How Do You Grow Four Oclock (Mirabilis Jalapa)?
Four o’clocks are old-fashioned perennials (meaning they grow back year after year) that bloom in white and shades of red and yellow on bushy plants. The flowers open in the late afternoon. Look for plants at nurseries in spring and summer, and seed all year round. Buy four o’clocks in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers or buy seed. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new growth in leaf and flower bud. Cut off old stems from the previous year in early spring using bypass pruners. Apply a light application of organic fertilizer on top of the soil; follow package directions. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost. Plant four o’clocks in full sun and well-drained soil. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole. Place the plants no deeper than they were growing in the containers. Set the plants 12 to 18 inches apart. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost. Water well until soil is completely
