How to grow coreopsis – for free-flowing, soft meadow planting

Coreopsis, otherwise known as tickseed, is a genus of flowering plants native to North and South America, with over 100 species available and countless hybrids. Its off-putting common name, 'tickseed,' belies its character, since it is a charming, fine-textured, fairy-like plant with a flowering period that is hard to rival and very little to loathe – and despite what you might assume, happily, it does not attract ticks.

Its popularity with honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies has secured its place on the roster of must-have perennials for adding a dash of color, without relying on traditional tawdry bedding plants. Their propensity to deliver kaleidoscopic color to borders with very little watering makes it well-suited for prairie planting and drought-tolerant planting schemes, as well as being superb cut flowers with a long vase life.

Here, we look at everything you need to know about how to grow Coreopsis successfully in your garden.

Best varieties of tickseed

Tickseed comes in a wide variety of colors from canary yellow and vermillion red to the gentlest of ballet slipper pink and lemon-hued whites.

Whilst there are many varieties of Coreopsis, and it can feel somewhat overwhelming to wrap your head around, more broadly speaking, they can be divided into these groups.

Most tickseed plants are perennials and return year after year. Though some Coreopsis varieties are annuals over perennials (completing their lifecycle in one year), they tend to come in extremely dramatic colors.

All types, whether they be perennial or annual, attract pollinators and are choc-full of nectar, and all are fantastic stress-tolerators.

Some of the best varieties to grow include:

• Coreopsis 'Amulet', looks terrific in a wildflower meadow, with its deep, rich crimson flowers that look as though they're made of velvet. You can purchase Coreopsis Amulet seeds on Amazon.
• Coreopsis 'Creme Brulee' is a beautiful soft butter yellow flower with feathery threadleaf foliage and a fantastically long season of interest, starting its flowering in spring and continuing to bloom throughout the entirety of summer and fall. You can purchase Coreopsis 'Creme Brulee' plants at Nature Hills.
• Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' is one of the nation's favourites for a reason; it's an award-winning cultivar that plays pied piper to hordes of butterflies and bumblebees. It only reaches around 1.5 ft, so it is best grown near the front of a border or in beautiful terracotta pots. You can purchase Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' as a container plant from Garden Goods Direct.

How to grow tickseed

Before you jump in with learning how to grow coreopsis, it is worth knowing where it will perform best. Tickseed is one of those wonderful perennials that thrive on neglect, so as long as it gets plenty of sunshine, the memo is: plant it and let it do its thing.

Hardiness zones: Although this varies by species, those in US hardiness zone 3 to zone 10 will be able to grow most tickseed without issue.

Exposure: Tickseed likes to be positioned in full sun. Ensure you find a spot that gets at least six hours of sunshine per day for tickseed to reach its full potential. Whilst it can happily tolerate dappled shade, it simply won't bloom as prolifically as it would in a spot drenched in sunlight.

Soil: Tickseed has a broad tolerance to almost every soil, so there is no need to amend your soil in preparation for planting. So long as the roots don't get waterlogged, it will tolerate all soil types. Tickseed tends to perform better in infertile soil, so adding fertilizer is not recommended.

How to grow tickseed in borders and pots

In borders: Tickseed is ideally suited to low-maintenance garden borders, and is right at home with other cutting garden flowers like cosmos, dahlias, zinnias, and achillea.

Take heed of the aforementioned positioning advice, and bear in mind the eventual height your plant will grow to, as some varieties will be lost when put at the back of the border, and some will be far too lofty for the front of the border.

Simply analyze the height of your plant once fully grown and make a judgment as to where it would be best positioned. In terms of companion planting, I would opt for those plants that, like coreopsis, catch the slightest wind, adding a magical kinetic energy to your garden.

In containers: If you're on the prowl for container gardening ideas, then tickseed is a marvellous performer, most definitely worth considering and curiously undergrown in pots, in my opinion.

As long as the container you chose has drainage holes (tickseed won't tolerate waterlogged soil) and is positioned in a sun-filled spot that you know can meet tickseed's needs, it will flower abundantly for months on end.

The best soil type for potted tickseed is all-purpose potting soil, like this organic potting soil available at Amazon.

How to plant tickseed

Plant tickseed in the spring or summer when the threat of frost has passed, spacing each plant around ten inches apart, to allow them space to grow.

Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball of the plant and place the plant in the hole and fill with soil.

Water newly planted tickseed plants regularly until they establish. Once established, they are drought-tolerant and will not like heavy or regular watering.

Use this soil moisture meter from Amazon to check if it's time to top up water levels.

How to care for tickseed

Deadheading: You can deadhead Coreopsis to encourage more blooming, but they are such prolific bloomers, forgetting to do so won't deter them from throwing out more flowers.

Pruning: You can extend the season of blooms by pruning your perennial tickseed plants in August, or if they tend to start flowering early, then you do the Hampton hack, and can prune as early as July.

Trim one-third of the plant back. You'll tidy up the foliage and encourage a new flush of flowers for fall decoration.

Overwintering: Happily, you don't need to take any additional steps to protect tickseed as the temperatures plummet and winter sets in. Whilst you may be tempted to bring them inside, it is not recommended.

FAQs

How do you propagate tickseed?

Dividing: Perennial coreopsis that are several years old (at least two to three years old) and have formed large clumps can be lifted, divided, and replanted immediately. Do so in the spring when there is warm weather ahead to help the new, smaller plants establish.

Propagating tickseed from cuttings: Cut a six-inch piece of the stem beneath a node. Once you have your cutting, insert it into a pot of perlite, like this perlite available at Amazon, until only the top leaves are showing.

Water the pot and place it in a warm, sunny spot. After approximately a month, it should have developed roots, and once the plant is established, it can be planted in the garden.

Is tickseed deer-resistant?

Yes, tickseed (Coreopsis) is a deer-resistant plant, as they do not fit the profile for a delicious deer buffet. One of the benefits of this is that you can use tickseed plants to hide smaller plants that are vulnerable to deer.

Do tickseed plants suffer from any pests or problems?

Tickseed plants are notoriously unflustered and unbothered by any common garden pests.

In some cases, they can be susceptible to powdery mildew but this is fairly uncommon. A neem oil spray like this one available at Amazon tends to remedy the issue quickly.

Now you know how to grow coreopsis, you can add it to your low-maintenance backyard ideas. If you find yourself without endless hours to dedicate to the upkeep of your space, then these happy little flowers should be top of your list.