Multiplying the delosperma without spending anything is simpler than it seems. With a little attention and some targeted gesture, you can transform only one plant into a small flower carpet, without touching the wallet.
Delosperma, also called “vegetable ice” because of its brilliant reflections, is a succulent plant that seems to be made especially for those who love green but have no too much time to devote us. He loves the sun, does not demand complex care and, if treated with a minimum of regard, repays with spectacular blooms that last months. It is not uncommon for a broken sprig, left in contact with the ground, you start to take root alone.
There are those who saw him invade a planter without anyone having planted it. Or who has found new seedlings spontaneously sprouted after a thunderstorm. Small surprises that make you smile. So why not take advantage of it? If a vase begins to become too full, or if you are lucky enough to intercept a sprig abandoned by the wind, it is the perfect time to try to multiply the delosperm. Without expenses, without haste.
How to multiply the delosperm with the cuttings without costs
Among the simplest and most immediate ways to multiply the delosperm there is that of the cuttings. Nothing complicated, indeed: a sharp scissor and a little patience can be enough. You choose a healthy sprig, perhaps not in flowering, and a portion is cut about about a dozen centimeters long. Here comes the trick: before interraging it, you have to let it dry at least one day. Yes, that’s right. The time of a long coffee … or a sunny day. This helps to prevent it from rotting once arranged in the pot.
We need a well -draining soil, perhaps with a little sand. And the watering? Little. Only when the ground seems really dry. Too much water, and the plant weakens. After two or three weeks, if everything goes as it should, the first roots will appear. And from then on, it can be said that the mission is accomplished. Of course, not all the cuttings take root. But this is precisely the beauty: if they can do how many you want, without waste or regrets.
Other methods to propagate free delosperma
Multiplying delosperm does not just mean cutting and planting. Nature, sometimes, does everything alone. Just know where to look.
Sometimes it happens that the plant becomes too large for its vase. It is the ideal time to divide it into several parts, gently. Each head, if it has any root, can continue to grow on its own. A simple division, which often enough to double the presence of the delosperm in the garden or on the balcony.
Then there is the question of seeds. At the end of the summer, some varieties release tiny seeds that end up in the ground and, with a little luck, they sprout alone the following year. Leaving some dry flowers on the plant, every now and then, can make miracles.
Finally, the most curious scenario: a stem breaks, falls to the ground … and takes root. It happens more often than you think. No technique, no equipment. Only time and the right ground.
Here, then, the three main methods:
- Division of the Cesti: just gently divide the mother plant into several portions.
- Car: letting the seeds fall and take their course.
- Spontaneous root: When a broken sprig is rooted alone.
You don’t need to have green thumb. Just a corner of land well exposed to the sun is enough … and a little trust in the strength of nature.
Pierce care after multiplication
Once the new seedling has taken hold, you just have to accompany her to the first steps. But without too many axilli: delosperma is a plant that loves to arrange itself.
We need light, a lot. Not that filtered, but the full sun, the one that warms. Too moist soil? Better to avoid it. Even if it may seem a contradiction, delosperm prefers a little drought to the risk of rot.
It can only be watering when the soil is completely dry. If you forget once, nothing happens. Indeed, the plant thanks. And every now and then, removing some dry sprigs helps to maintain an orderly appearance and stimulate new growth.
Over time, the seedling will become more robust. And maybe, as often happens, it will tend to expand, invade spaces, colonize vases and flower beds. At that point, you can start all over again, in a cycle that never ends.
And who knows, perhaps even those who had never approached gardening will end up getting conquered.
Because seeing a plant born from such a simple gesture has something truly surprising.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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