Bacopa growing from seeds: photo and description. Bacopa carolina Aquarium plant bacopa cultivation and propagation

The variety of plants for the aquarium allows you to create real landscapes in this artificial reservoir. Today we will look at one of the types. Bacopa aquarium (Carolina and Monnieri) can, in principle, grow well in air conditions. But the distinctive characteristics of these plants is their amazing ability to live in water. For them, there is no fundamental difference: they are completely flooded or partially immersed in water. There are varieties for salt and fresh water. Aquarium bacopa is distinguished by its simple cultivation techniques. Even a novice gardener can easily grow it. On this page you can see photos of aquarium bacopa, evaluate the attractiveness of the plant and read tips on organizing care. You can read about how to grow this aquarium plant with your own hands at the end of the page. There are some tips from experienced gardeners.

Did you know that it is intended for growing in open ground conditions (on the balcony, loggia, terrace and garden)?

Bacopa carolina for aquarium

Bacopa caroliniana in an aquarium (with photo)

Among aquarium owners, certain aquarium species of bacopa, grown as decorations for vessels, have gained great fame. The fact is that this plant is so unpretentious and easy to propagate that it is suitable even for those who know nothing about breeding underwater flora. Next, let's find out which underwater and above-water types of bacopa you can grow for your aquarium and look at them in the photo below.

Bacopa Monnieri for aquarium

From the family of burrowers, people involved in aquarium floristry distinguish the Carolina species of the genus Bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana).

Initially, in its natural environment, Bacopa aquarium is often found in freshwater bodies of North and Latin America. In gardening, Carolina bacopa is often used to decorate garden ponds. Its succulent and flexible stems quite often grow above the water level, throwing out branched apical shoots with small flowers. Elliptical leaves equal in length and width (2 cm) are arranged oppositely and have a yellow-green color. Often, with sufficient lighting, the leaves located on the apical shoots become copper-colored.

Aquarium bacopa in aquatic floristry

The Carolina bacopa species is classified as a creeping perennial crop; a distinctive feature of this plant is that when you rub the leaves in your hands, you can hear the pleasant aroma of mint and lemon. Five-leaf buds are formed only at the moment when the plant emerges in growth above the water level. Flowers can be white or purple; you can get to know them better in the photo.

Bacopa aquarium, two types

Bacopa Carolinas is often used in aquariums for landscaping marine and freshwater bodies of water; it easily takes root in water with any level of salt.

Look at the Carolina bacopa in the photo: it illustrates how it can be used for landscaping aquariums:

Bacopa aquarium: Monnieri and Australian for the aquarium

Another aquarium bacopa, which, although it is difficult to call it such, is no less valuable, is the Indian scale insect or bacopa monnieri (Bacopa monnieri), also known as brahmi grass. This plant grows only on the marshy coasts of water bodies in the subtropics and tropics of India. Often, this plant can be found in nature in some countries of Asia, America and Africa. Creeping stems, up to 40 cm long, grow quite quickly and easily over a long distance from the bush. The perennial flowers are small and have a pale pink tint. Bacopa Monnieri is often used in folk and official medicine. Travelers from India talk about the beneficial properties of tea with herbs, which not only gives strength, but also helps treat various ailments.

Aquarium Bacopa Monnieri

Another popular aquarium species of bacopa is the Australian one, which is the smallest representative of the entire genus with a powerful rhizome system. This plant is native to the marshy banks of rivers and lakes in Southern Brazil. Australian bacopa has a very fragile stem, which should be taken into account when transporting and replanting the plant to a new location. Small leaves, no more than 4 cm wide, are located opposite on the shoots. The color of the leaf plate is bright green; in good lighting, they add additional decorativeness due to the fact that they acquire a pinkish tint, as can be seen in the photo below. The height of Australian bacopa rarely exceeds 30-40 cm, which is why this species is considered one of the smallest. Unlike the Carolina variety, it grows only in fresh water.

