Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 09:01 pm
Those who have fallen in love with the pretty flowers or are also eager to cultivate many more specimens of St. John’s wort, save costs by propagating the herb themselves. Read below which 3 methods have proven successful and how to proceed step by step!
Sowing: how does it work?
The most common is the sowing of this perennial. You can approach it both in the spring and in the fall. It is ideal to sow the seeds directly into the open ground. Pre-cultivation at home is also possible. The seeds are small, elongated and brown – you can get them in stores, but they can also be from your own harvest.
The berries of St. John’s wort: ripening time and appearance.
How to sow the seeds properly:
- Prepare the soil or pot with sowing soil.
- ideal: moist, humus-rich soil
- choose a light, semi-shaded location
- Sow seeds
- press down or cover with a very thin layer of soil
- keep moist
- germination period: 2 to 3 weeks
After sowing the seeds and sprouting, you can prick or separate the young plantlets from a growth height of about 10 cm. A distance of 30 cm between the individual specimens is recommended.
Grow cuttings for propagation
The cuttings method is easy, if you know how to do it. It should be noted that the cuttings will bloom for the first time only after 2-3 years. For this method, choose either soft, semi-woody or woody shoots. The shoots should be 5 to 10 inches long.
Here are a few more tips:
- in late spring to September: obtain soft to semi-ripe cuttings
- between October and December: take woody cuttings
- remove lower leaves
- put cuttings into pots with growing soil
- keep moist
- duration of rooting: three to six weeks
Dividing the roots – how is it done?
With older perennials (not with St. John’s wort shrubs!) division is also possible. Division should be done either in spring or fall:
- Cut back the perennial
- Dig out root system
- expose roots
- cut off a 5 to 8 cm long shoot with scissors
- plant the shoot in a pot
- keep moist
- after sprouting: plant in a light location
Tips
Propagation of cuttings is possible only for St. John’s wort shrubs.