Starting from Seed: You can direct sow seeds in your Nelson garden in the fall or early spring. Fall sowing takes advantage of natural winter stratification, which can improve germination. For spring sowing, you can start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the typical last frost date in our region (usually around mid-May) for earlier blooms. Lightly cover the small seeds with soil.

Easy to Transplant: Spikelike goldenrod transplants quite well, especially when young. Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, place the plant, and backfill with soil, firming gently. Water thoroughly after transplanting.

Light: For the best flowering and sturdiest growth in our sunny summers, plant in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily).

Soil: This goldenrod thrives in well-drained soil. It’s adaptable to various soil types found in our area, including sandy and rocky soils. Good drainage is key, especially in our sometimes wet springs.

Watering: Once established, it is quite drought-tolerant, which is great for our drier summer periods. You likely won’t need to water it regularly unless there are prolonged dry spells. Newly transplanted plants will need more consistent watering until their root systems are established.

Spacing: Space plants about 30-45 cm apart in clumps of 3 to 5 plants.

Maintenance: Very low maintenance. You can deadhead spent flower spikes if you prefer a tidier look or want to prevent self-seeding, though leaving them provides winter interest, hollow stems for stem-nesting bees, and potential bird food. It’s generally not a plant that requires staking. Can be divided after a couple of years.