by Lee Safin
Have you ever wondered what periwinkle actually symoolizes? “Periwinkle flowers symbolise eternal love, slushy memories, serenity, and calmness.”
How to grow Periwinkle or Vinca Minor?
Growing Periwinkle or Vinca Minor flowers requires several tasks to do. You need to ensure proper lighting, healthy and right type of soils, an appropriate amount of water, perfect temperature, humidity level, and also rich-organic fertilizer.
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Very few flowers are as attractive as Periwinkle or Vinca Minor regardless of home gardens or parks. This eye-catchy flower is available in several colors:
You can plant these thrive-loving flowers in various areas like on slopes or under trees. Therefore, it gives you scope to adore your beloved garden more beautifully. For that, you must first know how to grow periwinkle or Vinca Minor.
According to several studies, Periwinkle or Vinca Minor flowers mainly originated from Europe. However, after the Roman people brought these beautiful plants to their homes, they spread throughout the European subcontinent. Now, it is a common sight to see Periwinkle or Vinca Minor flowers in different locations.
The process of how to grow periwinkle or Vinca Minor is composed of several steps, which we are mentioning below.
The best location to plant periwinkle is a partial shade or entirely shade area. But that does not mean you will plant them in a dark zone.
Try to choose a spot where large trees are already there. As a result, the location will be bright enough, but no direct sunlight will come.
You don’t need to worry much about choosing a soil type. Periwinkle strives in various soil types. It is best to choose fresh and high humidity level soil for the best growth. Try to avoid picking compacted and heavy soils as they don’t like this type of soil.
Weed is a common issue for vinca minor, which may cause fungus problems and wilt the stems. So, the sooner you get over the weed, the better it is for vinca minor. That’s why many people ask this common question: will weed killer kill vinca minor?
Will weed killer kill vinca minor?
If you use chemical weed killer, it may kill the vinca minor. At worst, it may damage other surrounding plants too, if you don’t be careful while applying the weed killer on the vinca minor. It is best to use weed killers when there is no chance of rain so that they don’t spread to other plants.
Read More – 4 Pro Therapies on How to Get Rid of Weeds Forever.
It is a pretty complicated task to sow periwinkle, especially if you are doing it for the first time. Additionally, it isn’t easy to find seeds of periwinkle in most shops.
If you are wondering how to grow periwinkle from seed, you need to follow these steps.
Collect some biodegradable containers such as jiffy pots to sow the seeds. Take a large-size pot and keep all jiffy pots inside it. Add some water to the jiffy pots to expand their size.
After that, keep the bloated peat in the containers. The size should be around six centimeters.
Now, disseminate the seeds onto the peak and hide them with about two millimeters of the substrate. Keep every pot separately in a zip-fastener and add some water too.
Shut down the bag and keep it on a window ledge or window bottom. In case any ziplock bags are not found, you can sow the seeds below the glass.
So, these are all the steps you want to follow if you want to enquire how to grow periwinkle from seed. Knowing how to grow periwinkle from seed will help you develop the seedlings ideally in a favorable environment.
You can grow them in your house with the help of a grow bag. To get the best grow bag, check our latest article.
Do you know what the best time for germination of periwinkle is?
You will choose a day condition when the temperature is around 24-28 degrees or at night when it is approximately 20-24 degrees.
Pricking can be done for the young plants when they pass 4-6 weeks. You must keep at least 2-3 centimeters in the distance between the plants while pricking.
When late May comes around, you are free to plant the tiny creatures in a bed. But ensure you have given the best favorable growth environment to convert the seeds into little plants. Unfortunately, we often failed to do that, which is why not all seeds converted to small natural plants.
So, which season is the most appropriate time for planting periwinkle? It is spring.
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First of all, you will eliminate all the current weeds from the spot you want to plant the flower.
Then, loosen the soil properly to ensure fast and protective growth for the tiny roots. Adding some substantially decomposed garden compost will make the soil more healthy and fertile.
Next, make a hole in your preferred spot and plant the tiny young plant cautiously after separating the root ball from the pot. After putting the root ball inside the hole carefully, fill the gap and its surrounding area with the soil.
Water the plants thoroughly to make them a little bit moist. If necessary, add some extra soil to the plant root without overdoing it.
Keeping an appropriate distance between two periwinkle plants ensures the best possible growth and encourages them to have a magnificent bloom.
For instance, if you are fond of greenish surroundings, you can plant 10-12 plants per square meter. However, if you don’t want to overcrowd them, you can go for 5-6 plants.
Many new gardeners think they can’t re-grow periwinkle from the old plants. But it is possible when you follow the correct method.
Periwinkle thrives well when you ensure the best conditions for growth—wondering how to grow periwinkle from cuttings?
For that, you want to implement softwood cuttings from your Periwinkle plants. In this method, you will take a piece of a plant stem from the plant.
Before knowing how to grow periwinkle from cuttings, you need to provide all the possible care for the Periwinkle plant.
