Allow a Few Plants to Go to Seed
While deadheading keeps blooms coming, letting a few plants go to seed is a smart long-term strategy. Cornflowers readily reseed themselves in hospitable conditions, and a few allowed to mature will scatter next year’s flowers for free!
Birds like finches and sparrows adore the seed heads and will often perch and feed in late summer. You can also gather seeds yourself—just snip the dry heads and store them in a cool, dry place. Watching your garden evolve naturally from one season to the next is one of the great joys of planting cornflowers!