Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous
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Soil
Any sunny site with good drainage.
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Position
Full sun.
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Frost tolerant
Moderate. Young seedlings often escape damage from light frost, but may be injured by sudden freezes.
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Feeding
Mix a light application of a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. In early summer, drench plants with a liquid feed to support strong growth.
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Companions
Bells of Ireland can grow to 4 feet (120 cm) tall, so they are best use as background plants.
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Spacing
Single Plants: 11" (30cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 11" (30cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum)
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Sow and Plant
Sow seeds where you want the plants to grow in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. Or, start seeds indoors in late winter and set out the seedlings while the soil is still cool.
Our Garden Planning Tool can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
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Notes
The tiny flowers hidden within the shell-shaped calyxes are surprisingly fragrant.
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Harvesting
Cut stems for flower arrangements when half of the bells on a flowering spike are open. When growing bells of Ireland for drying, allow the spikes to remain on the plants until all the bells have opened.
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Troubleshooting
Seed germination is often better outdoors than indoors because the seeds are exposed to cold, wet conditions. In many climates, bells of Ireland reseed themselves when given the opportunity.
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