Australian bacopa

How to Grow an Aquarium Bacopa Plant

In fact, growing and propagating aquarium species of bacopa is practically not difficult. The fact is that the process becomes much easier due to multiple nodes on the stems of plants that produce roots. But still, some nuances are worth knowing. Before growing an aquarium bacopa plant, you should select the “inhabitants” of the artificial reservoir. Or rather, decide whether you will breed freshwater or saltwater fish. And only after this you need to choose a variety of bacopa suitable for an aquarium with salt or fresh water.

Both the Carolina and Australian types of bacopa are famous for their unpretentiousness, but when it comes to their propagation, they are a little different. New Carolina species are obtained by cuttings from a bush. For this, apical shoots are suitable, cut so that a cutting 12-15 cm long is obtained. The stem will take root immediately in the soil, where we plant it, without deepening the lower whorl of leaves.

In the case of Australian bacopa, it is important to take side shoots that are at least 5 cm long - they are also planted directly into the ground. Roots should form from the nodes within 10-14 days; if this does not happen, then let the cuttings swim a little in the aquarium.

The agricultural technology for growing bacopa in an aquarium is simple. If planting was done correctly, then absolutely no care is required for the aquarium bacopa plant. Never use chemicals or fertilizers. It is advisable to first grow a fairly large bush using nitrogen fertilizers outside the aquarium and only after thoroughly washing the root system place it with the fish. This way you can preserve the ecology of the aquarium and not harm the health of its inhabitants.

Look at others: they are presented in a large number of types and varieties.

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Well, for starters, I would like to say that Bacopa Carolinas is considered, so for a novice aquarist this is an excellent specimen to add to his jar. I already wrote about unpretentious aquarium plants on the blog, you can read it. Bacopa leaves are bright green, oval-shaped and reach 2.5 centimeters in length, and they grow in pairs on the stem.

Typically, bacopa is kept in tropical or moderately warm waters with a temperature range from 20 degrees to 26. When the water temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius, the growth of the plant slows down significantly and older leaves begin to rot slowly. The guest from Carolina loves soft water with a slightly acidic or neutral environment. Bacopa also does not like hard water; if the hardness exceeds 8 degrees, the bush will significantly decrease in size, and the leaves may even be crushed.

What I also like about this plant is its ease of propagation. Bacopa bush can be propagated by stem cuttings. They cut a 10-centimeter piece from the top of the plant and planted it right there in the ground. Just don’t forget to deepen the lower whorl of leaves. After some time, the new plant will sprout roots from the base of the leaves. For more successful cultivation and breeding of Carolina bacopa, it is better to use a shallow aquarium, a maximum of 30 centimeters.

Since bacopa is considered a marsh grass that lives in the water column, it will grow better either in a semi-flooded or wet greenhouse. To see the plant bloom, you need to create bright lighting and raise the temperature to 30 degrees. In addition, the soil should be rich in organic matter. After all the above conditions are met, bacopa will bloom with interesting blue flowers. It is from these plants grown in a greenhouse that it is best to take for an aquarium and not be afraid that bacopa will not tolerate the conditions well.

Well, that's all for today. Thank you for taking a couple of minutes to read this post. I look forward to the next meeting and you are welcome to comment. Bye everyone!

A plant from the Norichnikov family. Originally from South Africa. Bacopa has appeared in culture since 1993. She was named Sutera. The plant blooms almost continuously from March to October, dividing its flowering time into two stages, each stage has a peak of abundance and a time of decreasing flowering, in other words, flowering is wavy. Bacopa ampelous is an unpretentious perennial plant. It is grown as a hanging or ground cover.

Bacopa ampelous

Bacopa ampelous looks beautiful in hanging baskets. Used to decorate fences and walls.

Bacopa leaves and flowers are small, blue, white, pink. Bacopa is a creeping plant, therefore, when it is grown in the ground, it forms roots in each shoot node in contact with the soil.

Bacopa goes well with lobelia, petunia, ageratum, nasturtium, and fuchsia. Bacopa is grown by lovers of beautiful compositions in hanging pots to form an unusual screen.

Bacopa can be planted as a background plant, emphasizing the brightness of the colors of nearby plants. It is planted with standard-shaped plants. However, like a separate plant, it will conquer everyone with its sophistication.

