Guide to growing Gaura
Plants that belong to the Gaura genus are half hardy annuals or half hardy perennial shrubs that range from 60cm to 1.2 metres in height.
Gaura bloom from summer through to autumn and carry spikes of white or pink flowers.
How to grow Gaura
When growing Gaura outdoors from seed sow annual varieties just after the last frost of spring and perennial varieties either at the start of autumn or the start of spring; lightly cover the Gaura seeds once sown. Ideally Gaura should be spaced at about 60 to 90cm apart and grown in a sunny part of the garden that has good drainage and an ordinary soil.
If starting off indoors then sow Gaura seeds about 5 weeks (annuals) or 10 weeks (perennials) in advance. Gaura germination takes from two to five weeks at a temperature of 18 to 24 degrees centigrade. Transplant annual Gaura varieties out in the garden following the last frost; transplant perennials in the autumn or just before the last frost.
Caring for Gaura
It is easy to look after Gaura; they are naturally from central America so can tolerate drought so there is no need to water them. If you remove dead flowers the blooming period will be prolonged. During the second year of growth it is a good idea to cut back the plant to about 25cm in height; this will encourage Gaura to branch and become more shrub like. If you require more plants then propagate perennial Gaura by division in the spring or autumn.