How to Grow Texas Bluebonnets
- 1). Use transplants to grow bluebonnets. You can grow them from seed, but it is difficult. The outer shell of the bluebonnet seed is very hard, making it difficult for the seed to germinate.
- 2). Use seeds that are chemically treated if you are determined to start from seed. Find scarified seeds in seed catalogs and garden centers. Carefully follow the planting instructions for your particular zone, and plant them 4 to 6 inches apart. Seeds generally take 10 to 12 days to germinate.
- 3). Choose a sunny location to plant your bluebonnets. Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Put the plant in the hole and fill the hole with dirt. Be sure the root ball is at the same level in the dirt as it was in its planter. Place the plants 10 to 12 inches apart.
- 4). Do not overwater bluebonnets. They are used to the Texas climate and are drought resistant. Plant them in well-drained soil and water them sparingly.
- 5). Treat bluebonnets for garden pests. Little critters love to munch on bluebonnets and can completely obliterate them. Place slug or pill bug bait around the base of the plants to help eliminate this problem. You can also spray the flowers with a pesticide. Follow the pesticide directions closely.
- 6). Fertilize the bluebonnets with an all-purpose fertilizer. This will help them to produce more prolifically and give you more beautiful blue blossoms to enjoy. Fertilize in the fall and early spring.
- 7). Collect the seed pods if you plan to grow from seed the next year. Allow the pods to dry and then peel them open and remove the seeds. Soak the seeds in hot water and scratch the surface to make them scarified. Plant the seeds at the end of summer. It is difficult to grow bluebonnets this way, but it is worth a shot. If they fail to grow, you can always plant new starts the following spring.
