Propagating Creeping Jenny

4 years ago

I haven't had a lot of luck with propagating my creeping jenny, so I'm hoping for some advice.

I have a bunch of it currently growing in full sun, and I want to prune it and move the excess to another full sun area. The pruned section already has roots, but the soil is so loose that it's hard to keep any soil with it; you gently pull on the plant and the roots come right out of the soil.

I've tried burying the roots in new soil in full sun, but it rarely survives.

I've tried sitting it in water for a few weeks before planting it, and while the new roots grow, once I put it in soil it still rarely survives.

I've also tried planting it in a part shade container with potting soil, and still, it rarely survives.

Any other suggestions? Or is this something that I should just accept a low survival rate of transplants?

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Comments (5)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
4 years ago
Creeping Jenny is native to damp places in cool climates. I wouldn’t try to propagate in full sun. Have you tried potting up the runners without severing from the parent à la strawberry runner?
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
4 years ago
Bury a pot with soil in the existing patch. It will be full in no time.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
I want to prune it and move the excess to another full sun area.

==>>>

no ....no .....no... crikey dude.. its july.. the heat of summer ... no screwing around in full sun with anything ...

get a flat or two.. fill it with media.. put your cutting in it.. put it in full bright shade .. and root the dam things.. and then plant them in fall the next proper planting season ..

your first question when doing ANYTHING in the garden should be.. is this the right time.. and rooting plants in mother earth in full sun is not done now... anywhere where summer is longer than 6 weeks.. lol ..

same with small pieces with roots... grow more roots before you free them to full sun ..

i suppose this might all fall under hardening them off to full sun.. which in this case means growing full sun roots ...

btw.. if you cant propagate this giant PIA plant with world domination proclivities.. just give up gardening now.. just leave it alone.. and in a year.. it will be over where you want it anyway ...frankly.... i think you ought to get rid of it now ... lol .....i figure if you had a 45 degree hill and need a ground cover.. that might be a legit use ...

but otherwise.. i predict that within 10 years.. presuming you dont move.. you will be ruing the day you planted it ...

ken
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
Original Author
4 years ago
Haven't tried that one yet, but I'll do it today! It can't hurt, and even if it did then I have tons of it to spare :-)
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
Original Author
4 years ago
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

12 hours ago

Weird thing here... I know you hadn't replied when I posted mine, and I got the email that you replied 5 hours ago. Not 12. Something's rotten in the state of Houzz...

But anyway.

I've actually not had any luck with propagating in years, regardless of when I do it. I've tried moving them to containers several times so they'll hang over the edge, but they never take so I end up buying more (and the ones I buy DO live). Most recently I moved some rooted cuttings to a pot that's in part shade in April, but they're completely dead now.

I posted about this project in another thread. I have a border along my front walkway that currently just has bunches of mondo grass, landscape lights, and mulch. It's 2-3' wide, and maybe 40' long. I'm trying to add some color to it without taking away from the main garden on the other side of the walkway.

I know that creeping jenny can get out of hand, but in this case it would have either grass or a rock wall on one side (I haven't decided), and a paved walkway on the other side. So it can't really become too much of a problem, I could just trim it off a few times a year and be fine.