You can never have too many beautiful plants. This is totally true when it comes to heucheras. In addition, the process of giving birth to a new plant is very exciting.
The easiest way to propagate Coral Bells is by dividing. Tear off a few side stems that already have roots and plant them in pots. In a few months, you will get full-grown plants.
These are not all possible propagation methods. In this article, we will look in detail at how heuchera can be propagated and how to do it correctly.
The best way to get several plants from one is to divide the bush into 2-3 parts. Over the course of its life, Coral Bells will produce a number of daughter plants around it or its stem will branch out.
If the stem is not too elongated then the daughter plants or branching occurs on or very close to the ground. As a result, roots start to form in the new plants.
The best time to divide the crown is in late spring or early summer. It is best if the weather is warm but not too hot and not too sunny. If it hasn’t rained a week before splitting, water the heuchera 1-2 days before.
There are two ways to divide. First, tear off the side parts of the bush and leave the main trunk as is. Over time it will develop new leaves and branch out.
The second way is to dig out the bush completely and clean the dirt out of it. Then divide it into 2-3 large pieces. The bigger the pieces and the more roots they have, the faster you will get full plants.
Avoid cutting pieces that are too small and without roots, since they will take a much longer time to take root. Or they might even die.
Try to tear off so that the wounds are as small as possible. After dividing, powder the wounds with crushed ashes. Avoid cutting the bush with a knife because torn wounds heal better than cut wounds.
Plant each part in a separate pot at least 10 inches in diameter with drainage holes. Use sterile potting soil.
Place the pot in full shade and water regularly. Do not let the soil become more than 1 inch dry.
By fall, the pieces will have grown into full-grown plants and can be planted in the garden.
Read also: Best Hydroponic System For Leafy Greens
The second method of propagation is cuttings. Very often the stem of Coral Bells gets very long and the bush becomes too tall or starts to crawl on the ground.
You will need to cut off the top part of the bush. The best time to do this is May-July. Avoid cutting in excessively wet or rainy weather, as you need to allow the wounds to dry out a little.
Only cut the top of the heuchera when the stem is at least 4 inches long. Cut at least 2 inches from the ground. If you cut the bush at ground level, leaving only the roots, it will take a very long time for the plant to recover.
Ideally, you should have two equal parts of the bush after cutting. One in the ground is at least 2 inches tall and has leaves. The second is a cutting that is also at least 2 inches long and also with leaves.
Do not remove the leaves from the cutting as they are the ones that stimulate the emergence of new roots. Over time, most of them will fade, but they will do the job.
Powder the bottom of the cutting with crushed ash and plant it in a large pot with sterile seedling soil. Place the pot in a shady and moist place. It is an advantage if you place it in a greenhouse.
By the end of the season the roots will show up, but do not transplant the new plant into the garden. Wait until next spring and then transplant from the pot into the ground.
Read more: Can Heuchera Be Propagated From Cuttings?
One last way to propagate Coral Bells is by sowing seeds. You won’t get the same results this way as with cuttings because the seedlings are not good at inheriting the characteristics of the mother plant.
But seed multiplication can still produce very interesting results. All varieties of heuchera have been obtained by sowing seeds and selecting interesting specimens.
If you have several varieties growing in your garden, insects can cross-pollinate them. As a result, you can get unique new plants.
To do this, cut off the inflorescences when the flowers have faded. Place them in a plastic box or tray without a lid. Let them dry out until next spring.
In the spring, lightly shred the dried inflorescences. Then sow these into trays or pots of seedling soil. Moisten the soil well and place the containers in the greenhouse. Keep the humidity high and don’t let the soil dry out.
After 1 to 3 weeks, the seedlings will sprout and then you can move the pots out of the greenhouse and into the full shade. Then you need to keep an eye on them and water them constantly.
In a year or two, you will get big plants that you can decorate your garden with.
Will heuchera root in water?
Heuchera will not take roots in water. If you put the cuttings in water, they will rot in 1-2 weeks.
There are ways to prevent rotting. This is achieved by adding some ingredients to the water that inhibit the rotting process. But the chances of a successful result are still miserable.
The cuttings need air to form roots and there is too little air in the water. It is much more effective to place the cuttings in a sterile and friable substrate and ensure good humidity.
This way you will get the desired result almost 100% of the time.