Propagate bearded flowers is quite time-consuming and requires a lot of patience. But even if it takes two to three years until the first flowering occurs, it is still worth propagating particularly beautiful bearded flower varieties yourself. What you need to do to grow new bearded flowers for the garden and containers.
How to propagate bearded flowers?
Beard flowers can be propagated by cuttings or sowing. For cuttings, cut off half-woody side shoots in June or July and place them in potting soil. When sowing seeds indoors in March to April or outdoors in June and plant out the plants after two to three years.
Propagate bearded flowers by cuttings or sowing
Beard flowers can be propagated both by sowing and by cuttings.
Gardening experts prefer propagation via cuttings because the chances of success are greater and it doesn't take as long until the bushes produce their first flowers.
How to propagate the beard flower through cuttings
- Cut or tear cuttings
- Stick in potting soil
- Keep warm
- Keep moderately moist
- Cover with foil if necessary
- Protect from frost
- Plant out after about two years
The best time to cut or take cuttings is June or July. Cut or tear off a half-woody side shoot so that some of the old wood from the mother plant remains at the bottom. The cuttings will then root better.
Short the cuttings to a length of around five to seven centimeters and put five to twelve shoots each in a pot. Be sure to use germ-free potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon).
Place the pots at 16 to 18 degrees and keep the soil moderately moist. A foil cover promotes rooting and prevents the cuttings from drying out.
The propagation of bearded flowers by sowing
Beard flowers are sown indoors from March to April or directly outdoors at the beginning of June. The soil should be permeable and enriched with potting soil. The seeds are covered with a thin layer of soil and kept constantly moist but not wet.
The first plants will germinate after about two weeks. They are pricked out as soon as they are big enough. Protect the plants outdoors from frost.
After two to three years, the bearded flowers are planted in the desired location in the garden or pot.
Tip
The beard flower only grows up to one, a maximum of 1.30 meters high. Thanks to its numerous blue flowers, which open quite late from August to October, it is the ideal plant for dreary corners of the garden.
