by Susan Golis

Created on: February 11, 2010

How to Grow Verbena

If you are one who loves, butterflies and hummingbirds, then add verbena to your garden. Verbena comes in an array of colors from solid colors of pink, coral, red, white and purple to two-tone flowers with a yellow center. The verbena is an easy to grow flowing groundcover that features a constant color show from early summer to frost.  

Plant verbena flowers in a sunny garden, in a window box, or hanging container.  For a home with a large yard, consider planting verbena in masses. For a cottage garden, mix verbena with companion plants such as lady’s mantle, zinnias, and salvia.  This flower combination will keep your yard and garden colorful all summer long. 

Plant verbena after the danger of frost has past.    Prior to planting, check your weather forecast.  If rain is in the forecast for the evening, then plant in the morning. It is best to plant on a day that is cloudy, as it will reduce transplanting shock.  Verbena is available in nursery-grown containers or you may sow seeds indoors eight weeks before the last hard frost of spring.  Germination for the seeds takes two to four weeks.

If you are planting your seeds indoors, keep your verbena plants in a cool and dark area such as the lower rack of your refrigerator.  Place your potted verbena seeds in your refrigerator for two weeks.  Water the seedlings when needed, do not allow them to dry out.  After two weeks remove the seedlings from the refrigerator and set the plants close to a sunny window or under a grow lamp.

Select a sunny garden site.  Verbena grows best in well-drained good soil. 

Clear your garden site of grass, weeds and rocks.  Loosen the soil to the depths of ten inches.  Add four inches of compost or manure to the soil and mix thoroughly.  Next add a controlled-released fertilizer, mix the appropriate amount of fertilizer according to the directions on the package.  Space the verbena plants ten inches apart. 

Care for your verbena by watering them in the morning with a drip hose.  Keep the soil evenly moist but not wet.  Established verbena can tolerate drought conditions however, they prefer regular watering.   Prior to the peak summer heat, apply four inches of fine mulch such as grass clippings, mulched leaves or organic wood chips.  If the verbena is growing in a flowerbed, cover the entire bed with the mulch.   The mulch will help the young plants to retain moisture and it will aid in preventing weeds. 

Deadhead the verbena to encourage repeat blooms.  Verbena will self-sow and soon your garden will be a blaze of color. 

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