Are Mosquito Plants Easy to Propagate From Cuttings
Citronella is a popular plant for yards because of its mosquito repelling properties.
The citronella plant can grow about 3 feet tall, but it will only reach this height if propagated correctly.
Luckily, propagation of the citronella plant is very easy, and anyone can do it.
Read this blog post if you want to learn more about propagating your citronella plants.
What You'll Learn
- How to propagate citronella
- Will citronella cuttings root in water
- Does citronella come back every year
- How do you strike citronella cuttings
- Should I cut back my citronella plant
- Conclusion
How to propagate citronella?
Citronella is a plant with many benefits and the ability to propagate it.
Unfortunately, this plant can breed quickly and become invasive if not treated properly.
The following tips will help you take care of your citronella plants to prevent them from becoming too large or out of control:
The first step to take is locating where you would like to plant your citronella plants.
Ensure that this area is near the house or some other building on your property to be closed for maintenance purposes.
The next step will focus on how much sunlight the location of choice receives throughout the day.
Citronella needs at least six hours of sunlight to grow properly.
After finding the perfect location, you will need to choose your soil type for planting.
Citronella prefers a pH level between five and six but can adapt to different soils depending on where it is being planted.
It's best to keep citronella near other plants that are similar so the soil type and pH level will not be vastly different from one another.
The next step is to add organic compost to ensure proper soil drainage during rainy periods.
Citronella does best when its root system isn't soaked for extended periods, so adding a layer or two of natural garden compost at least an inch deep should do the trick.
Citronella also requires proper feeding to grow at its best, especially during flowering periods.
The proper way to feed citronella is by adding an organic liquid fertilizer that doesn't contain any weed or pest control products when planting and then again every two weeks after that for a month.
Citronella has a very shallow root system so it won't feed on its own.
Take care of the citronella plant and prevent any pests from harming it.
Citronella can handle most bugs except for thrips, spider mites and aphids, which are all common among other types of plants.
Will citronella cuttings root in water?
Yes, they will.
Citronella is a herbaceous perennial that can be propagated from cuttings -- meaning you need to take a cutting of the plant and keep it in water until roots develop.
Normally this process takes around two weeks, but other factors may speed up or slow down rooting time, such as your cuttings' source.
Does citronella come back every year?
Citronella is a perennial plant that does not come back every year.
It can be propagated slowly by seed or cutting, but it will take years to get mature plants.
Citronella dies out in the winter, and new leaves are grown only when the temperature rises above 70⁰F/21⁰C degrees.
How do you strike citronella cuttings?
Plant cuttings can be struck in perlite, rock wool cubes or vermiculite.
Keep the cutting moist throughout this process.
You can mist them daily if necessary with water to keep them hydrated and prevent dehydration damage during rooting of the citronella plant stem tip cuttings.
Citronella plants are propagated through stem tip cuttings.
These softwood cuttings are harvested from late spring to early summer and treated by dipping a rooting hormone before planting into propagation media.
Should I cut back my citronella plant?
If your citronella plant is getting too big or leggy, it may be time to cut back.
Citronella can reach three feet, so the cutting back process should be done in multiple steps over several years if you have a large area that needs coverage.
If your citronella has become woody with browner leaves and is beginning to lose its effectiveness as a mosquito repellent, it is probably time to cut back the plant and start over.
The first step of cutting back your citronella plant should be done in early spring.
Use sharp shears or scissors when pruning out branches that are dead or diseased looking.
You can also remove any branches that are crossing one another.
This process will allow new branches to begin growing, which in turn encourages a fuller look for your plant as it matures.
The second step of cutting back citronella plants is best done after they have started blooming during the summer months.
Start by removing all dead wood and diseased leaves from the plant.
If you have many branches crossing, use sharp shears to cut them back so they do not cross one another and rub up against each other as the plant grows.
The final step in cutting back your citronella plants is done from mid-autumn through winter when no leaves or blooms remain on the plant.
Cut back all branches until they are around six inches in height, then trim the tips of each branch to encourage new growth for next spring and summer blooms.
Conclusion
Citronella is a beautiful plant with many benefits, but it can also be invasive if not taken care of properly.
The tips outlined above will help you maintain your citronella without worrying about the size or location of where it's planted.
It's important to note that this plant requires at least six hours of sunlight to grow properly, but it can adapt to the different types of soils depending on where you are planting.
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Source: https://shuncy.com/article/propagate-citronella
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