By: Mary H. Dyer, Credentialed Garden Writer. Plant vinca seeds indoors three to four months before the last frost of the season. At this point, move the seedlings into bright sunlight and room temperature is at least 75 F. (24 C.). wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Spray the medium with water to settle the seeds. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 14,234 times. How To Grow vinca from Cuttings? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Cut the seeds pods from the vinca plant, or pinch them off with your fingernail. The temperature should be 63 to 65 ° for the seeds to germinate. Plant Description. When collecting vinca seeds, look for long, narrow, green seedpods hidden on the stems beneath blooming flowers. Place the seeds where temperatures are around 80 F. (27 C.). Check the tray daily and remove the newspaper as soon as seedlings emerge – generally two to nine days. It is often confused with vinca minor, but it differs from this plant in that the leaves are larger and a paler shade of green. Growing periwinkle as a ground cover is common, as it rarely reaches more than 4 inches (10 cm.) Vincas survive droughts well but don't like wet soil, so give them a home in loamy or sandy soil that drains well. How to Root a Vinca Vine Fill a planting container with commercial potting soil. This article has been viewed 14,234 times. In a plant that was already reliably drought-tolerant and pest-free, what more could you ask? Freshly harvested seeds usually don’t do well because germinating vinca seeds require a period of dormancy. Horticulturists have been hard at work cultivating new colors in plants with showy flowers that are easy to start from seed. However, it is a fast growing plant that can spread quite rapidly over the ground in a short period of time. Space plants at least 12 to 18 inches apart. The plants grow 1 or 2 feet high and about the same in width. Start seeds 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost date in the spring. While annual vinca, or Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), is best grown from seed, perennial littleleaf periwinkle (Vinca minor) and common periwinkle (Vinca major) easily grow from cuttings. You can harden them before transplanting by putting them in a sheltered area with partial shade. Although temperature is important, vinca minor is a hardy plant that can successfully thrive in a wide range of temperatures. Vinca (Catharanthus roseus) is an annual bedding plant which originated from Madagascar. Place the seeds in a paper envelope and store them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location until planting time. Water the soil deeply after planting and keep the soil evenly moist during the first 6 to 10 weeks, as the roots become established. Use a spray bottle to spray the top of the soil with water after layering it onto your seeds. How to Grow Vinca. Growing periwinkle in partial shade creates more vigorous growth. Space your plants 10 to 12 inches apart to promote airflow and … in height. Read on to learn how. Plant vinca seeds indoors three to four months before the last frost of the season. Vinca refers to several groups of plants suitable for a number of applications. Vinca minor vines stay short, sprawling out over the ground. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Once the pods are completely dry, open them carefully and remove the tiny black seeds. Cover flat with newspaper or place inside black plastic trash bag. In midsummer, drench plants with a liquid plant food to stimulate new growth. Compost will help loosen the soil, provide nutrients for your plant, and improve drainage. https://www.thejoyofplants.co.uk/growing-under-glass-guide-cloches, http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/detail.php?pid=544, https://gardenerdy.com/how-to-grow-care-for-creeping-myrtle-vinca-minor, https://hvp.osu.edu/pocketgardener/source/description/vi_minor.html, http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/what_to_do_about_compacted_soil, http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/propagation_pricking1.shtml, https://www.radiogardensense.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/July_22_2017_.20160517.pdf, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Always make sure plants are spaced enough for adequate air circulation and your planting region is not too humid. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. One small plant can spread to 8 feet (2.4 m.) across. Vinca major ‘Variegata’ (syn ‘Elegantissima’) AGM This widely-available variegated vinca has attractive green leaves mottled in grey-green with cream-white edging. Vinca minor plants—also known as periwinkle flowers or creeping myrtles—are beautiful, purple flowering plants that can provide great ground cover for your yard with a minimal amount of maintenance. Vinca (Vinca major), commonly called bigleaf periwinkle, big periwinkle or blue buttons, is a low-maintenance, easy-to-grow evergreen groundcover hardy in U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9.Its aggressive growth habit and adaptability to a wide variety of environmental conditions make it both beloved and hated by gardeners. By using our site, you agree to our. Vinca minor thrives best in 24 to 38 °C (75 to 100 °F) daytime temperatures, while nighttime temperatures should be between 20 to 24 °C (68 to 75 °F). Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Plant parts affected with grey spot should be removed immediately. Press down gently on top of the soil with your fingers. Watch the plant carefully. You should begin by lining the bottom of a cloche container with pebbles for drainage, placing the plant on top of them, and then covering the container with its lid. Most vinca have a dense, rounded form. Using your paring or kitchen knife, slice lengthwise down the length of the pod. Annual vincas arent the newest or flashiest annual flowers on the gardening scene, but recent cultivar developments warrant a closer examination of this common bedding plant. Choose any time of the year for sowing its seeds. Gently press down on the soil with your hands. Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar Periwinkle) is an upright, flowering annual perfect for beds and containers. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Cut several 3- to 6-inch stems from a healthy periwinkle plant. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone. A dibber is a pointed stick that creates holes in the ground. They typically stand only 3 to 6 inches off the ground, but their trailing stems can reach 18 inches in length. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Mix a standard application of a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. Drop the pods into a paper sack. In midsummer, drench plants with a liquid plant food to stimulate new growth. Gardeners choose Vinca because it is relatively drought-tolerant and performs well in dry and hot locations exposed to full sun… Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. These prolific, self seeders, will usually reseed themselves, if left unattended. 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If growing from seed and directly sowing them in the garden, you can either broadcast the seeds or be more careful and space them a little over a foot apart to give them room to spread. You can also drop the pods into a shallow pan and put the pan in a sunny (non-windy) location until the pods are completely dry. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Place the seeds where temperatures are around 80 F. (27 C.). However, seeds usually were sown from mid-April to January. Dip the bottom 1 inch of … You can also start them indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost in your area. Cover the seeds lightly with soil, then lay a damp newspaper over the tray because germinating seeds of vinca require total darkness. The stems of these plants root at their joints as they creep along the ground and spread rapidly to become a pretty flowering ground cover able to fill in a large area and keep weeds down. 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