Baby's Breath (Gypsophilia)

Light and airy, tiny and white are words that describe this pretty plant. Florists use this delicate flower in flower arrangements on a regular basis. Gypsophilia is a beautiful addition to the garden and does well in hanging pots mixed with other varieties of flowers. Gypsophilia takes minimal care and is easy to grow. The following instructions will have you growing your own in no time at all.

The seed of Gypsophilia are very tiny and need light to germinate. To start the plants indoors, prepare a starter tray with two inches of potting soil and lightly moisten the top of the soil. Carefully distribute the seeds over the top of the soil. Place a clear plastic wrap over the top of the seeded tray. Continue to keep the seeded tray moist by spraying with water daily. In approximately four to five days tiny little plants will appear. These new plants can then be carefully transplanted to pots or flower beds in an area with full sun. Gypsophilia does better when it is seeded straight into the ground where you want it to grow. The temperature needs to be steady at 70° F to germinate the seeds.

In order to have continuous blooms, plant a new crop of flowers every two weeks. Watering Gypsophilia is very important, it cannot stand drought conditions. These delightful flowers are short lived and reseeding every two weeks will keep them growing in your garden.

Fertilize with a good all purpose fertilizer as you are reseeding your next batch. Though Gypsophilia is not prone to plant disease and invasive insects, a mild fungicide and insecticide is recommended. This plant prefers slightly alkaline soil with a pH level of 7.5 to 8.

Pruning the Gypsophilia will encourage it to keep putting forth flowers through the summer and into the fall in areas that have an extended warm season. Rock gardens, borders and hanging pots are perfect locations for this tiny whimsical plant. The plants of a dwarf variety will grow to a height of twelve to eighteen inches tall. Standard varieties will grow from two to four feet. Dense clusters of flowers are the reward for the care given to this plant.

The light green foliage produces small white or pale pink tightly clustered flowers. These flowers can be cut when they are about half open. This plant dries well and can be used in arrangements of flowers, wreaths and alone to create a fairly loose arrangement.