Bacopa directed upward along the support in vertical gardening is combined with morning glory and nasturtium. In the garden, ampelous bacopa is used to decorate bald areas, forming a dense thin carpet. The plant grows quickly and with the help of bacopa you can easily achieve a decorative effect. The richness and brightness of the color of bacopa foliage is created through the use of various microelements in fertilizing.

Bacopa is grown as an ampel plant in flowerpots, hanging baskets, and can also be grown in mixed plantings and greenhouses. The length of bacopa shoots reaches about 60 cm.

Bacopa does not need to remove the flowers because it is self-cleaning. The plant is attractive even during periods of long rains; it does not lose its decorative effect. Its small leaves on flexible long shoots are also attractive.

Bacopa varieties with different shades of inflorescences and flower sizes are common in culture. Bacopa comes in blue, white, blue, pink, purple, and red.

The average size of flowers is 2 cm in diameter. Bacopa flowers are single, five-petaled. The inflorescences are two-lipped, they are formed in the axils of the foliage. The leaf blades on the stem of bacopa are placed in the same order. The foliage is lanceolate, small, entire.

Today it has gained great popularity bacopa spreading . The work of breeders is focused on saturating the flowers of Bakovy with color, increasing the size of the inflorescences, and developing new flower colors.

New varieties of bacopa have a red and lilac color. In the center of the flower there is a yellow eye.

Growing ampelous bacopa

The plant can be grown as a canopy or ground cover. If you want, the bacopa shoots can be directed upward by installing supports and fixing the branches with wire or soft twine.

It is best to grow bacopa in sunny areas, but it is not at all afraid of slight shading. If there is a lot of shading, the plant will not have enough light, and its shoots may become elongated. Bacopa flowering in partial shade is not as lush as in the sun.

Bacopa prefers slightly acidic soil.

For a lush form, it is advisable for the plant to pinch out its growth points.

The distance between specimens in one pot should be 10 cm. Plant height is from 10 to 24 cm. The bush is dense, in the shape of a hemisphere. The shoots of ampelous types of bacopa are about 40 cm long, the columnar bacopa is 24 cm high, and the shoots are erect.

Bacopa should be planted outdoors after frost has passed. The soil in the pot should be kept slightly moist. It is not advisable to overdry the earthen lump. With watering, mineral fertilizer must be added to the substrate.

Bacopa care

It consists of constant watering and fertilizing with complex fertilizers. Loosening should be easy, because the root system is superficial.

Bacopa ampelous can tolerate temperatures down to -5°. In winter, the plant should be kept in a bright room with reduced watering. The temperature in winter should be up to 14 °C.

It will be best for her on a balcony or loggia. If there are no such conditions, then monitor watering and moisten the soil more often, spray the shoots to increase air humidity.

The experience of flower growers shows that in a cool room, bacopa does not lose its decorative effect, but in a plant overwintering in a warm room, the leaves dry out, the shoots become bare, and are strongly retracted.

Bacopa ampelous is practically not affected by pests. It is only afraid of aphids and whiteflies. If infestation occurs, treat immediately with an insecticide.

Bacopa propagation

Bacopa propagates by seeds and also by cuttings. To get cuttings, you need to cut off the top of the shoot. Rooting time is from January to March, or from August to September.

Bacopa cuttings are rooted in a light substrate.

The container with bacopa cuttings can be placed in a greenhouse or covered with a plastic bag. When the plant takes root and begins to grow, you need to pinch the top so that the bacopa bushes and forms side shoots.

The experience of flower growers has shown that the percentage of rooted cuttings of ampelous bacopa with white flowers is high. Snow-white varieties of bacopa have greater disease resistance. The cuttings are planted in May.

When growing bacopa from seeds, they need to be sown as seedlings.

Sowing should be superficial, only pressing the seeds onto light soil.

After sowing, the container must be placed in a room with a temperature of at least 18°C ​​and high humidity. The best temperature is 20-24°C. Seedlings appear two weeks after sowing.

