Primula minima

[mark smyth]

In one of the International Rock Gardener there is a photo of a ground hugging P. minima in full sun. When I bought mine I was told to give it half shade. They are 5cm / 2cm high. They obviously need more sun. The trough they are in gets full sun from now as the sun moves east, as spring progresses, but the sun moves to the front of the house around 10.30am.

Where should they be grown? When can I take cuttings?

[Carlo]

Mark,
I would give it a fair bit of light. If you've had it a while (and in semi-shade) I'd make the move gradually. Cuttings (Irishman's cuttings?) I'd wait with until the plant has some size. Then tease apart a rosette or two.

[Lesley Cox]

You can do true cuttings in late summer or what I take to be Irishman's cuttings (small rosettes pulled away will some root) in late summer or through autumn. I find it flowers best in sun but does not like to be "cooked" through the summer and autumn. A cool root run, like between rocks, is a good isea.

[mark smyth]

Thanks for the tips.

I read today that it likes lime and a cool root run so I'll pull some stems and plant them in my crevice and along the edge of my tufa block.