Baby’s tears

Baby’s tears: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Creeping, mat-forming plant, about 5 cm tall and up to 50 cm wide.

Foliage

Tiny, round leaves of 3–6 mm, fresh green and tightly packed.

Stems

Thin, creeping stems that root at the nodes.

Flower

Very small, inconspicuous flowers in the leaf axils, with no ornamental value.

Origin

Corsica, Sardinia and other islands of the western Mediterranean, in damp, shady places.

Plants: March–April · Pruning: April

Why grow it?

• A soft, dense green carpet of tiny leaves that instantly gives atmosphere.
• Evergreen and attractive all year.
• Versatile: in a pot, hanging basket, terrarium or as ground cover in a sheltered, shady corner of the garden.
• A quick grower that fills bare patches fast.
• Tolerates shade and a cool room.

Baby’s tears: where does it grow best?

• Half shade to shade: a bright spot without fierce sun, which scorches and dries out the leaves.
• Light, humus-rich potting compost that stays moist, slightly acid to neutral.
• Constantly moist: the compost must never dry out.
• Room temperature of 10–20 °C; it tolerates cool rooms and, in a sheltered spot outdoors, down to about −5 °C.
• A wide, shallow pot gives it room to creep. Outdoors it suits a sheltered, damp, shady corner, for example between stones or under shrubs.

Light

Bright, out of direct sun or low light

Potting soil

Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Watering

Generously

Size

0.05 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Temperature

Minimum -5 °C

Goes well with

• Boston fern: A light, shaggy leaf shape in the same bright, humid corner indoors.
• Nerve plant: Another creeping little plant with striking veins that likes the same damp spot.
• Hosta: Outdoors in shade: large leaves above the low green carpet.

Baby’s tears: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, when it is growing actively.
2. Choose a wide, shallow pot with a drainage hole.
3. Use light, humus-rich potting compost, with a little perlite if you like.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as before or spread small pieces evenly over the pot.
5. Firm lightly and water straight away, preferably from below, until the compost is moist.
6. Outdoors: plant after the last frost in a sheltered, shady, damp spot, about 20 cm apart.

Care

Water

Always keep the compost lightly moist, never bone dry: it dries out quickly and the leaves then die back. Preferably water from below in a tray and let the surplus drain away; do not pour over the leaves.

Feeding

From April to September, a foliage plant fertiliser every 2–4 weeks at half strength. Do not feed in winter.

Humidity

It likes humid air, even in a bright bathroom. In a warm, dry house the leaves dry out.

Repotting

Divide and repot it every 1–2 years in spring, when the little pot is full.

Outdoors

Keep it extra moist in dry summers.

Tip: Preferably water from below in a tray and never let it dry out. Trim it back with scissors now and then: it then stays neat and compact.

Baby’s tears: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: In April, for the strongest growth, or on a plant that has become too wild or bare.

How:

• Cut the whole plant back with sharp scissors to 2–3 cm above the ground: it soon regrows.
• Remove brown or dead stems and leaves.
• Trim strands hanging over the edge for a neat shape.

Caution: Do not let clippings end up in the wild: it roots everywhere and can become invasive.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In spring: lift the plant out of the pot, divide it into 2–3 pieces with stems and roots, and pot them up separately.

Small pieces

In spring or summer: lay a small piece of stem with roots on moist compost and press lightly. It roots within a few days to weeks.

Baby’s tears: how does it get through the winter?

• Indoors: cool and bright, 10–15 °C, with lightly moist compost; not above the radiator.
• Outdoors: it tolerates down to about −5 °C in a sheltered spot. In harder frost it dies back to the ground, but it often regrows in spring.
• In a pot outdoors: bring it in during severe frost, or cover it with a layer of leaves or horticultural fleece.
• Water less, but do not let the compost dry out.

Diseases and pests

• Brown, dried-out leaves: Too dry. Stand the pot in water for a while and cut off the brown leaves; it usually soon grows back.
• Grey mould and rot: Too wet with still air: the leaves turn slimy or grey. Remove affected parts, ventilate and do not leave the saucer full of water.
• Long, sparse stems: Too little light. Move it somewhere brighter and cut it back.
• Fungus gnats: Small black flies above the compost, caused by constantly moist compost. Use yellow sticky traps and do not leave water in the saucer.
• Spider mite or aphids: In warm, dry air: fine webs or small green insects. Rinse and raise the humidity.

Through the year

• January: Rest. Cool and bright; keep lightly moist.
• February: Rest. Check for mould.
• March: Repot and divide. Start feeding again.
• April: Cut back for full growth. Plant outdoors after the last frost.
• May: Feed every 2–4 weeks. Keep moist.
• June: Feed. No fierce sun.
• July: Feed. Extra water in warm weather.
• August: Feed. Watch for drying out.
• September: Last feed. Bring pots in or shelter them in good time.
• October: Water less. Indoors, cool and bright.
• November: Rest. Do not feed.
• December: Rest. Keep lightly moist, frost-free.

Did you know?

• The species name honours Joseph François Soleirol, a French officer who collected plants in Corsica.
• It belongs to the Urticaceae, the nettle family, but has no stinging hairs.
• In the wild it grows on damp, shady rocks and walls on the islands of the western Mediterranean.