How to Grow Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis Alpestris)

Select a site that receives full to partial sunlight. In hot climates, choose a site that receives some afternoon shade. Forget-me-nots like acidic to neutral, well-drained soil and will grow in sandy, loamy or clay soils.

Use the shovel or tiller to turn and loosen the soil in the planting bed to a depth of about 8 inches after all danger of frost has passed. Use the rake or your hands to remove large rocks and break up large clods of soil. Although forget-me-nots are not picky about it, consider adding compost or organic matter to enrich the soil. Work in the soil amendments, then rake the planting bed smooth.

Place the seeds where you want each plant to grow in the flowerbed. Use the hand trowel or rake to cover the seeds with about 1/8 inch of soil.

Use the hand trowel to dig planting holes for individual seedlings or young plants. Make the holes twice as wide as the root system and as deep as the plants were in their nursery containers. Dig the holes 8 to 10 inches apart.

Set the seedlings or young plants into the holes and use the hand trowel or your hands to scoop the excavated soil into the planting hole. Tamp the soil down lightly. Water the plants thoroughly and add more soil, if necessary, to level the top of the planting hole with the surrounding ground.

Spread a light layer of organic mulch over the planted seeds or 1 to 3 inches of mulch around seedlings and young plants to conserve moisture.

Water lightly every day until the seeds germinate, then cut back to deeper but less frequent watering as the seedlings grow.