Plant blue star creeper plugs at the soil line in spring or early fall, about 6 to 12 inches apart, in a bed or in the joints between pavers, and keep that soil moist until the pieces knit.
Set plugs at the soil line in spring or fall, between pavers or in a bed
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Spring after frost, or early fall while the ground is still warm | Do not plant into peak summer heat unless you can water the joints often |
| Stock | Nursery plugs or small starter plants, watered before they go in | Do not leave bare roots sitting out to dry |
| Spacing | About 6 to 12 inches apart for a faster carpet; 12 to 18 inches if you can wait | Do not set them so far apart that weeds take the gaps |
| Depth | Crown even with the soil, with real soil in paver joints | Do not pack the joints so tight that water cannot move, or bury the crown |
Blue star creeper goes in as a small plant, not as a rolled turf. Loosen the top 2 to 3 inches, pull weeds, and set each plug at the same depth it had in the pot. [1] Six to twelve inches apart fills a path in one season. Twelve to eighteen inches uses fewer plants and takes longer. Between stepping stones, leave enough soil in the joints for roots, and check those pockets more often because they dry faster. [2] Water the same day, then keep the soil lightly moist for about 3 to 6 weeks until new runners show. Stay off the planting until it holds. Sun, later watering, and how to contain a knitted mat live on How to Grow Blue Star Creeper.
- Choose a sunny or lightly shaded strip that drains. Pull weeds, and loosen the top few inches.
- Water the plugs, then set each crown even with the soil, about 6 to 12 inches apart — in open ground or in paver joints that hold soil.
- Firm the backfill so there are no air pockets, and water thoroughly the same day.
- Keep the soil evenly moist for 3 to 6 weeks, and stay off the mat until the pieces have rooted.
When do I plant blue star creeper?
Plant plugs in spring after frost, or in early fall while the ground is still warm. Midsummer only works if you can water the new plants often.
How far apart do I plant plugs?
About 6 to 12 inches apart for a faster carpet. Twelve to eighteen inches uses fewer plants and takes longer to close.
Divide a piece of the mat and replant it the same day
Once a patch is established, the usual way to make more plants is to lift a rooted piece and move it. Do this in spring or fall, not in a heat wave. [3] Each piece needs leaves and roots. Tease the mat apart with your fingers, or cut a small square with a knife, then plant those pieces at once at the same spacing as new plugs. Division is how this plant is meant to be multiplied. [4]
- Water the mother patch, then lift a rooted section with a trowel, keeping soil on the roots.
- Tease or cut it into pieces that each have green shoots and roots.
- Replant the pieces the same day at the soil line, about 6 to 12 inches apart, and water them in.
- Keep those new pieces moist until they knit, the same as nursery plugs.
When do I divide blue star creeper?
In spring or fall. Replant the pieces the same day so the roots do not dry out.
If new plugs brown, they dried out or sat in a packed joint with no soil. Set the crown at the soil line, give the roots real soil, and keep that soil moist until the mat knits.
FAQ
Can I grow it from seed?
You can, but plugs and divisions are the usual start. If you sow, press the seed onto the surface, keep it moist, and wait one to two weeks for seedlings. Do not bury the seed.
Can I root a stem cutting?
A cutting works when it includes a piece of underground stem and some roots — that is a small division, not a leafless tip in a glass of water. Replant it as you would a plug.
Can I plant it between tight pavers?
Only if the joints hold enough soil for roots and you can keep those pockets moist at first. Packed sand with no soil is a poor bet.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Epic Gardening -
https://www.epicgardening.com/blue-star-creeper/ - [2] Garden Goods Direct -
https://gardengoodsdirect.com/products/blue-star-creeper - [3] Portland Nursery -
https://portlandnursery.com/plant-library/ground-covers/pratia-star-creeper/ - [4] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/isotoma-fluviatilis/
This note is part of Isotoma Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors