Garden Care Guide

Floss Flower Care

Ageratum houstonianum

An annual grown for its distinctive, soft-textured flowers like 'powder puffs'. It likes full sun or lightly shaded areas and moist, well-drained soil. Ideal for flower beds, borders and pots.

Frost-tender (protect from frost) · 0 °C / 32 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: Not planted this month.
  • General care: Plan for spring planting and order seeds.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
February
  • Watering: The seedlings are indoors.
  • General care: Start sowing seeds indoors in a warm, bright spot 6-8 weeks before the last frost date.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
March
  • Watering: Keep the soil in the seed tray moist.
  • Fertilizing: Once the seedlings produce their first true leaves, start weekly feeding with a very dilute liquid fertilizer.
  • Pruning: The seedlings are indoors.
  • General care: Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle by hand. Prepare garden beds with compost.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: For a sturdier structure, pinch off the growing tips of young seedlings (pinching).
  • General care: Once the risk of last frost has passed, gradually acclimate seedlings to the outdoors (hardening off).
  • Frost risk: If there is a risk of a sudden late frost, be ready to cover newly planted seedlings.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Check for aphids and whiteflies.
  • General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
  • Pests & diseases: In humid weather, watch for powdery mildew.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: In hot and dry weather, watch out for the spider mite pest.
  • General care: Continue weed control.
  • Pests & diseases: Yellowing leaves can be a sign of overwatering or underwatering.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Continue checking for spider mites and whiteflies.
  • General care: In intense heat, a little afternoon shade can prevent the plant from wilting.
  • Pests & diseases: Watch for signs of stress.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Continue pest control.
  • General care: Keep monitoring heat stress.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the general condition.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Fertilizing: Make this month's feeding the last of the season; afterward, the plant needs to prepare for winter.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Pest pressure generally decreases.
  • General care: Enjoy the last major flowering.
  • Pests & diseases: Powdery mildew can appear again with autumn humidity.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Fertilizing: Stop fertilizing.
  • Pruning: Keep deadheading.
  • Plant protection: Low risk.
  • General care: It is removed at the end of the season; it is replaced with seasonal planting.
  • Pests & diseases: Monitor the general appearance.
  • Frost risk: The first light frosts that may occur at the end of the month will damage the plant.
November
  • Watering: The plant's lifespan is coming to an end.
  • Pruning: The plant will die after frosts.
  • General care: When the plants die after the first severe frost, pull them up and add them to the compost pile if they are not diseased.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
December
  • Watering: Not planted this month.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.

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