When to Plant Bachelor's Button in Virginia

Bachelor's Button (Centaurea cyanus), also called cornflower, is a carefree cool-season annual best known for its vivid cobalt-blue flowers — one of the truest blues in the annual garden. It tolerates light frosts, self-seeds prolifically, and thrives in poor to average soils. A traditional cut flower and pollinator magnet, it has been cultivated in gardens for centuries.

Virginia spans USDA hardiness zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b (with planting data available), so planting dates vary by your location within the state. Click your zone below for the most accurate dates.

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Click your county for exact Bachelor's Button planting dates based on your local frost dates.

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Bachelor's Button Planting Calendar for Virginia

▸ Zone 6a ~193 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: April 10 · First frost: October 20 · 193 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Start Indoors	February 27	Feb 27 – Mar 13
Transplant Outdoors	April 10	Apr 10 – Apr 24
Direct Sow	March 13	Mar 13 – Apr 3
Bloom	June 12	Jun 12 – Aug 28
Fall Sowing	September 8	Sep 8 – Sep 22

▸ Zone 6b ~205 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: April 3 · First frost: October 25 · 205 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Start Indoors	February 20	Feb 20 – Mar 6
Transplant Outdoors	April 3	Apr 3 – Apr 17
Direct Sow	March 6	Mar 6 – Mar 27
Bloom	June 5	Jun 5 – Aug 28
Fall Sowing	September 13	Sep 13 – Sep 27

▸ Zone 7a ~221 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: March 25 · First frost: November 1 · 221 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Start Indoors	February 11	Feb 11 – Feb 25
Transplant Outdoors	March 25	Mar 25 – Apr 8
Direct Sow	February 18	Feb 18 – Mar 11
Bloom	May 27	May 27 – Aug 26
Fall Sowing	September 6	Sep 6 – Sep 20

▸ Zone 7b ~235 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: March 18 · First frost: November 8 · 235 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Start Indoors	February 4	Feb 4 – Feb 18
Transplant Outdoors	March 18	Mar 18 – Apr 1
Direct Sow	February 11	Feb 11 – Mar 4
Bloom	May 20	May 20 – Aug 26
Fall Sowing	September 13	Sep 13 – Sep 27

▸ Zone 8a ~255 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: March 8 · First frost: November 18 · 255 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Transplant Outdoors	February 22	Feb 22 – Mar 8
Direct Sow	January 25	Jan 25 – Feb 15
Bloom	April 26	Apr 26 – Aug 9
Fall Sowing	September 23	Sep 23 – Oct 7

▸ Zone 8b ~276 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: February 25 · First frost: November 28 · 276 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Transplant Outdoors	February 4	Feb 4 – Feb 18
Direct Sow	January 7	Jan 7 – Jan 28
Bloom	April 8	Apr 8 – Aug 5
Fall Sowing	October 3	Oct 3 – Oct 17

Growing Tips for Virginia

Direct-sow in early spring as soon as soil can be worked; seeds need a brief cold period for best germination (refrigerate for a few days before planting if spring arrives quickly). In zones 6+, fall-sow for the earliest spring bloom. Thin to 12 inches; do not over-fertilize — too much nitrogen produces foliage at the expense of flowers. Deadhead to prolong blooming or allow self-seeding for a naturalized colony.

Bachelor's Button in Other States

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Bachelor's Button in Virginia?

Planting dates for Bachelor's Button in Virginia depend on your USDA zone. Virginia spans zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. Check the planting calendar above for your specific zone's frost dates and planting windows.

What zone is Virginia for planting?

Virginia contains USDA hardiness zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. Your specific zone depends on your location within the state — northern and higher-elevation areas are in colder zones, while southern and coastal areas are warmer.

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