Stock 'Iron Pastel Mix'

Iron Pastels Mix (Matthiola incana)

Also known as Stock or Gillyflower

Iron Pastels Mix is a masterclass in soft elegance — a harmonious blend of creamy apricot, butter yellow, and bubblegum pink blooms, each stem a painter’s stroke of early-spring light. The colours mingle in arrangements like spun sugar and warm sunshine, offering both romance and cheer.

A premium, florist-quality variety, this column-type stock grows with the sturdy grace that inspired its name. Strong, straight stems rise to tightly layered florets, each 1½–2" across, forming a full, compact spike. Flowers may be single or double; with selection, up to 100% doubles can be achieved.

Beyond beauty, the petals bring a peppery, clove-like note to the kitchen, lending themselves to garnishing salads, desserts, and drinks. Pair these pastel blooms with ivory snapdragons, silvery foliage, airy grasses, or lavender for bouquets with gentle depth. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil, and allow each stem to grow unpinched for its one perfect bloom.

DETAILS:

QTY: 50

TYPE: Annual

SITE: Full Sun

DEPTH: 1/4"

GERMINATION: 7-14 days at 18-24°C

HEIGHT: 24-28”

MATURITY: 90-105 days

SPACING: 4-6" Trellis, such as Hortonova, used as horizontal support, is necessary when the temperatures are consistently above 16°C or where it rains frequently.

PINCH: No

Transplant (recommended): Stock is a cool-weather crop, so starting transplants indoors is the best way to get ahead of the heat. Sow seeds 5–6 weeks before you plan to move them to a field or a protected structure. For a continuous harvest of flowers, make successive plantings every two weeks. The optimal times for growing are for spring and fall blooms.

Direct Seeding (alternative): Sow seeds directly outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. This method may result in a later bloom time compared to starting indoors.

Selecting for Double Flowers

While a difficult and time-consuming process, you can select for double-flowering plants by observing visual differences in the seedlings. After the seedlings have emerged and are in the cotyledon stage, expose them to chilling temperatures of 4-7°C for 3-4 days.

After chilling, you can identify the types of flowers the plants will produce:

• Select lighter green seedlings with an oval-shaped cotyledon; these will produce the desired double flowers.

• Seedlings with a darker green color and rounder cotyledons will produce single flowers.

Pinching: Do not pinch stock plants. Pinching can negatively affect the development of their single, central flower spike, which is the primary source of their classic bloom.

Pest Prevention: As a member of the brassica family, stock is a favorite food for flea beetles. To protect young plants from damage, cover them with a floating row cover immediately after transplanting them into the garden.

Soil Preference and Watering: Stock thrives in full sun and requires well-drained, fertile soil. Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. Once plants are established, water deeply but infrequently.

Fertilizing: To encourage strong growth and beautiful blooms, fertilize with a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2–4 weeks. A layer of compost applied at planting time can also provide a good nutrient base.