It includes providing them a sufficient amount of water regularly, preventing any pest attacking them, keeping them from drought, etc.
So why you so care about your plant before cuttings? It is because only cuttings will give healthy plants.
Here are steps you should follow for the method on how to grow periwinkle from cuttings:
Try to collect a stem from a fresh spot where no flowers have still come, but you can notice some tiny leaves. The growing season is the best time to collect cuttings from periwinkle. You can do it in May, June or July. Use a disinfected pruning shears to cut the softwood; it should be around 4-6 inches in length. If the cuttings have any leaves on the bottom parts, clip off them with a clean pruner.
Now keep the one-third portion of the cutting in rooting hormone. Afterward, take a small container and fill part of it with a brown deposit resembling soil and another part with perlite. Make sure the container has a free flow of water to avoid the soggy issue.
In order to make the cutting slightly wet, water it slightly. Keeping the cutting in an enclosed spot will be the best solution for proper growth and make it muggy. In that case, fresh plastic or an aquarium is a great option to consider. Spray a few amounts of water inside the container every day.
After that, let it have full indirect sunshine in its body from your window or veranda.
Once the cutting starts to grow, place it in a large pot for 2-2.5 months. You should only transplant it in your garden when the growing season comes.
So, these are all steps you need to follow when you want to know how to grow periwinkle from cuttings.
You can grow them in your house with the help of a grow bag. To get the best grow bag, check our latest article.
Growing periwinkle in pots is hassle-free, but that does not mean it is care-free. However, minimal care is required to ensure the best healthy growth.
The first thing you should focus on is location when you want to know how to grow periwinkle in a pot. Choosing the right place affects how your plant will thrive in that condition.
As per the Missouri Botanical Garden suggestion, it is best to keep the container in a position where full sunlight or at least partial sunlight comes. Also, you want to ensure full shade conditions during the summer season.
When you want to learn how to grow periwinkle in a pot, one of the most important things you should consider is the good drainage holes at the bottom of the container.
You can plant a single periwinkle in each container if it is a medium-sized pot. If the container is pretty extensive, it is permissible to grow several plants too. But sure to keep at least 8 inches gap between two plants.
Another crucial is choosing the right type of soil as part of how to grow periwinkle in a pot. According to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, commercial potting soil is one of the best soils for growing periwinkle pots.
Here are some extra tips on how to grow periwinkle in a pot:
So, these are the crucial points and bonus tips you should remember while thinking of knowing how to grow periwinkle in a pot.
Have you ever wondered how to plant vinca minor bare root? Vinca minor is often known as a low-growing plant as it prevents weeds from growing excessively.
When the early spring comes, you can propagate the larger plant by dividing it. This will lead to small vinca with bare roots.
Here are the steps you want to follow to learn about how to plant vinca minor bare root.
Water the bare root vinca minors by using a spray and keep them in a shady area. Make sure to keep the planting spots during the spring. If you notice the stems and leaves start to limp, spray their water to make them lively and fresh.
Make a big hole with a shovel. Experts recommend keeping around 12-18 inches depth for the hole. Choose healthy and well-drained soil. Loosen the soil and separate the weeds from the mixture. You can use well-rotten compost with the soil to make it more fertile for the plant. The wide of the hole should be around 3-4 inches so that it can grow free during the growing season.
Put in the soil root inside the hole carefully and fill up the gap with the soil. Make sure to level the surface and then apply 1-inch of mulching close to the root area.
Water the root area thoroughly up to 4 inches depth if there is no sign of rain. It will ensure optimum growth for the vinca minors.
So, you will follow this step-by-step method when you want to know how to plant vinca minor bare root.
You can grow them in your house with the help of a grow bag. To get the best grow bag, check our latest article.
Are you curious about knowing how to grow vinca minor from seed? It is pretty easy to grow vinca minor from seed. You will sow the seed first indoors, transplant them outside after winter, or plant them in containers.
Knowing how to grow vinca minor from seed will help you raise the plants in the best manner. As it often not possible to seedlings from each seed, it is essential to take care of appropriately. In addition, it will help you to get as many seedlings as possible from seeds.
Here are few points you want to give more attention to on how to grow vinca minor from seed.
Weed is a common issue for vinca minor, which may cause fungus problems and wilt the stems. So, the sooner you get over the weed, the better it is for vinca minor. That’s why many people ask this common question: will weed killer kill vinca minor?
Will weed killer kill vinca minor?
If you use chemical weed killer, it may kill the vinca minor. At worst, it may damage other surrounding plants too, if you don’t be careful while applying the weed killer on the vinca minor. It is best to use weed killers when there is no chance of rain so that they don’t spread to other plants.
Are you wondering how to kill weeds in periwinkle? A lot of solutions are available in the market to weeds in periwinkle. But not all are effective. In fact, some may cause extra damage to the surrounding plants.
How to kill weeds in periwinkle?
It is best to choose an organic solution to kill weeds in periwinkle. If you don’t find any natural solution, try to select at least a least chemical-based product. That’s why many garden experts suggest using painted glyphosate application, which is an herbicide-type product.
