tickseed

Tickseeds prefer regular and even watering for healthy growth. Water your plants when the top inch of soil is dry. Water thoroughly until you see the water coming out of the drainage holes of the pot or you can submerge the entire pot in a bucket of water if it’s in the ground. During the growing season, plan to water your Coreopsis ‘Red Elf’ every 3-4 days. If there is a long period of drought, you may want to water your plant every other day. In winter, you can reduce watering frequency; every 10-14 days should be sufficient.

Tickseed (Coreopsis 'Red Elf') needs full sun for optimum growth. This plant will do best in a spot that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. It can also tolerate some partial shade, but the flower production and foliage growth will be reduced without the strong direct sunlight. If you are growing this plant indoors or in a greenhouse, use a high-energy standard fluorescent light bulb to provide the necessary direct natural sunlight. Place the bulb approximately 8-12 inches above the plant and give it 16-18 hours of light per day.

Hardiness zone 5–9.

Tickseed (Coreopsis 'Red Elf') should be pruned regularly throughout the season in order to keep it healthy and to promote increased flowering. Pruning should be done in early spring (March/April) and mid-summer (July/August). In early spring, cut the stems back to about 1 to 2 inches from the ground to encourage more branching out in the plant. In mid-summer, prune the stems that have fewer flowers, as well as cutting any spindly stems or old, dead flower heads off. This will promote further flowering all season long and prevent the plant from getting leggy. It is important not to overly prune your Tickseed, as it can discourage flowering and cause the plant to become thin and weakened. When pruning, always use clean, sharp pruning tools to reduce the chance of damaging the plant.

Division, Cutting, Seed Propagation, Layering Propagation