Can You Propagate Baby's Breath?

Seeds

• Growing the plant from seed is the only way to propagate baby's breath. While many perennials can be propagated by division, separating the root into to two or more sections, the baby's breath root system does not tolerate disturbances.

Planting

• Plant baby's breath seeds about 1/16 inch deep. Two plantings about six weeks apart provide a longer blooming period that can begin as early as April and run through August. Spread the fine seeds about 1 inch apart before covering with soil. Expect the plant to emerge within 20 days of planting. Baby's breath germinates best at about 75 degrees, so early spring planting is not advised.

Plant Traits

• Baby's breath plants reach heights of up to 18 inches under ideal conditions. The plant forms small white blooms during its first year of growth. Seeds form after the blooming period with each plant producing about 14,000 seeds. The perennial version of the baby's breath is the Gypsophila paniculata while the annual species is the Gypsophila elegans.

Growing Conditions

• Baby's breath prefers full sun and rich, moist, well-drained soil. The plant often self seeds into areas where the soil is disturbed by construction or agriculture. The seeds can blow for miles before landing in an area and germinating. The seeds can germinate and root without soil covering. The plant thrives under most growing conditions and require little effort by gardeners. The wild version of the plant thrives with no additional care in road ditches so the plant can grows under most conditions.