Picking is done when several true leaves appear. Dive at a distance of at least 2 cm between plants.

The second picking is done in separate cups or pots with a drainage hole. After the second picking, you can feed it with mineral fertilizers.

After the second picking, the seedlings are hardened. The growing temperature decreases; it should be around +15-23°C.

Bacopa Carolinas is a perennial plant with creeping stems, succulent foliage and a fleshy texture. It thrives not only in salt water, but also in fresh water of natural and artificial reservoirs. That is why bacopa has the status of one of the most common plants in freshwater and marine aquariums. Let's get to know this interesting representative of the flora in more detail.

Appearance

Often, Carolina bacopa grows beyond the aquarium, and its shoots bloom near the surface of the water. The inflorescences have a delicate purple hue. Small flowers have five petals.

The stem of Bacopa Carolinas is long and bright green. The foliage is located on the stem in opposite order, that is, in pairs. Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant reproduces well in an aquarium. When used in artificial reservoirs and in the presence of suitable conditions, it can grow and reproduce throughout the year.

Bacopa: care

The plant prefers soft water. Exceeding the norm in an aquarium often leads to deformation of the stems and leaves of the plant. For the growth of Carolina bacopa, it does not matter how old the water in the aquarium is. The main thing is to have good lighting, preferably sunlight.

Bacopa grows well in an aquarium when the water temperature is maintained at 20 to 26 degrees. But even when the temperature drops, the plant usually does not die, but only stops growing and reproducing. For normal development and fixation on the bottom of the aquarium, daylight hours for bacopa should last at least ten hours.

Bacopa Carolinas has a rather weak root system. Therefore, when keeping it in an aquarium, moderate filling of the bottom with fertile substrate is required, preferably based on clay, sand and stones. As for the plant’s nutrition, it has enough substances that enter the soil and water mass as a result of the vital activity of fish and other inhabitants of the aquarium.

Reproduction

Bacopa carolina propagates by stem cuttings. When moving into an aquarium, plant shoots are planted in the substrate without waiting for the root primordia to appear. At first, it is wise to grow bacopa in small containers in bright light, observing the required temperature and acid conditions of the aquatic environment.

Benefits of Growing Bacopa

When completing the design, it is important to decide in advance on the necessary plants. One of the easiest to care for and completely undemanding representatives of the flora can be Bacopa Carolinas. Its relatively slow growth, along with its ability to actively reproduce, is a real boon for aquarium lovers around the world.

The plant can be grown on almost any substrate, the density of which is sufficient to hold the roots. To propagate Carolina bacopa artificially, it is enough to cut off the tops and plant them in the ground. Trimming the top shoots does not harm the plant at all, but on the contrary leads to even greater, active branching of the tops.

Varieties of aquatic bacopa

One of the most common varieties of the plant is bacopa carolina. As noted earlier, this representative of the flora is particularly unpretentious to living conditions, reproduces well and is therefore popular among avid aquarists.

Another common species is Australian bacopa, whose homeland, despite its name, is. In natural conditions, the plant is more often found in fresh water bodies and is the smallest species of its genus. However, Australian bacopa also thrives in artificial saltwater ponds and aquariums.

Madagascar bacopa prefers the conditions of fresh streams, water meadows, small clean ponds and lakes. The plant can be seen growing in huge quantities along the shores of reservoirs on the island of Madagascar.

When doing it yourself, preference can also be given to a plant such as bacopa monnieri, which is present on almost all continents. Most often it is found in swampy, shallow reservoirs, rivers and lakes with rich substrate.

Pinnate leaf bacopa is somewhat different in appearance from other plants of this genus, which is already clear from the name itself. An underwater pinnate plant is found, mainly in the waters of South America. Perhaps this is why this variety of bacopa has not yet become so widespread among lovers of aquariums and artificial reservoirs.

Bacopa can be grown as a hanging or ground cover plant. In a short time, the plant will weave the necessary part of a fence, wall, hanging plant pot or flower bed. Even a novice gardener can grow unpretentious bacopa without much effort. Moreover, the conditions for cultivating bacopa at home are not much different from those in the street.

