Plant the cutting in a well-draining potting mix, such as a mix of perlite and peat moss, burying the lower third of the stem. Baby’s Breath is a popular choice for garden design due to its delicate, cloud-like clusters of small white or pale pink flowers. Here are some ideas for incorporating Baby’s Breath into your garden design:

Use a sharp, clean pair of pruning shears or a knife to cut 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long stem sections just below a node (the point where a leaf attaches to the stem). Choose a gypsophila cultivar that works well in your garden. Base that choice on colour, size, and growing conditions, rather than just visuals.

What is Baby’s Breath?

Baby’s breath is best known for its white blooms, but the plant also comes in pink and rose. Hardy in plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, it is a long-lived perennial. The plant grows 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, with a gentle rounded form. Getting Started

Bristol Fairy’ is the variety you’re probably familiar with. This plant produces small, white blossoms from April to August, depending on your climate. ‘Viette’s Dwarf’ is, as the name implies, a compact variety, growing only 18 inches tall. The plant has pink to white flowers that bloom from May to August. ‘Perfekta’ produces larger, white, double flowers in June and grows 3 feet tall. ‘Compacta plena’ grows only 12 inches tall, with white blooms that appear from April to August. While some perennial varieties can take two to three seasons to bloom, most will bloom in a year when started from seed. TransplantingAlpine gypsophila, or creeping baby’s breath, makes a beautiful ground cover and comes in a wider variety of colors than the other two species described above. Alba If ‘plant surgery’ is the route you take, apply Neem Oil on and around the parts of the plant that were cut, and sterilise your secateurs with a proprietary disinfectant or alcohol solution. References Dig a hole for each plant, approximately 9 inches apart large enough to amply accommodate the root ball. Always wear gloves when handling compost, seeds and plants. Annual, alpine and perennial Gypsophila are all best planted in their final positions, as they do not like root disturbance. Moon gardens: Baby’s Breath’s white flowers make it an ideal choice for moon gardens, where plants with light-colored blooms or variegated foliage are planted to create a luminous, nighttime display.

These plants grow and spread in gardens, fields, woods, roadsides, ditches, sandbanks, pastures – just so long as the soil is not acidic. To grow baby’s breath, plant nursery transplants or start it from cuttings. You can also grow baby’s breath from seed, although it probably won’t bloom the first summer. Spread seeds in a seed starting tray filled with a lightweight growing medium. Cover the seeds with a very light layer of soil – 1/16 inch and mist the tray with water from a spray bottle. Cover the seed tray with plastic wrap and keep it in a warm location. Seeds germinate best when the soil temperature is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil moist and warm when sowing baby’s breath seeds. The use of a heat mat can speed germination, which can occur in just ten days. Though baby’s breath is generally a hardy, low maintenance plant, issues can arise, especially if there is too much moisture. InsectsAttracts pollinators: Baby’s Breath flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, promoting biodiversity and providing essential nectar and habitat for these beneficial insects.

Sow the seeds directly on the soil surface or lightly cover them with a thin layer of soil, as they require light to germinate. Space the seeds about 12 inches (30 cm) apart. Place the top of the root ball even with the level of the surrounding soil. Fill with soil to the top of the root ball. Press soil down firmly with your hand. Baby’s Breath roots last for several months if stored correctly in a cool, dry environment away from any light. Just like their roots in the ground, which prefer to be cool, dark and dry over winter during dormancy, roots can be stored for the same period of time out of the ground, provided they are kept dry. There are very deep pink coloured baby’s breath, verging on purple and some a shade of rose red. Can I grow Gypsophila in pots?They should germinate in 8-14 days. Remove the dome and keep them under lights in a cool location if possible. Keep the soilmoist. As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night. Raise the lights as the plants grow taller. Incandescent bulbs will not work for this process because they will get too hot. Most plants require a dark period to grow, do not leave lights on for 24 hours. Aim to water gypsophila when the surface of the soil is dry, but there's still some moisture at a depth of 2”. This should avoid water logging and rotten roots, and provide a good balance of fresh water from spring to late autumn. Gypsophila grows in all kinds of soils to the extent that it is classified as an invasive species in many geographic regions of the United States and also in other countries. 3 babysbreath: Gypsophila paniculata. (n.d.). Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5682 However, if you do notice leafhopper damage and want to catch them before they cause more damage, you can try applying BotaniGard Maxx to rid the garden of these pests as well. Slugs