003cstrong\u003eOctober through January\u003c\/strong\u003e for bloom in late winter and early spring. UF\/IFAS puts cool-season cut flowers in a September-through-February window; this one sits at the later end of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFor cutting and drying\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eExcellent fresh, with a vase life around 7 days, and one of the better flowers for drying — the colour holds. Deadhead for more bloom and to keep the self-sowing in check, because it will reseed itself readily and naturalize if you let it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeer tend to leave it alone. Bees and butterflies work the flowers, and songbirds will strip the seed heads if you leave them standing. \u003cstrong\u003eThe petals are edible\u003c\/strong\u003e — scatter them over a salad or freeze them into ice cubes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePacket artwork and paper color may vary slightly from the packet shown.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Valhalla Hall","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50540968804527,"sku":null,"price":4.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0897\/5535\/files\/blackbutton_3749d1da-208c-4526-959f-79a253ab6e51.png?v=1790555460","url":"https:\/\/valhallahall.com\/products\/bachelors-button-seeds-black","provider":"Valhalla Hall Farm","version":"1.0","type":"link"}