How to Grow Hoary Stock Indoors

Select a suitable site for growing hoary stock indoors. Choose a sunny room with adequate air circulation and temperatures above 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid rooms with excessive humidity since the seedlings will not develop properly.

Fill a 2- to 3.5-inch-deep nursery tray with sterile seed-starting compost. Spread the hoary stock seeds 1 inch apart across the surface of the seed-starting compost. Press the seeds firmly onto the surface of the compost your hand. Do not cover them since they need light to germinate.

Spray the seed-starting compost liberally with a water-filled plant mister. Mist the compost until it is moderately moist 1/4 inch below the surface. Maintain moisture at a one-quarter inch depth until the hoary stock seeds germinate.

Position one or two fluorescent lamps beside the nursery tray. Angle the bulbs toward the nursery tray. Turn the lamps on for eight hours each day to provide constant supplemental light during the germination process.

Watch for sprouting in one week. Transplant the hoary stock seedlings into 4-inch plastic pots filled with loam once they reach 2 inches in height.

Keep the individually potted hoary stock seedlings under bright, sunny conditions while they grow. Water each plant to a depth of 1 inch once a week. Avoid overwatering the soil since it will diminish the plant's rate of growth.

Transplant the hoary stocks into ceramic or rigid plastic planters once they grow to 4 inches in height. Fill the planter with potting soil containing slow-release fertilizer.

Place the hoary stock plants near a very large, well-lit window with western or southern exposure. Water the plants to a depth of 1 inch once a week. Let the soil dry out in the top one-half inch between waterings.

Deadhead the hoary stock to prolong the blooming period and improve the overall appearance of the plant. Snip off the spent flowers at the base using pruning shears and discard them. Watch for renewed blooming one to two weeks after deadheading.