The Care and Feeding of Bluebonnets
Growing Conditions
In order to properly grow bluebonnets, you need two weather factors. You need heat in order to germinate the seed, but you also need cool weather in order to develop the bluebonnet's root structure. The seed itself is designed by nature to only germinate occasionally - this is nature's way of "rationing" the seeds in case of really tough weather like droughts or extremely wet periods.
Choosing The Best Seed
If you purchase bluebonnet seeds, look for seeds which have been scarified. Scarification involves a treatment which removes some of the inhibiting properties which may prevent the seed from germinating. Properly scarified seeds should germinate within ten days of planting.
Soil Conditions and Lighting Conditions
A big killer of bluebonnets is fungi. Too much watering promotes this fungi from developing. Make sure your soil has excellent drainage. If the soil you have is really clayey, try breaking it up with organic material like compost, humus, etc. Remember that bluebonnets are really an extremely drought tolerant plant; keep the soil moist during the first three weeks, and then "forget about it"469-854-0290
Planting The Seeds
If you've purchased scarified seeds, don't scatter them haphazardly over the soil and expect them to germinate. The seeds must be covered before they can germinate; rake soil over them, or rake them directly into the soil. Don't plant them too deeply, or the seeds will simply rot.
The best time to plant bluebonnet seeds is in the fall - factory-scarified seeds should be planted no later than September 15 in north Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, etc.), while the end of November is the best time for south Texas (San Antonio, etc.) The sooner you plant the bluebonnet seeds in the fall, the the larger the plants will grow in the spring. And larger plants mean more blossoms!
Care
To keep your bluebonnets blooming, take care to remove all the old blossoms. This removal encourages the sides to develop shoots. We already discussed not to water the plants once they've been established; the majority of folks who raise bluebonnets will kill them simply because they've added way too much water.
Additional Resources:
- Amazon.com has a variety of books on the subject of bluebonnets, including The Texas Bluebonnet by Jean Andrews
- Another good book is the Texas Wildflowers Guide. Wonder