Bacopa plants, or water hyssops, produce small, brightly colored blooms along trailing stems. Annual and perennial varieties exist, though even the perennials are often treated as annuals. Bacopa trailing form makes them a suitable plant in hanging baskets, as the blossoms spill over the sides of the pot attractively. These plants also work well as a flowering ground cover, quickly spreading to cover any bare patches of soil. Bacopa grows naturally along the sides of creeks and streams, but proper care allows it to grow in nearly any area of the garden.
Instructions
1. Plant bacopa in a bed that receives full day sun or morning sun and afternoon shade. Planting in full, all-day sunlight helps encourage the plants to grow full and bushy.
2. Water bacopa often, providing approximately 2 inches of water per week. Water at the base of the plants until the top 6 to 8 inches of soil feels moist. In baskets, water until the excess moisture drains from the bottom of the pot. Do not allow the soil to dry out.
3. Fertilize potted bacopa once every two weeks and bedded bacopa once monthly when the plants are actively growing in spring and summer. Apply a balanced, soluble houseplant fertilizer at half the rate recommended on the label.
4. Apply iron chelate if the bacopa leaves begin yellowing or turning white, as this indicates an iron deficiency. Apply as directed on the iron chelate packaging.
5. Trim plants as needed to control growth and size. Cut off long, trailing stems that begin climbing up nearby vegetation or in other unwanted areas. Mow the entire bed if it becomes badly overgrown, The bacopa grows back bushier and fuller after mowing.
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