Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous
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Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil.
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Position
Full sun to partial shade.
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Frost tolerant
None. Cleome cannot tolerate cold temperatures.
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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.
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Companions
Cleome looks best when planted in large clumps or masses. Tall varieties make great flowers for the back of the border.
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Spacing
Single Plants: 7" (20cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 7" (20cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum)
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Sow and Plant
Sow cleome seeds indoors in moist seed starting mix, or wait until the soil has warmed and sow the seeds where you want the plants to grow. Dwarf varieties can sometimes be found as bedding plants. Allow 12 inches (30cm) between very tall varieties.
Our Garden Planning Tool can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
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Notes
Despite the beauty of the blossoms, cleome is seldom used as a cut flower because of its acrid aroma. Some new varieties do not have this problem. Cleome colors include pink, white, and lavender.
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Harvesting
Snip off spent blossoms to keep plants looking neat, and to prolong flowering. Tall varieties may need staking.
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Troubleshooting
As cleome plants mature, the lowest leaves wither and fall to the ground. Grow a mound-forming plant in front of cleome to hide the lowest sections of the plants from view.
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