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Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
Seed Packet

Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate

Polygonum orientale
This heirloom variety, also called Ladyfingers, came to America in 1737 when Peter Collinson sent fellow botanist John Bartram some seeds from English gardens. Tall stems display large smooth leaves, and the dangling blooms of deep rose sway in the slightest breeze. "There is something oriental looking about it. It reminds me of the willow trees on Blue Willow china," says fellow gardener William Yoakum, who shared seeds with us many years ago. Diverse beneficial insects are attracted to the tassel blooms. Self-sows.
SKU #S251
$3.25
Currently Unavailable
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Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
130
Lifecycle
Annual
Annual Hardiness
Hardy Annual
Mature Size
6-7' h x 2' w
Sun
Full sun
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained
Season
Summer to fall
Color
Deep rose pink
Features
Great Cut Flower
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Bees
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
1/16-1/4"
Sprout Time:
22-60 days
Seed To Bloom:
16-18 weeks
Starting Indoors:
Stratify for 30 days. Sow in a container, cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate, or mix seed with damp clean sand or vermiculite, bag, and refrigerate at 35-40F. Check often for germination and maintain a lightly moist medium. Transplant any seedlings as they germinate. After the chill period, sow into soilless media and keep at 65-70F.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow in fall or earliest spring, or wintersow into pots in the shade, covered with a thin layer of clean sand and a wire screen to keep out mice and voles. Check for moisture at regular intervals.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
At last spring frost date.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate's dangling tassels of bright pink flowers mingle well with branched sunflowers and salvias at the back of the summer border or in wild areas, where it attracts an abundance of pollinators—bees, wasps, beetles, and more. Excellent cut flowers, fresh or dry. It self-sows readily, look for thead-like red seedling stems in spring.
Final Spacing:
2'
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
About 1" per week.
Soil pH:
Not particular about pH
Fertilizer:
If soil is not rich, mix in a few inches of compost prior to planting. Topdress with an inch or two yearly thereafter if allowing to self-sow.
Diseases & Pests:
No major problems. May self-sow excessively in some warmer regions.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Cut when florets are 3/4 open, may be dried.
Growing Guides Fall Sowing Hardy Annuals
Access here
Growing Guides Winter Sowing Guide
Access here