The chess flower with its interestingly patterned flowers is one of the most distinctive plants in wet beds. At the same time, the onion plant proves to be extremely robust and easy to care for. In the following article we will explain how you can propagate this striking garden beauty yourself.
How can I successfully propagate the checkerboard flower?
The checkerboard flower can be propagated by scale propagation and seeds. When propagating scales in late summer, remove scales from the onion and place them in propagation soil. When propagating seeds in autumn, seeds can be sown directly into the bed, ideally protected by close-meshed wire.
Scale propagation
As with all lily plants, the bulb of the checkerboard flower is composed of scales. This typical structure enables easy, vegetative propagation. The ideal time for this is late summer, when the chess flower has completely grown its foliage. Follow these steps:
- Dig up the onion and, depending on size, peel off four to six of the outer scales.
- Sprinkle charcoal powder on wounds to seal them.
- Replace the mother onion in the same place.
- Fill small pots with propagation soil (€6.00 on Amazon).
- Place the scales about halfway into the substrate.
- Put a transparent plastic bag over the pots (greenhouse climate).
- Place in a partially shaded place on the windowsill.
- The ideal temperature for germination is around twenty degrees.
After the scales have formed roots, cover them with soil until only a small tip is visible. Now put the pots in a cool place, ideally five degrees Celsius. A frost-free but not too dark room is ideal, for example an unheated garage or garden shed. When the temperatures rise in spring, place the pots on the balcony, where the small plants and their bulbs can continue to grow vigorously until early autumn.
Propagation by seeds
In an optimal location, the chess flower often self-expands and forms dense carpets of flowers over time. You can help this a little by sowing the seeds specifically in the bed in autumn. Cover the ground with close-meshed wire to prevent hungry birds from feasting on the seeds during the barren winter months.
If you want to be sure that the checkerboard flower germinates, you should choose a place for cultivation with temperature conditions that are as uniform as possible. The refrigerator is ideal for this, in which you should give the germination trays a place that is as cool as possible with a temperature of around four degrees.
Tip
The bulbs of the chess flower dry out very quickly and should therefore be planted in the ground as fresh as possible.
