With their impressive flowers and bizarre growth, thistles fit beautifully into borders and natural gardens. The easy-care plants can be easily propagated using self-collected seeds or root cuttings. How – we explain here.
How is thistle propagated?
Thistles can be propagated by seeds, which can be obtained from their inflorescences in autumn. Some species sow themselves, while others require pre-culture indoors. Alternatively, propagation through root cuttings is possible.
How do thistles reproduce?
All thistles producefrom their attractive flower headsSeeds which ripen in autumn. You can grow new perennials from these.
Some globe thistle species even reproduce independently through self-sowing. In the case of the man litter species, however, root cuttings are better suited for breeding.
How can I collect thistle seeds for propagation?
You can get the seedsfrom the dead inflorescences This is particularly easy to do by tying a sandwich bag around the seed head into which the small grains fall. Alternatively, you can cut off the inflorescences, let them dry in a bowl and then shake out the seeds.
Thistle seeds, packed in paper bags and stored in a dry place, remain viable until next spring.
How are thistles propagated by seeds?
You can grow noble thistlesin the house and transplant them outdoors after the ice saints:
- Fill a bowl with potting soil in early spring.
- Sprinkle the seeds on top, water and place the container in a bright, warm place.
- Keep evenly moist, but not too wet.
- The seeds usually sprout within a few days. In exceptional cases, however, this can take up to three weeks.
Do thistles self-seed?
Some types of thistlessuch as the propagating globe thistlesseed independently,so that you can do without the pre-culture. Simply leave the spent inflorescences on the perennials so that the seeds can spread throughout the bed.
Does thistle propagation work through root cuttings?
For some types of thistle such as silver thistle (Carlina) or globe thistle (Echinops), it is recommended to obtain root sections of three to five centimeters for propagation:
- Lift the thistle out of the ground using a digging fork.
- Wash the soil from the storage organs and cut off some pieces of roots.
- Then reinsert the mother plant.
- Pott the root cuttings in flower pots filled with potting soil, where they will form roots, stems and leaves within a few weeks.
- In autumn you can transplant the thistles into the flower bed.
Tip
Removing thistles from the lawn
As pretty as thistles are in the flower bed; If their prickly relatives spread through the lawn, it's a nuisance. Therefore, pull out the plants that have been loosened with a thistle cutter (€42.00 on Amazon) as soon as possible. If this is not possible, at least cut off the flower heads consistently, as this is the only way to prevent seeds from spreading.
