Cornflower Sweet Sultan mix

300 seeds

‘Sweet Sultan’ is an attractive annual with soft, fringed, thistle-like flowers and a pleasant fragrance. The mixed colors make it particularly useful for flower borders, containers and cut-flower arrangements. It also attracts bees and butterflies. 

🌱 Best Planting Time in the Gulf

Sweet Sultan prefers cool to moderate growing conditions, making autumn and winter particularly suitable for Gulf gardens.

• Kuwait: October–January, preferably October–December
• UAE, Qatar & Bahrain: October–February
• Saudi Arabia & Oman: October–February, depending on the local climate
• In cooler Gulf areas, early autumn or late winter sowing can also be considered.
• Avoid establishing young plants during the hottest summer months.

🌿 How to Plant the Seeds

1. Prepare a fine, loose and well-drained planting bed.
2. Because the seeds are small and light can assist germination, sow them very shallowly.
3. Press the seeds gently onto the soil surface or cover them with only a very thin layer of soil.
4. If direct sowing, sow in rows approximately 20–30 cm apart.
5. Keep the soil evenly moist until germination, but do not waterlog it.
6. Germination generally takes about 7–14 days, although some seed lots may take longer.
7. A soil temperature around 15–18°C is particularly suitable for germination.
8. Once seedlings have several true leaves, thin them to approximately 20–30 cm apart.
9. Direct sowing is preferable because Sweet Sultan can dislike root disturbance.

☀️ Sunlight

• Prefer full sun for the best flowering.
• In the Gulf, provide good morning and winter sun.
• During unusually hot weather, light afternoon shade can help protect young plants.
• Choose a location with good air circulation.

Sweet Sultan performs best in sunny, well-drained conditions.

💧 Watering

• Keep the soil evenly moist during germination and early growth.
• Once established, water when the upper layer of soil begins to dry.
• The plant becomes relatively drought tolerant once established.
• Avoid excessive watering and constantly wet soil.

🌱 Soil

Use soil that is:

• Light and well-drained
• Moderately fertile
• Sandy loam or ordinary garden soil with good drainage
• Slightly acidic to neutral or mildly alkaline

Avoid heavy, compacted soil. Adding compost and a drainage material such as perlite or coarse sand can improve the growing medium.

🌿 Fertilizing

• Add mature compost before sowing.
• A light balanced fertilizer can be used during active growth if necessary.
• Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can encourage leafy growth instead of flowers.
• Sweet Sultan generally does not require extremely rich soil.

🌸 Flowering

The plants produce attractive, soft, fringed flowers in white, pink, lilac, purple and yellow shades, depending on the mix. The flowers are pleasantly fragrant and are excellent for cutting.

Under suitable conditions, flowering can begin around 10–12 weeks after sowing, although Gulf temperatures and sowing time can change this considerably.

✂️ Deadheading & Cut Flowers

• Remove faded flowers regularly to encourage additional flowering.
• For bouquets, cut stems when the flowers are beginning to open.
• Harvesting flowers regularly can help maintain continued flowering.
• Allow a few flowers to mature fully if you want to collect seeds.

🪴 Growing in Containers

Sweet Sultan can be grown successfully in containers.

Use:

• A pot at least 25–30 cm deep
• Good drainage holes
• A light, well-drained potting mix
• A sunny location with good airflow

Because the plants can reach around 60–75 cm, use a stable container and provide light support if the location is windy.

🔥 Gulf Climate Tips

• Autumn sowing is recommended for many Gulf locations.
• Aim to grow the plant during the cooler part of the year.
• Protect young seedlings from extreme afternoon heat.
• Good drainage is especially important.
• Avoid excessive irrigation during humid or very hot weather.
• Give plants enough space for good air circulation.
• In containers, move plants to light afternoon shade during periods of extreme heat.

🌱 Growing Tip: For Gulf conditions, sow ‘Sweet Sultan’ Mix when temperatures become moderate in autumn. Sow the seeds very shallowly, keep them evenly moist until germination, and give established plants plenty of sunlight, good drainage and protection from extreme afternoon heat.