Purple Quartet, Stock Seeds

Purple Quartet Stock Seed

Rich purple sprays add dramatic depth between pale flowers
Branching form creates movement in garden-inspired arrangements
Remove the first bud to encourage secondary stem production
Extra spacing accommodates the plant's fuller pinched habit

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Matthiola incana

Days to maturity

85 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Packet

50 Seeds

About Purple Quartet, Stock Seed, Stock Seed

Purple Quartet sports strong stems that support beautiful sprays of sweetly-scented purple flowers. Stock flowers are ideally suited for bouquets but can also be used as a spring bedding plant in some markets. Early to bloom in 13-15 weeks with 55% double flowers. Requires pinching of the first flower bud to force secondary bud development and spray-style flowers.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/8"

Days to Germination

7–14 days

Germination Type

G - Cool-Soil Germination

In-row plant spacing

9-12"

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

36 inches

Growth Habits

Upright

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

14,000

Color

Purple

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Before Planting

Stock prefers full sun, cool growing weather, well-drained soil, and steady airflow. Remove weeds and work the bed to a fine, firm texture with moderate fertility. Arrange a cool germination area because stock seed performs poorly in excessive warmth.

Planting

Stock may be direct-sown in early spring, and many types also perform well from fall or winter sowing. Keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings establish, taking care not to bury light-requiring seed. Indoor starts need bright light and cool conditions. Thin direct-sown seedlings after true leaves appear, or transplant carefully before roots become crowded.

Watering

Provide stock with even moisture during active growth and flowering. Water deeply at soil level when the upper soil begins drying, avoiding both severe wilting and saturated conditions.

Fertilizer

For stock, reserve supplemental fertilizer for weak growth, using a light balanced or bloom formula. Stop if plants become overly leafy, a common sign of excess nitrogen.

Harvesting

Cut stock flowers when blooms are well colored and at the opening stage best suited to display. Harvest during the cool morning with clean shears, leaving healthy foliage for continued flowering.

Tips

Pinch young stock plants to encourage branching when appropriate, then deadhead regularly to extend flowering. Succession plantings can maintain color after the earliest plants decline.

Pests & Diseases

Stock is vulnerable to blackleg, downy mildew, clubroot, Botrytis, and bacterial soft rot. Use clean seed, rotate all brassicas, and keep transplants uncrowded. Remove plants with stem-base cankers, swollen roots, or gray-molded flower spikes. Do not collect seed from diseased plants.

Aphids and thrips may cluster on stock buds, while mites, Japanese beetles, slugs, and caterpillars feed elsewhere. Remove badly damaged growth, collect visible pests, and choose pollinator-conscious controls only when monitoring shows a need.