Friday, September 13, 2013

Grow Bacopa Outdoors

Bacopa (Chaenostoma cordata) is a small perennial that has many cultivated forms. These plants have small flowers that are usually white but may also be blue or purple, depending on the variety. You'll frequently plant bacopa in hanging pots but they can also grow outdoors in wet soil if the climate is warm enough. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions








1. Select the site. Bacopa plants will need moisture-retaining soil and full sunlight. Dig a hole at least 6 inches deep and mix in 2 to 3 inches of peat moss to provide additional moisture retention. You should also add cottonseed meal if the soil isn't already slightly acidic. Rake the soil smooth.


2. Transplant the young plants. Remove the transplants from the nursery pots and place them in the prepared soil. Gently pack the soil around the plant so that it stands by itself. Space the individual plants about 16 inches apart.


3. Add mulch. Place a mulch of buckwheat hulls 3 to 4 inches deep around the bacopa plants. This will provide additional moisture retention that will be needed by the young bacopa plants.








4. Water the bacopa plants. Give each transplant 1 to 2 cups of water with a watering can after you finish planting them. Use a sprinkler to provide 1 inch of water per day. Ensure that the soil remains well-drained so that the roots of the bacopa plants aren't submerged in standing water.


5. Maintain the growing bacopa plants. Trim the stems to shape the plants but don't overprune them. Remove the dead stems as they accumulate under the plant. Add a liquid feed of seaweed extract every week or two to provide additional nutrients.

Tags: bacopa plants, provide additional, additional moisture, additional moisture retention, bacopa plants, inches deep