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I was sprinkling some Baby's Breath (Gypsophila elegans) seeds on a planter and I was wondering if it's possible to grow all of them together even though they're very close instead of having to play a game of selection and thin out the crowd.

Let's assume they're spaced about an inch to half an inch apart, and I can aggressively fertilize, water and provide strong light artificially. Would this be a good idea or would I end up with a lot of strange and pathetic looking Baby's Breath? Is it even doable to grow them closer than the recommended spacing of six inches?

Niall C.
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Darren
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They should be spaced 12 inches apart to allow for the plant's width of 10 inches as it grows to its height of about 12 inches, so I'm not sure where you get 6 inches apart from - are you growing a particular named variety of this plant that's smaller?

Even if you are growing one that requires a 6 inch spacing, growing them an inch apart means none of them will develop properly - you'll end up with a messy looking, shortened, probably stunted clump. You could chance 4 inches instead (if 6 inches is genuinely what your particular variety needs).

Bamboo
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  • The variety I'm growing is Convent Garden. The packet says spacing of 6 inches, though when I google it now, there's a recommended spacing of 12 inches. Hmm, strange. In general, do you determine the ideal spacing from the width of the plant when it is fully grown? – Darren May 09 '15 at 11:24
  • Of course - when selecting plants or seeds, the ultimate height and width when they're full grown is how you decide where to plant them in relation to other plants or obstacles, such as fences (aside from other considerations such as soil, light levels, etc) – Bamboo May 09 '15 at 11:26