The Gardeners Almanac

The place to find out what to do in the garden this week
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Bacopa

Common name: Thyme leaved graticula.

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Week Numbers

Coldframe

Compost

Fertiliser

Heating

Planting Out

Tip Cuttings

Watering

Masses of little white flowers

Bacopa monnieri
Overview

Bacopa monnieri in its natural habitat, grows in damp, marshy areas.

In India it is cultivated for its medicinal properties.

It is a succulent creeping herb, with numerous prostrate branches, each 100-300mm (4"-12")long.

This spreading / trailing habit makes it a suitable plant for baskets and container work.


 

Cultivation
Week 15:

Take cuttings by selecting non-flowering shoots about 25mm (1") long.

Cut just below a leaf joint with a sharp blade, remove the lower leaves, and insert the cuttings to half of their depth in pure perlite or a mix of 50/50 perlite and multipurpose compost.

Water well, then cover with a plastic bag and maintain a minimum temperature of 16C (60F) until rooted.

Rooting should take place in around 10-14 days.


Week 18-19:

Pot on into 75mm (3") pots of potting compost, and keep them out of direct sunlight, and at a temperature of 10°C(50°F) for a couple of weeks then harden them off in a coldframe or cool greenhouse.

Week 44:

Take plants indoors and trim them to a regular shape in preparation for winter storage.

They need a minimum temperature of 4°C (40°F) and should be kept very lightly moist in a brightly lit position.