Stock 'Vintage Brown'

Vintage Brown (Matthiola incana)

Also known as Stock or Gillyflower

Vintage Brown is a florist’s treasure, with its unusual rose–taupe petals that shift in tone with the light, from soft cocoa blush to dusty mauve. This refined, muted colouring lends a sense of old–world romance to bouquets.

Strong, straight stems hold tightly packed florets 1½–2" across, opening gradually for long–lasting beauty. Similar in performance to the Iron series, this single–stem, column–type stock produces about 55% doubles without selection; choosing lighter–leafed seedlings after a cool period can increase doubles.

Petals are edible with a peppery, clove–like flavour, a beautiful and fragrant garnish for both sweet and savoury fare. Pairs beautifully with cream, blush, antique gold, and silvery greens.

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.