The flowers of the Calibrachoa are tiny, but this plant makes a big impression on a landscape. The small, trumpet-shaped flowers continue to bloom from spring through frost. The blooms are complemented by dense greenery that grows along the reaching stems. Calibrachoa is a perennial in zones 9 through 11 but is often grown as an annual in colder climates. This flowering plant is easy to propagate through stem cuttings, ensuring you can continue enjoying the petunia-like flowers for many summers.
Methods To Propagate Calibrachoa
Most Calibrachoa varieties available are hybrids, so the plants do not always produce seeds. Stem cuttings are the best way to propagate Calibrachoa plants. Cuttings easily grow roots and become new plants without any special care. A cutting will need growth nodes and a couple of leaves to become viable. It is recommended to take several cuttings, especially if you want to ultimately have a large, full plant. Featuring several small plants in one pot will create the large, lush-looking plant that most people envision when they think of Calibrachoa.
What You Need To Propagate Calibrachoa
You need sharp pruning shears, a small pot, and rich, moist, well-drained soil to propagate Calibrachoa stem cuttings. Cuttings will root in water or other mediums like peat moss or sphagnum moss, so you can use whatever you prefer or what is available. Rooting hormone will increase the odds of a cutting setting roots, but it's not necessary since Calibrachoa cuttings root easily.
Best Time To Propagate Calibrachoa
It will take a couple of months for Calibrachoa cuttings to become viable plants, so plan accordingly. In zones 9 through 11, where the plant grows as a perennial, take cuttings early in the growing season so the rooted plant can acclimate before winter. In areas where Calibrachoa grows as an annual, the cutting and eventual new plant will have to spend the winter indoors. Cuttings can be taken any time before the first frost of the fall.
Steps To Propagate Calibrachoa
Step 1 - Take a stem cutting that measures several inches long. The cutting can have buds but should not have flowers. Use sharp shears and trim the stem at an angle.
Step 2 - Remove the lower leaves.
Step 3 - Use a pot with drainage holes and fill it with a rich, moist, well-drained potting mix.
Step 4 - Place the cutting in the prepared container. Up to 4 cuttings can be placed in a 6-inch pot.
Step 5 - Place the cuttings in a warm area with bright, indirect sunlight.
Step 6 - Keep the soil consistently damp for the first six weeks or until the cutting begins to push out new growth.
Caring For Young Calibrachoa Stem Cuttings
Calibrachoa cuttings typically need 3 to 4 weeks to grow roots and another 3 to 4 weeks to establish a robust root system. The cutting will need damp potting mix and bright, indirect sunlight. Calibrachoa plants that spend the winter indoors will require the same level of care as they continue to grow. The young plants can be moved outside when there is no longer a threat of frost.
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Author Alison Cotsonas - Published 12-13-2023 |