Growing Midget Mix Stock Garden Seeds
- Taxonomy: Matthiola incana
- Seed Type: Annual
- Sow Indoors or Outdoors: In regions with severe winters, sow Midget Mix seeds directly in spring after the frost. Seeds may also be started indoors 6 – 8 weeks prior to final frost then transplanted either indoors or out. In regions with mild to warm winters, seeds may be sown outdoors in autumn for colorful winter blooming.
- Days to Maturity: 70 - 84 days
- Hardiness Zone: 3 – 10
- Planting Depth: Plant 3 – 4 seeds 1/8” deep
- Plant Spacing: 12 – 14"
- Growth Habit: 8 – 12” tall dwarf with stalks bursting of 60 – 80% double-flowered florets
- Soil Preference: Cool, evenly moist, well-drained
- Light Preference: Full sun
- Diseases/Pests/Troubleshooting: Midget Mix stock thrives in cool soil and conditions. It is common for Midget Mix stock to show signs of wilting and decline by mid-summer once daytime heat becomes too extreme. Plants also require cool night conditions.
- Color: Mix of lavender, rose, canary, peach, burgundy, cream, ivory, red, and purple
In regions with severe winters, sow Midget Mix stock seeds directly in spring after the frost has passed. Midget Mix stock seeds may also be started indoors 6 – 8 weeks prior to final frost then transplanted either indoors or out. In regions with mild to warm winters, Midget Mix seeds may also be sown outdoors in autumn for colorful winter blooming. Plant 3 – 4 Midget Mix stock seeds 1/8” deep and 14” apart in cool, rich, consistently moist, and well-drained soil in full sun. Germination will take 14 – 28 days. Midget Mix stock thrives in cool soil and conditions. It is common for Midget Mix stock to show signs of wilting and decline by midsummer once daytime heat averages above 85 degrees. Plants also require cool night conditions. There are no known serious pests or diseases but monitor regularly for snails, slugs, and aphids. Midget Mix stock seeds mature in 70 - 84 days as tidy 8 – 12” tall dwarfs with stalks bursting of 60 – 80% double-flowered florets of lavender, rose, canary, peach, burgundy, cream, ivory, red, and purple.
Matthiola incana is a highly fragrant variety of stock. Matthiola incana was first identified in London in the 18th Century at the Brompton Park Nursery, and “Brompton stock” is a common name for Matthiola incana still used today. Since then, many modern varieties of stock now produce 60 – 80% double-blooms because generations of selective crossing have slowly killed the viability for single-bloom traits.