Bacopa plant: description of the species

• Bacopa is a creeping perennial plant of the Plantain family. This extensive genus includes more than 60 succulent (water-storing) and water-loving species of bacopa.

• Another name for bacopa is Sutera. The flower has been cultivated since 1993.
• The most spectacular, abundantly flowering types of bacopa are actively used in decorative floriculture. Most often, canopy and ground cover varieties of perennial crops are cultivated.
• In nature, bacopa can be found near bodies of water or in wetlands of the tropics and subtropics.
• The thin stem of the plant is creeping, due to which the bacopa bushes quickly grow and weave into a beautiful “ball”. In this case, the length of the shoot can reach up to 1 meter.

• The perennial leaves are small, ovoid, olive green in color. They are arranged in pairs on the stem.
• Bacopa blooms in summer and lasts almost the entire warm season: from April to October. This process is characterized by waves: peaks of flowering abundance (3-4 weeks) are followed by a decrease in activity (1.5-2 weeks) followed by repetition of the cycle. Flower buds develop at the base of each leaf, making the bacopa bush "cluttered" with colorful inflorescences.

• The fragrant flowers are tubular or bell-shaped and resemble miniature stars in appearance. The color of the corolla, depending on the variety, can be white, blue, purple, pink or yellow.
• The bacopa flower does not need to remove faded inflorescences; they fall off on their own.
• A perennial crop in cold regions is grown in open ground only as an annual plant. It is also possible to overwinter the perennial in a warm room.
• Bacopa is considered an unpretentious plant with high aesthetic qualities.
• The flower's lifespan is not very long, but quick and easy propagation more than makes up for the problem.
• Bacopa can be grown both at home and in a flower bed (in open ground).

Bacopa: plant uses

• The bacopa plant is one of the best decorations used in the decorative arrangement of balconies, facades, terraces, flower beds and even aquariums. The flower looks especially impressive during the flowering period, when the lush bush is literally “covered” with small bright flowers and buds.
• In the field of decorative floriculture, ampelous bacopa is especially popular, grown in hanging pots, flower pots, original baskets or tall flowerpots.

• Planting bacopa with chrysanthemums, petunias, nasturtiums, fuchsias and other bright flowers looks impressive. Can be planted on alpine hills and flower beds as a ground cover. The plant grows quite quickly and forms a continuous flowering “carpet”.
• Bacopa is used by designers both as an independent bright accent and as a background plant, focusing attention on other flowering crops.
• If you direct the branching variety of bacopa along a support, the crop will quickly “braid” the required area. This ability of a decorative perennial is successfully used for vertical gardening.
• The creeping plant is also suitable for cutting and for use in bouquet arrangements. At the same time, in water the flower retains its decorative effect for quite a long time.
• Aquatic varieties of bacopa allow you to grow the crop near any natural reservoirs or pools.
• Bacopa Monnieri is considered a medicinal crop that improves memory and brain activity.

Varieties and varieties of bacopa

In floriculture, bred hybrids are used, with lush leafy bushes, abundant and long-lasting flowering.

The most common and popular varieties of cultivated bacopa are:

• Bacopa "Bluetopia"

Perennial with shoots up to 30 cm long. The color of the corollas is bluish-lilac. The variety blooms profusely and for a long time. An unpretentious and hardy herbaceous crop.

• Bacopa "Caroliniana"

A moisture-loving plant, reaching a height of about 30-40 cm. This variety belongs to the aquarium bacopa species and can even grow under water. The spreading, thickened stems are densely intertwined and, when rubbed, emit a pleasant lemon scent. Flowering continues all summer, the flowers are small, blue or dark blue. The variety is planted near reservoirs and ponds, in aquariums; in cold weather they are transferred “for the winter” to a warm room.

• Bacopa "Monnieri"

The medicinal variety of bacopa is used in the same way as a decorative flower to decorate balconies, aquariums and outdoor flowerpots. The succulent variety is characterized by creeping stems, oblong sessile leaves and flowers with blue, pink or white corollas.

