The cushion-like growing thrifts (Armeria maritima) are wonderful for heather or rock gardens and can easily be propagated by division, cuttings or by sowing. The young plants will form lush, spherical cushions very quickly.
The more the nicer
Share thrifts
Thrifts age very quickly within a few years and then turn an unsightly brown from below - not to mention that the flowering also decreases. For this reason, the thrift pad should be rejuvenated by division every three to four years. Thrifts are very easy to divide, even the smallest pieces grow back reliably and quickly form new, dense cushions. You can divide them throughout the summer up to the beginning of September at the latest.
- Use a spade or digging fork to loosen the soil around the pad.
- Now carefully lift the thrifts and their roots out of the ground.
- Examine the roots carefully for damaged or diseased areas
- and remove them.
- Gently pull apart the plants and roots with your hands.
- Replant the individual plants.
- Since thrifts are hardy, the young plants can go outside right away.
Propagating thrifts by cuttings
The propagation of thrifts by cuttings also brings good results, for which the best time is in June and July.
- Select young shoots about six to eight centimeters long.
- Cut this off right at the base.
- Blossoming or budding shoots are unsuitable as they lack the strength to root.
- Plant the cuttings in pots filled with sand.
- A mixture of peat and sand is also suitable.
- Slightly moisten the substrate.
- Keep humidity high until rooting,
- for example by placing the pots in an indoor greenhouse
- or cover with translucent film.
The cuttings will form the first roots after about six weeks and can then be transplanted.
Sow thrifts
If the plants are not pruned after flowering, they usually self-seed very reliably. You can also sow the (collected or purchased) seeds yourself, either directly in August or September or in pre-culture between February and April. Thrifts belong to the cold germs and therefore need a cold period to break the germination inhibition.
tips
Thrifts grown from seed are slow to flower in the first year, but will make up for it in the second year.