How to Grow Bachelor Buttons From Seed Indoors

Bachelor buttons, or Centaurea cyanus, is an annual species of plant commonly cultivated in gardens for its showy, violet-blue flowers. It is a resilient variety of flower and will grow in virtually any type of soil, but it requires full sun and abundant water to truly thrive. Like most annual flowers, bachelor buttons grow best from seeds grown indoors six to eight weeks before the last winter frost. They will reach their full height of 1 to 2 feet in a month or two if provided with bright light and warm temperatures.

Nursery tray
Seed-starting compost
Spray bottle
Greenhouse warming mat
4-inch pots
Potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a nursery tray with sterile seed-starting compost. Spray the compost liberally with water using a spray bottle to settle it and remove any trapped air.
- 2
  Spread the tiny, hairy bachelor button seeds 1 inch apart across the surface of the seed-starting compost. Cover the seeds with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of seed-starting compost.
- 3
  Spray the top layer of seed-starting compost using the spray bottle until it feels saturated. Maintain moisture in the top 3/4-inch of the seed-starting compost during the germination process.
- 4
  Place the nursery tray on a greenhouse warming mat set to 68 degrees Fahrenheit near a source of bright light, such as under a large window or outdoors in a cold frame.
- 5
  Watch for sprouting in seven to 14 days. Transplant the bachelor button seedlings into 4-inch pots filled with potting soil once they reach 1-inch in height.
- 6
  Keep the bachelor button seedlings in their starter pots for one month so they can establish a healthy root system before transplanting them into a permanent container or bed in late spring.

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