Red valerian is a fantastic addition to any garden. It is really low maintenance and very forgiving of mistakes.
Growing Red Valerian
Growing Red Valerian in a tray:
- Wait until the end of winter, the seeds don’t like frost.
- Keep the soil or compost mix a bit damp.
- Thin out the seedlings as soon as the first leaves appear.
- Transplant directly in the ground any time after mid-May every 30 to 40 cm.
Growing Red Valerian in the ground:
- Break up the soil to lighten it up.
- Scatter the seeds.
- Thin as soon as the first leaves appear to keep only strongest seedlings. Leave a gap of 30 to 40 cm between plants.
- Water regularly with a fine drizzle.
Seeds are available from amazon through this link
Caring for Red Valerian
Cutting off dead heads won’t bother the plant and will only make it look nicer.
Pests and diseases don’t tend to bother it.
It needs very little water when planted in the ground. It is more likely to dry out if planted in a pot so some water is required in dry conditions.
Once the leaves have died back in the Autumn cut the stems short. This will encourage better growth next year.