Candytuft (Iberis) is a real showstopper in the garden from June through August. Depending on which variety you pick, you’ll get these gorgeous carpets of white, pink, or red. These low-growing flower cushions are perfect for filling in those awkward, empty corners of your flower beds, and honestly, a few stems look adorable in a small vase, too. If you want more of them (and who wouldn’t?), it’s actually super easy to propagate them yourself.
How to Propagate Candytuft
There are a few different ways to get more Candytuft in your garden:
- Sowing seeds
- Taking cuttings
- Dividing the plants
Growing from Seed
Most gardeners prefer to take matters into their own hands rather than letting the plants self-seed wildly. You can harvest the seed pods once the blooming season is over and dry them out, or just grab a packet from your local garden center. The seeds actually look a bit like flaxseeds—small, brown, oval, and smooth.
If you’re eager to get started, you can start seeds indoors in a mini-greenhouse on a sunny windowsill as early as February. If you’re short on space, just sow them directly into the garden between March and June. Plant the seeds about half an inch deep, ideally spaced about 6 inches apart. If they end up too crowded, you’ll just need to thin out the seedlings later. Cover them with a light dusting of soil and keep them moist. You should see sprouts popping up within three weeks at the latest.
Propagating with Cuttings
This is a fantastic method to try right after the plant finishes flowering. Look for healthy green shoots on the mother plant and snip off about 4-inch sections. Make sure you aren’t picking stems with flowers on them, as the plant needs to focus its energy on roots, not seeds. Here’s the game plan:
- Fill small pots with a good seed-starting mix.
- Stick one cutting into each pot.
- Press the soil down firmly and give them a good drink.
- Place the pots in a shady spot.
- Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy.
- Once you see new growth, you’ll know they’ve successfully rooted!
- Keep your baby Candytufts in a frost-free spot for their first winter.
- Come spring, they’ll be ready to move into their permanent home in the garden.
Division
Dividing Candytuft isn’t the most common way to do it, but it definitely works! After the blooming period, carefully dig up the plant you want to divide and gently pull it apart with your fingers. Replant each section in a suitable spot and water them in well. To give them a little “welcome home” boost, you can add a bit of liquid fertilizer to the water during that first soak.
