How to Grow Cerastium Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Chickweed and Snow in Summer

Cerastium is a mat forming hardy perennial.

It has grey downy leaves. Plants bloom with small starry flowers in either early spring or summer.

It's common names include Chickweed and Snow in summer.

Cerastium tomentosum (Snow-in-summer) by Phil Sellen.

Cerastium alpinum (Alpine Chickweed) by Brewbooks.

How to Grow Cerastium

It is best to sow Cerastium seeds outdoors in the early spring before the last frost. Simply cover the seeds with top soil.

They should be planted into an area of the garden that has a moist soil pH of 6 to 7.

Snow in the summer prefers to grow in a partially shaded or a sunny part of the garden.

If you plan to start Cerastium plants indoors first, then they should be started about seven weeks before they are due to put outside. This can be in either autumn or after the last frost of the spring.

They usually take between one and two weeks to germinate at a temperature of 18 to 22 degrees Centigrade (64 to 72°F).

Once Cerastium seedlings are ready, they should be transplanted out at a spacing of 15 cm / 6 inches (small species) to 40 cm / 16 inches (large species).

Looking after Cerastium in the Garden

Snow in summer and other members of Cerastium are easy to look after, simply cut them back after they have flowered. Divide the plant every three years.

If you require more plants, then cuttings of Cerastium can be took in the summer.

I hope that you found this guide on how to grow Cerastium plants in your garden. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Tunic Flower, Lychnis plant, and Gypsophilia plants.