• Bacopa "Utopia"

An ampelous hybrid variety of bacopa, used for landscaping facades, balconies or fences. The stem length is about 60 cm. The flowers are small, pale blue in color. An unpretentious hardy variety.

• Bacopa "Snowtopia"

Hybrid variety with miniature snow-white flowers. Bacopa is popular among landscape designers and is used for landscaping terraces, loggias, etc.

• Bacopa "Giant Snowflake"

A large variety with a stem length of about 90 cm. The leaves are small and green. The flowers are larger than other varieties of bacopa and are white in color. The flowering is long and abundant, reminiscent of a “snow-white waterfall.” The plant looks impressive in hanging baskets or plant pots.

• Bacopa "Blue Avalanche"

Ampelous bacopa with drooping stems and delicate bluish-lilac flowers. Used as a potted plant.

• Bacopa "Olympic Gold"

A distinctive feature of the variety is the color of the leaves - golden, which gives a special decorative effect to the bacopa bushes. The snow-white flowers are medium in size and bloom long and profusely.

• Bacopa "Vasilisa"

The variety is characterized by a beautiful, soft purple flower color. Suitable for decorating balconies, facades, alpine slides and flower beds. The length of the drooping stem reaches from 30 to 60 cm.

Features of planting bacopa

• Bacopa is grown mainly by seedlings.
• When should you sow bacopa for seedlings? The optimal sowing time is the beginning of March. If you start sowing seeds in February, you should provide the seedlings with additional lighting (additional lighting).
• Bacopa seeds remain viable for no more than 3 years. Therefore, when purchasing seeds, it is important to pay attention to the packaging date of the seed material.
• As for the soil, bacopa prefers loose, moist, low-acidity soil. A suitable soil for sowing bacopa is a mixture of peat and garden soil (in equal parts). You can also add some damp compost. When planting bacopa seedlings in a pot, add sand and humus (2 parts each) to the soil mixture.
• Before sowing, it is recommended to calcine the soil in an oven at a temperature of 80-90 0 C for 4 hours. This “simple” technique disinfects the soil and kills spores of pathogens and pest larvae. You should not increase the calcination temperature, so as not to destroy the beneficial microflora of the soil mixture.

• Flower pots and pots are placed on the sunny side, since in the shade the bushes stretch out and lose their attractiveness. The ideal option is an open sunny area, slightly shaded on a hot afternoon.
• For aquarium species of bacopa, special fluorescent lighting lamps and coarse sand (or small pebbles) are used as soil.

• If you grow bacopa as a hanging plant, when planting, install special supports or a net, which the perennial will “braid.”

Agricultural technology for planting bacopa seeds

The key condition for the successful cultivation of bacopa is the correct selection of a place for planting, preparation of high-quality soil, provision of a drainage layer and twice picking of seedlings.

• A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the planting container or flower pot to prevent moisture stagnation. Coarse river sand or small crushed stone is suitable as drainage. Lack of drainage can lead to root rot or other bacopa diseases.
• Before sowing, bacopa seeds are soaked for 20-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
• Bacopa seeds are sowed superficially, i.e. without covering them with soil, but only lightly compacting them. Bacopa seeds are very small and germinate in the light, so there is no need to dig them into the ground.
• The container with the seeds is covered with glass and left in a bright, warm place, ensuring periodic moistening of the soil (with a spray) and ventilation of the “mini-greenhouse”. The recommended room temperature is about 20 0 C.
• After about 2-3 weeks, the first bacopa shoots appear. Then the glass covering is removed, and the shoots that are too dense are thinned out.
• For the successful development of seedlings, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is moist at all times and that the seedlings receive a sufficient amount of nutrients. The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after emergence, after which the procedure is repeated every 10-15 days. Fertilizers must include elements such as phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. Experienced gardeners recommend alternating organic and mineral fertilizers.
• Water the seedlings carefully, using a drip method, not allowing the soil to dry out. At the same time, excess moisture is also undesirable: it can lead to rotting of the plant roots.
• In the development phase of 3-4 leaves, the seedlings are planted for the first time in separate containers (for example, cups). When replanting, it is important to preserve the seedling’s natural soil clod without damaging its fragile roots. Then the seedlings will quickly and successfully take root in the new place.
• For planting, it is best to use transparent plastic containers in which soil moisture can be easily controlled.
• The second picking is carried out at a permanent planting site (flower garden or flower container). Replant the grown and strengthened bacopa bushes, burying them in the ground at one internode. This technique will allow the plant to form additional roots, which means it will take root faster and ensure abundant flowering in the future. To stimulate bushiness, the tops of the shoots of seedlings are pinched.
• Seedlings are planted with an interval of at least 10 cm between individual specimens. The frequency of planting directly ensures the future decorativeness of the plant.

