Vigorous but delicate young bedding plants need to be planted carefully at exactly the right time; otherwise they will receive a check in growth and may never recover.
Prepare the ground by digging over the soil and removing weeds and other debris.
Incorporate well rotted organic matter, such as manure or garden compost, if the soil is poor.
Make sure all the plants have been hardened off well beforehand and keep tender bedding in a frost free place until it is safe to plant outside.
The stems of young bedding plants are delicate and easily damaged, so it is advisable to handle them by their root ball or leaves rather than holding them by the stems.
For this reason the best way to remove the plant from its container is by turning it upside down in the pot with the plant between two fingers and tapping the pot or pushing on its base to dislodge the root ball.
You need to plant at the same depth as the plant was in the pot and firm the soil lightly around the root ball.
Water the plant well after planting.
Protect new bedding from damaging late frosts by covering plants with a double layer of horticultural fleece or sheets of newspaper when late frosts are forecasts.
If unprotected tender plants are touched by frost, minimize the damage by covering them in the morning, before the temperature rises, to slow down the thaw.
It is the rapid thaw that causes most damage to plant tissues.
The intricate flowers make it a popular choice for the border.
This is a hardy annual, so sow seeds directly in the autumn.