Flannel Flower Growing Tips With Brooke Minards
Recently we asked Brooke Minards, from Waratah Farm, some questions about flannel flower. Brooke is kind enough to supply us with fresh wild flannel flower seed with smoke treated vermiculite to aid in germination
Can you tell us a bit about Waratah Farm?
The Waratah Farm is situated on the Central Coast of NSW, where protected Flannel Flower and Waratahs thrive, but are targeted and threatened by illegal poaching for the cut flower market.
We are the only farm granted Biosecurity Conservation Licenses for both Waratah and Flannel Flowers, that enable us to grow and sell Seed, Flowers and Whole Plants.
It is a humbling honour to be legally able to add more of these iconic Native Plants and blooms to the environment.
What makes your flannel flower seeds the best quality?
Firstly, we care for our seed donor plants. It is important that we always remember that Flannel Flowers need air, water and food to send high quality, fertile seeds.
Our seeds are self-seedling hermaphrodites, which means they multiply. It is important that we only collect the finest seeds to enable high germination rates.
In our Flannel Flower packs, we include seeds that have come from elegant long stemmed plants, and also hardy plants to give you the best of both.
How To Germinate Flannel Flower
- Pour the sachets of seeds & smoked vermiculite into 500mls warm water. Leave for an hour.
- Put a soil mix of 1 parts fine perlite, I part propagation sand, 2 parts seed-raising mix into a seed tray. Strain and reserve water.
- Press seeds and vermiculite onto the soil mix. Lightly cover the seeds and vermiculite with some soil mix.
- Gently pour the reserved smoke treatment water over the tray.
Other notes
- Please sow as soon as possible. They like a stable sunny spot, under 30 degrees.
- Seedlings can take up to 6 months to sprout.
- They look like grass shoots when they first pop up.
- Transfer the seedlings into a larger pot, using same soil mix. They do not like Phosphorus.
- They don’t like wet feet. They like a sunny, yet protected spot in a pot or well-draining spot.
What are your 5 tips for growing Flannel Flowers from seed?
- Plant Fresh if possible and when temperatures drop below 30 degrees.
- Use Activated Seeds with a Smoke Treatment. Minerals that mirror ‘Bush Fire Events’ are incredibly important for high germination.
- Plant seeds into a seedling tray, using a well draining medium that is low in phosphorus. Pick out seedlings prior to the bloom of true leaves and put them in native tube pots.
- Pot them up when they are approximately 4cm tall and provide them with a kebab stick for support.
- Flannel Flower seedlings enjoy moisture, so water morning and night. As the temperature cools, water them only in the morning, but enough to keep them hydrated during the day.
Harvesting Flannel Flowers?
Freshness is everything. If you are cutting flowers, you generally aim to leave them on the plant as long as possible. I like to pick early in the morning to avoid the heat. However you need to keep an eye on the weather as rain or dew can spoil flowers.
Please use clean sharp snips that are suitable for the stems. You need to consider whether you want to pick earlier to slow down the dilation of the flower. Keep your lengths as similar as possible as consistency lends itself to the overall quality of your bunch. When cutting I use a 45 degree angle to allow for water flow. I like to strip the foliage above the water line so that bacteria doesn’t spoil the flowers.
Keep an eye out for any disease or pests on the foliage. Some flowers do well with crystals that assist with extending the lifespan of flowers. Always ensure that every stem reaches the water in your bucket. Always check water levels to make sure it hasn’t all been absorbed. Simply picking up the bucket and feeling the weight is the easiest way to staying on top of this.
The most important part when you are cutting is the word SUCCESSION. You need to consider the effects of your cuts to the life of the flowers and the plant.
Are you cutting of water supply to other stems? Do you need to leave less mature flowers on the plant till next week's harvest. If you also want to collect seeds from this plant, identify which blooms you will leave behind for pollination.
So many questions, but you’ve worked so hard to get them to this point, you deserve for them to be gorgeous for as long as possible.
Why do you think people love flannel flowers so much?
Well, they are simply beautiful. The delicate white flowers stand out in the rugged bush. The blooms are entwined with gnarled wood and rock formations. We see them as kids on bushwalks, and we never forget them.
The velvety feel of the flowers, and the blue toned foliage is so unique and looks exquisite in both native and traditional floristry.
What are your 5 favourite flowers to grow from seed?
Flannel Flower - Actinotus helianthi
Waratah – Telopea speciosissima
Silver-leaved Mountain Gum - Eucalyptus pulvurenta
Silver Dollar - Eucalyptus cinerea
Straw Flower – Xerochrysum bracteatum
