Ageratum

 

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil.

Position

Full sun to partial shade.

Frost tolerant

None. Ageratum cannot tolerate cold temperatures.

Feeding

Mix a light application of a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. In midsummer, drench plants with a liquid plant food to stimulate new growth.

Companions

Thyme and Osteospermum. Dwarf types make good edging plants for beds and containers. Tall varieties often are grown as cut flowers.

Spacing

Single Plants: 7" (20cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 7" (20cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Sow tiny ageratum seeds atop moist seed starting mix and gently press them into the surface. Most gardeners buy ageratum seedlings, but only dwarf varieties are widely available as bedding plants. Space dwarf varieties 8 inches (20cm) apart in all directions; allow 12 inches (30cm) between very tall varieties.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Blue ageratum provides excellent contrast when combined with flowers with orange blossoms. Some varieties produce white or pink blossoms.

Harvesting

Snip off spent blossoms to keep plants looking neat, and to prolong flowering. Tall varieties make great cut flowers.

Troubleshooting

White ageratum blossoms go brown as they age, which is not as noticeable in varieties that bloom blue.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

Want to find out when you can plant this in your garden? We use historical data from your local weather station to calculate the best range of planting dates for your location (see example planting calendar below).