Balloon flowers (Platycodon) are ideal for borders or rock gardens. The flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies thanks to their wide-open petals. These perennials self-seed, although they do not spread aggressively. Overall, balloon flower care is quite easy and with the exception of root rot in areas with a lot of rainfall, these plants are fairly resistant to pests and diseases. The taller varieties can become a bit limp. You can stake them or plant them in clumps so they support each other.
Types of Balloon Flowers
There are several popular varieties of balloon flowers including:
- Platycodon grandiflorus Astra series: This variety produces double flowers with 10 petals in blue, pink or white. They are ideal for growing from seeds.
- P. grandiflorus Fuji series: This is the most commonly sold variety and also the largest, with 30cm long stems and flowers in blue, pink or white.
- P. grandiflorus 'Komachi': The purple-blue flowers of this variety remain in their inflated cushion stage even after flowering.
- P. 'Sentimental Blue': This dwarf variety grows to about 5 cm high and has many 1 to 2 cm purple flowers.
Balloon flower care: lighting conditions
You will get the most flowers if you use the balloon flowersin full sunplant (at least six hours of sunlight most days). However, they also thrive in partial shade and may even prefer some shade where the afternoon sun is particularly hot.
Which soil does the plant prefer?
Balloon flowers prefer organically rich, loamy soil that has good drainage. They do not grow well in dense soil. They prefer a pH in the range of 5.5 to 7.5.
Keep the soil of young plants evenly moist, but not too wet. Once established, the flowers like moderate moisture in the soil but can tolerate short periods of drought. They don't need much supplemental watering unless there is a long period of no rainfall that dries out the soil.
Temperature and humidity
Their ideal temperature range is between 15 and 26 degrees Celsius, but they can tolerate higher temperatures if they get some shade in the afternoon. Frost can kill young plants and cause established onesPlants in autumnfall back into the ground. Balloon flowers tolerate both humid and dry air provided they have the right amount of soil moisture.
Which fertilizers are suitable?
We will clarify below what care the balloon flower needs in terms of fertilization. Here too isthe plant is easy to care for, because it usually doesn't need any additional fertilization if you have fertile soil. But a layer of compost in the fall can help the flower replenish the energy it used up during flowering. If you have poor soil, use a general-purpose, slow-release fertilizer in early spring.
Cut balloon flower
Pruning is usually not necessary for balloon flowers, but can be done for aesthetic reasons. To create stockier plants, you can cut tall stems back by about half in late spring. This can prevent the plants from tipping over. By cutting off spent flowers, you will ensure that the plants look good and bloom again and again. Do not remove the entire stem, just the spent flowers. The remaining buds on the stem will continue to open.
Propagation of Platycodon
Balloon flowers are very popular with gardeners because they are hardy and multiply quickly, the more the better, but you have to be careful howthe plant is propagated. Propagation by division is generally not recommended because the deep taproots do not like to be disturbed. Instead, you can propagate the plant through stem cuttings. Using sterile, sharp pruning shears, cut a 2-inch (5 cm) section of the stem and remove the lower foliage to reveal the bare stem.
If you prefer, you can treat the bare trunk with a rooting hormone and then plant it in moist soil. Keep the soil moist (but not wet) while you wait for the roots to establish. Once you see leaf growth and feel resistance when you gently pull on the cutting, you know the roots have grown. Then the plant is ready to be transplanted into the garden.
Growing the flower from seeds
Sow seeds indoors in early spring, about six to eight weeks before the expected last frost date in your area, using seed mix or regular potting soil. Just barely cover the seeds with soil. Place the container in a warm place until the seeds germinate. Once the weather has warmed up, you can transplant the seedlings outdoors. If you are planting the seeds directly in the garden, you should do so after the last frost, but keep in mind that they probably won't bloom the first year.
Common pests and plant diseases
Balloon flowers generally attract snails, like many other outdoor bloomers, which can be lured away from the plants with bait. However, the plant can be affected by crown rot, root rot, Botrytis gray mold, powdery mildew or leaf fungus. Crown and root rot can cause plants to die over the winter. Dispose of plants with gray mold quickly to prevent it from spreading.
Can you grow Platycodon in containers?
You can balloon flowergrow on the balcony, because it does well in pots and as a cut flower. It attracts butterflies and is a magnet for birds.Plant the flowerin the front part of a border or in a container in fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Cut back the flowering shoots in autumn. The plant suffers when its roots are disturbed. Therefore, you should not share or move them once they are established.
