How to Grow Nemesia

Nemesia, also called pouch nemesia, is a colorful annual that does best in regions with cool summer temperatures. It is available in a host of colors, including yellow, orange, red, pink and white. The eye-catching blooms appear in spring and last well into summer. The plants grow from 1 to 2 feet tall and are ideal for borders or beds. They prefer cool to moderate temperatures and must be provided with shade and abundant water in hot regions.

Plant flat
Seed-starting mixture
Clear plastic
Garden fork
Organic compost
Garden spade
Organic mulch
Liquid all-purpose fertilizer
Pruning shears

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a plant flat almost 3/4 full with seed-starting mixture. Sow the seeds and cover them to a depth of 1/4 inch.
- 2
  Add enough water to moisten, but not drench, the seed-starting mixture. Stretch a piece of clear plastic over the plant flat and place in a dark location that maintains temperatures of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 3
  Check the growing mixture daily and add moisture only if the mixture no longer sticks to your finger. Remove the plastic and place in a warm, sunny location after the first seedling emerges.
- 4
  Loosen soil in the planting location to a depth of 12 inches. Amend with 2 to 3 inches of organic compost.
- 5
  Transplant the seedlings outdoors after they have developed six leaves. Plant at the same level they were growing before and water until the soil feels moist. Add 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch.
- 6
  Water nemesia plants when the top 1/2 inch of soil no longer feels moist. Feed them two times each month with liquid all-purpose fertilizer, at the recommended dilution for outdoor flowers.
- 7
  Pinch the tips of the plants back, before blooms start to develop, to encourage fuller growth. Cut the plants back by half in midsummer to stimulate another wave of blooms.

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