Agricultural technology for planting cuttings (layerings) of bacopa

• The requirements for planting conditions for rooted cuttings are the same as for sowing seeds for seedlings.
• Cuttings or layering are planted in the ground, in prepared holes, according to the principle of grown seedlings.
• A perennial crop, bacopa, has a short lifespan, so in the second year the old plant is no longer planted. It will not have its original attractive appearance. The mother plant is renewed by dividing it into cuttings and then rooting the latter.

Growing bacopa in open ground

• When planting bacopa in open ground, the seedlings begin to harden in advance (2-3 weeks in advance). To do this, seedlings are gradually placed in conditions with a lower temperature, bringing it to 15 0 C.
• Such preparation will strengthen the young plants for open ground conditions, and in the second half of May the seedlings can be planted outside.
• The place for planting bacopa should be chosen taking into account the preferences of a moisture-loving crop: light partial shade and moist soil (optimally - near a reservoir). Large shading can cause elongation, thinning of the shoots and deterioration in the flowering of bacopa; on the contrary, the open hot sun will “dry out” the hygrophyte too much.
• It is recommended to plant bacopa bushes in a flowerbed, maintaining an interval between plants of at least 20 cm.
• In case of recurrent frosts and the temperature drops below 10 0 C, the bacopa plantings are covered with film.

Bacopa, plant care

The conditions for growing bacopa are not particularly difficult or labor-intensive. More attention should be paid to young specimens, which, after rooting and further development in a permanent place, will become absolutely unpretentious and hardy plants. It is enough to follow standard agrotechnical practices for the flower to grow into a spectacular flowering bush.

For a warm and light-loving crop, a site without drafts and gusty winds, with diffused, but at the same time sufficient sunlight, is best suited.

Watering and loosening bacopa

• A moisture-loving crop, bacopa is responsive to regular moderate watering.
• During hot, dry periods, the plant is watered twice a day: in the morning and in the evening (after sunset).
• During the growth of deciduous mass, additional spraying of bacopa bushes is recommended, also twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. When the first buds appear, spraying is stopped.
• Periodically, the soil near the bacopa is loosened, but not deeply, given the shallow location of the plant’s roots.

Feeding Bacopa

• The application of fertilizing and fertilizers will allow you to grow a healthy, lush bush with massive green mass and an abundance of inflorescences.
• As a rule, liquid mineral complexes containing nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and manganese are used as root fertilizers. Alternation with liquid organic fertilizers (mullein solution or bird droppings) is also allowed.
• Usually only a young, growing plant is fed (once every 1.5-2 weeks). Adult specimens do not particularly need additional nutrition.
• It is necessary to apply fertilizing carefully, at the root, without getting on the leaves and thus avoiding their burns.

Pinching Bacopa

• To make the bacopa bush look more decorative and impressive, young shoots of the flower are pinched. By pinching and trimming the shoots, you can achieve a beautiful three-dimensional spherical shape of bacopa.
• Strongly elongated shoots are also cut off, leaving no more than 50-60 cm of their length.
• There is no need to remove dried flowers; they fall off on their own.