Additionally, some people succeed by using Triclopyr mixed with mineral oil, which is a natural solution. But the problem is that it is time-consuming.
You need to apply the solution several times repeatedly. Plus, it is impossible to eliminate weeds in periwinkle with just one season by using this solution.
It will take at least two or more seasons to eliminate the weeds due to their robustness and perseverance.
So, you have options to choose both organic and chemical solutions on how to kill weeds in periwinkle.
Growing periwinkle indoors requires a little bit of extra care. After all, the outside environment and indoor environment are not similar.
How to grow periwinkle indoors?
Though growing periwinkle is a little bit messy, it is not entirely different, unlike outside environments. But there are some exceptions to that. For example, if the periwinkle plant looks healthy and is growing perfectly, use warm water for watering instead of normal temperature water. Additionally, you can also use lime-free water (zero water hardness) occasionally.
Furthermore, when the spring season comes, you need to feed the plant healthy and fertile fertilizers every two weeks and continue doing it till fall. However, stop feeding them any fertilizer during the winter season.
Are you wondering how to plant vinca minor ground cover? Vinca Minors are super hardy plants that can grow in different sunlight and weather conditions. In addition, this plant has attractive flowers, making your garden appearance more appealing. Vinca Minors can grow up to 12 inches in height and 18 inches in width as per their varieties.
How to plant vinca minor ground cover?
Planting vinca minor ground cover is as same as periwinkle. Keep at least 12 inches distance between two plants as this plant multiplies. It is best to transplant them in spring or early fall. It is because they may not get enough nutrition to stay in one spot for a long time. Ensure water a little bit more for the first 8-10 weeks to make the root strong after transplanting.
Gardeners often want to kill periwinkle due to their aggressive behaviors. They cause root masses by spreading under the soil for few feet. It hampers further plant growth. This is why often many gardeners want to know what spray kills periwinkle.
What spray kills periwinkle?
According to many gardeners, though hundreds of herbicide solutions are available in the market, the painted glyphosate application is the best one. They used this solution to deal with periwinkle and got quick and effective results.
Roundup is one of the most effective solutions to kills weeds and certain types of grasses. This solution includes an active ingredient named glyphosate, which can control the growth of the green plant.
Does Roundup work on vinca?
No, Roundup will not work on vinca. In fact, R. Schonholz, an environmental consultant for Larry Seeman and Associates, suggested not using this solution to control vinca. It will not help you deal with vinca because of the waxy cuticle of the leaves, making chemical discernment complex.
Additionally, the maker of Roundup also didn’t give a positive sign on killing or control vinca with this solution.
Vinca Minor Varieties | Flower Color |
---|---|
Variegata | Blue flowers |
Flore Pleno | Purple flowers |
Bowlesii | Dark blue flowers |
Alba | Tiny, white flowers |
Atropurpurea | Dark purple flowers |
Though vinca minor is a super-hardy plant, it can still get affected by different types of diseases. In addition, this beautiful flower plant doesn’t prefer humid, wet conditions.
If the soil is excessively wet, it has a chance to have root rot. Over wet conditions may also cause canker issues, which mainly occur due to fungi and bacteria.
In order to deal with this disease, you can use soil amendments for better soil drainage systems and throw out affected plants.
Another common disease you may notice in vinca minor is botrytis blight, which is a fungal disease. Again, it mostly happens due to cold, moist climates.
When vinca minor gets affected by this disease, you will notice its flowers have brown spots and grow abnormally.
The best solution to deal with this problem is using an effective fungicide like sulfur or copper. However, it is better to take protective measures so that your plants are not affected by this disease.
To treat this issue, you can take these protective measures:
Serial No. | Action You Should Take |
---|---|
1 | Don't plant them too closely |
2 | Trim down the mature plants regularly |
3 | Implement drip system to drip slowly |
4 | Get rid of dead or affected plants quickly |
Another disease you can notice is leaf spots where the plant leaves become discolored. It also occurs due to bacterial growth from one plant to another.
To treat this issue, you always want to keep the plant area clean, water them regularly, and ensure the right level of airflow between the plants.
Hopefully, you now know how to grow Periwinkle or Vinca Minor. We have a ton of precise details in several steps to make everything clear. Additionally, we have included several ways to grow these flowers so that you can choose any of your preferred addition. No matter which type of method you follow, don’t forget to take care of them properly. Happy Gardening!
Last update on 2023-01-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
this bottle and sprayer - Etsy, eBay
fungicide like sulfur or copper - Etsy, eBay
About Lee Safin
Lee Safin was born near Sacramento, California on a prune growing farm. His parents were immigrants from Russia who had fled the Bolshevik Revolution. They were determined to give their children a better life than they had known. Education was the key for Lee and his siblings, so they could make their own way in the world. Lee attended five universities, where he studied plant sciences and soil technologies. He also has many years of experience in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a commercial fertilizer formulator.
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