How to Grow Orange Coreopsis

Select a spot in the garden that gets full or partial sun. Full-sun areas get six hours of sunlight a day or more, while partial sun is four to six hours. The more sun, the better for this colorful perennial.

Plant in soil with a loamy or sandy consistency and good drainage for best growth. Orange coreopsis is tolerant of poor soil conditions and can help fill in difficult, dry, rocky areas with poor nutrient levels.

Space these small perennials 6 to 12 inches apart. As the plants develop, they will grow together, creating a dense effect. Dig the holes slightly larger than the nursery pots. Make the holes the same depth as the root ball.

Remove the orange coreopsis plants from the nursery pots by gently grasping the base of the stem and wiggling the root ball free. Place the root ball into the prepared hole, and refill the soil around it.

Water orange coreopsis right after you plant it, and keep the soil damp for the first one to two months until the plants get established. If you plant during spring or fall when the weather tends to be damp, water only if the soil starts to dry out. In summer, water once a week.

Mulch the garden bed after you plant. Use pine bark, sawdust, peat moss, compost or a similar organic material. Add 2 to 4 inches of mulch over the garden bed and around each plant.

Clip off the dead flowers in summer to encourage more flowers into late summer and fall. Use pruning shears, or pinch the flower heads off with your fingers.

Divide orange coreopsis in the spring of every third year to keep the plant colonies from getting overcrowded. Dig up the plants as soon as the first green shoots appear. Break the root ball into sections with at least three shoots per section.

Replant half of the divided plants back into the same area. Transplant the rest to a new spot, or pot them.