Wintering Bacopa

• Although bacopa is a perennial plant, it does not tolerate cold and requires changing conditions in the winter.
• The best option for long-term cultivation of bacopa is its annual renewal using young shoots of an adult plant.
• On the eve of winter, the above-ground part of the bacopa is cut off and the flower is brought into a cool room with a temperature of about 10 - 15 0 C. In addition to lowering the temperature, watering rates are reduced and fertilizing is “removed”. In this mode, the plant goes through a dormant period. On the eve of spring (February - early March), the culture is rejuvenated by separating cuttings from overwintered bacopa. It is not reasonable to replant an adult bush the next year, since two-year-old bacopa completely loses its decorative charm: the number of buds and leaves is small, the bush looks “naked” and ugly.
• Some gardeners are in no hurry to prune the shoots of outdoor bacopa, wanting to prolong its flowering longer. To do this, the bush is brought into a warm room for the winter and enjoys bright and abundant flowering until the New Year. After this, the flower pot is placed in a cool place for “hibernation.” A glazed, unheated balcony or loggia is best suited for these purposes. If you leave a flower in a warm room, there is a high risk of developing diseases and subsequent depletion of the plant. If the plant is still left in a warm room, you should regularly moisten the soil in the pot and provide the bacopa with an increased level of humidity by spraying the shoots.

Diseases and pests of bacopa

• In general, bacopa is resistant to pests and diseases.
• Improper care conditions (drying out or excessively moistening of the soil) can lead to the appearance of certain diseases.
• Stagnation of moisture and thickened plantings provoke the development of gray rot. In this case, the affected parts of the plant are removed, the plantings are thinned out, and the watering rates are reduced.
• Occasionally, the crop can be affected by aphids and whiteflies. When the first signs of insects appear (the leaves turn yellow and curl), the plant is sprayed with a soapy solution of laundry soap (every week, 3 times in a row), and if this gentle method does not help, it is treated with insecticides.

Bacopa propagation

• Bacopa reproduces by seed and vegetative methods (using cuttings and layering).
• Seeds of any variety of bacopa can be bought at a flower shop or collected yourself. The seeds of the plant are very small, when ripe they fall off onto the leaves and remain viable for 2-3 years. Store-bought seeds usually come in the form of pills or granules, each containing 6-7 bacopa seeds. Such granules do not require pre-treatment and, after sowing, give rise to a whole bunch of seedlings. Reviews from buyers of granulated bacopa seeds indicate the variety of plant varieties contained in such granules. This means that the grown bacopa bushes will delight you with a variety of colorful blooms.

How and when to sow seeds, see above (in the section “Features of planting bacopa”).

• The simplest and most effective method of propagation is cuttings. Cuttings are harvested from January to April or at the end of summer, when cutting long shoots. To obtain cuttings, you need an adult (mother) bacopa plant, from which the most powerful apical shoots, 10-12 cm long, are cut off in early spring. A full-fledged cutting must have at least two internodes. For cuttings, the leaves are removed from the lower node and placed in water (or a light, damp substrate) for root formation. The water should be changed daily. Some gardeners recommend treating cuttings with a root growth stimulator before rooting. If a soil substrate is used for rooting, the cuttings are buried at one internode (the second node should be on the surface of the soil mixture). After 2-2.5 weeks of greenhouse conditions, the cuttings with roots that have appeared are planted in the ground in a permanent place. To ensure the plant is bushy and lush, you must immediately pinch the tops of the shoots.

• You can grow a new plant from cuttings of an adult bacopa bush. To do this, the lower shoots of bacopa are pressed tightly and secured to the soil with an iron bracket. It is more expedient and convenient to place special boxes with a soil mixture under the bush, in which the cuttings will take root. After well-developed roots appear, the shoots are separated from the mother plant and planted in a new location.
• Experienced gardeners note the best results of rooting cuttings and layering in white varieties of bacopa.

So, if you want to create a real flower “waterfall” on your site or grow a bright and dense “carpet”, you should opt for planting bacopa.

Rich abundant flowering throughout the warm season, from spring to autumn, will not leave any flower lover indifferent. In addition, bacopa is a very unpretentious plant that does not require special attention and care. Good lighting, regular watering, fertilizing and pinching the tops of the shoots will ensure a lush shape and bright, unforgettable flowering of the perennial.

Bacopa, photo

Video: “Planting, care and propagation of bacopa”