Stock / Matthiola

Stock Description

The Stock is a very popular and old hardy annual, and biennial, flowering plant. Sprays of clustered white, pastel pinks, blues, purples and red blossoms appear on spikes. The foliage is usually grey/green with felt-like leaves.

Stock has been a favourite of gardeners for many years due to it's vibrant displays and scented fragrance. Florists also use stock as cut flowers in floral arrangements

Matthiola goes well in traditional cottage gardens, flower borders and mixed beds.

Cultivation of Stock Plants

Annul stocks, such as East Lothian, can been sown directly into their permanent flowering site from mid spring in any good garden soil in full or partial sun. Seedlings should be thinned out to a distance of 30cm apart.

If early flowering is desirable then sow Matthiola seeds under glass in late winter through to early spring at 13 to 15 degrees Celsius. Prick out and harden off for planting outdoors in mid-to-late spring.

Brompton stocks should be treated as biennials. Sow seeds in a seed bed in early summer. When the young plants are robust enough to handle transfer them to their permanent flower bed in autumn to a distance of 30cm apart.

Stock Pests and Diseases

Stock seedlings can be prone to attack by flea beetles as will be evidenced by small holes in the leaves. Caterpillars and aphids can be a problem also as the plants mature. Diseases that affect stock include mildew and club root.