it is a true biennial ...

those that bloom will die ..

some of those little ones.. might not.. and winter over ...

if you want to insure next year.. you should get a few more of your friends 'this year' crop ... to sustain.. the two year cycle..

but i doubt that is necessary.. you now have them.. probably forever.. lol

i would not divide [especially in july/august] ... if there does happen to be two plants together.. they are independent.. and only one will die ...

these things are bullet-proof.. i am thinking you are over-thinking them.. and that is why.. you cant find the answer you want ...

ken

These plants are completely unpredictable. Yes they are biennial, but I've had individual plants hang on for a few years. Then all of a sudden - they croak.

I'm a very religious deadheader and that may be one of the reasons some of mine live longer. I always allow a few seed pods to remain, but generally once the flowers are faded, I cut them off immediately. I would suspect allowing this plant to set seeds, weakens it considerably.

Interesting you brought up the rosette stage of this plant. A few years ago when I couldn't get enough of this plant, I came across a colony of seedlings in a vacant lot next to my house. I'm sure the seeds came from my garden. The soil was horrible, they got no water other than rainfall and they were pretty much stuck in that rosette stage without flowering for a couple of years - maybe three. When I transplanted them into my garden (better conditions), they of course grew and flowered. Some lived another season after that. Some died.

Kevin

Difficult to divide for transplanting.
Seedlings tranplant best if disturb roots as little as possible.
You'll have all the seedlings you need after your plants flower & set seed.
The rosettes will flower next year.

If you plant 2 years in a row then you'll always have 1st & 2nd year plants to keep it going. They do best in poor, well drained soil like my gravel driveway. This year I left them to bloom just outside the garden bed at the top of the driveway & hopefully they'll reseed BACK INTO the bed. If they seed further out I'll move them. I've done it before.

Deadheading does help them overwinter better. As does removing any crowded foliage around them from other plants that becomes mushy after frost.

I have white ones in one section of a garden that I hope will reseed for me this year. I will also collect some seeds to plant. I use a lot of mulch in that garden & it's a bit shady. They do better in full sun, but I wanted to keep the 2 colors separate & I like how white lights up the shade.

hey corrine.. i hope you come back to see this

They do best in poor, well drained soil like my gravel driveway.

==>>> that pretty well decribes my mineral sand soil .. and they dont get watered ..

This year I left them to bloom just outside the garden bed at the top of the driveway & hopefully they'll reseed BACK INTO the bed. If they seed further out I'll move them. I've done it before.

===>> when the seed pods open .. just stand in the drive.. and smack the pods TOWARD the bed.. they will go where you smack them .. lol .. or just snip a few pods.. and dump them in your hand.. they look like poppyseed.. and walk them back where you want them ... and moving the early new babes is not a big deal ... its only moving mature plants that is tricky ...

I have white ones in one section of a garden that I hope will reseed for me this year.

==>> i think i tried them long ago.. never got a seedling.. might be sterile ... google might confirm that ...

ken

Ken, I did & thanks for the suggestion to smack seedheads back toward the bed.

What I like most about this plant is that it looks best in a mass and survives with no care!

The older I am the more I lean toward what grows well with no fertilizer or watering only mulch. Is that experience or laziness? Either way I'm happy & enjoy our gardens.

Corrine