Seeds 7 g

Stock (Matthiola incana) is one of the most beloved cool-season ornamentals, a Mediterranean native cherished for the sweet, clove-like perfume rising from its dense upright spikes. The flowers crowd tightly along the stem in soft pastels and rich jewel tones, and the velvety grey-green foliage sets them off beautifully. Few cottage flowers fill a winter garden or a vase with such fragrance, which is exactly why it remains a florist favourite for long-lasting cut stems.

Planting

Sow the seed shallow, around 0.6 cm deep, and cover only thinly since Stock needs light to germinate; sieved compost or vermiculite works best. Keep the medium evenly moist at about 18–24°C and seedlings appear in 7–14 days. Start indoors roughly 5–10 weeks before transplanting, pricking out into pots once two true leaves form. Grow in full sun and space plants 10–15 cm apart for cut flowers or about 25 cm in borders.

Fertilizing

Stock prefers neutral-to-alkaline soil (pH about 6.0–8.0) and struggles in acidic ground, so test before amending. Avoid excess nitrogen, which produces weak, floppy stems. Watch for potassium deficiency, shown by brown leaf tips and margins at flowering, and supply enough potassium through the growing and blooming phase.

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist but well-drained, watering at the base rather than the foliage to limit disease. Pinch out the growing tip of branching types for bushier plants with more spikes, and thin to roughly 25 cm for airflow. Watch for aphids, thrips, flea beetles, and diamondback moth, plus mildew and white mould in damp weather. Harvest cut stems when one-third to one-half of the florets are open.