Germinating

• Eucalyptus grows well in containers. Because it's easy to transplant into larger containers as it grows, don't be afraid to start it in a smaller planter/cup. Something with approximately 3-5” diameter at the top is a great size to start!

• Tip: A classic “Solo” cup with a couple of holes poked into the bottom, and placed on a coated plastic plate for excess water drainage, works great! You don’t need anything fancy here.

• Fill your planter with potting soil and plant 2-3 seeds per small container. Cover seeds lightly with soil and mist them regularly - probably a couple of times per day to start. The tiny seeds are delicate, however, and need to be watered gently (pouring a cup of water over them, for example, will displace them and they’ll be less likely to germinate)

  • Tip: Either use your garden hose's "Mist" setting or repurpose an old spray bottle.

• More than most flowers and foliage, eucalyptus seedlings REALLY likes a high level of moisture. It’s extremely important to keep the soil moist and not let it dry out. To give your eucalyptus the absolute best chance of germination, consider starting it in a small pot with a “humidity dome” (available on Amazon and local gardening stores for $10-15).

• The pot should be kept a little warmer than room temperature as it germinates. A seedling heat mat is the best option (also available on Amazon and local gardening stores for about $15-30), but if you don't have one of these, no worries! Place it near a very sunny and south-facing warm windowsill.

• Eucalyptus likes lots of light, and it's best to use a small LED grow light when growing indoors.

  Seedlings

• Eucalyptus grows very slowly at first, and it usually takes at least 3-4 weeks to see any seedlings. Once seedlings emerge and are approx 2" tall, thin them to just the one largest seedling per pot (yep, this means you actually have to remove and discard any extra seedlings!) to ensure the strongest eucalyptus plant has the best chance of growth. Continue keeping them well watered!

• When temperatures warm up in mid-late spring and there is no longer a chance of frost (typically around early-mid May here in Harleysville, PA), you can move your eucalyptus outdoors. It can be planted in the ground as an annual (meaning that it’ll grow big over the summer and eventually die in October-ish), or you can keep it in a large outdoor pot and prune it to a reasonable size.

• Once eucalyptus gets growing, and is in “ideal” conditions with warm weather with lots and lots of water, they can grow huge! If kept in a pot, you can then bring it back indoors next fall when temperatures cool down. If kept above freezing and given regular water, eucalyptus can live for years and years!

  • Tip: Once your eucalyptus is large enough in the spring/summer, prune 5-7 10-16”+ stems and bundle them to hang in your shower! To release the scent even more, roll them out with a rolling pin (…or wine bottle…). Note that rolling them out will make them a little bit “wilt-y” and less beautiful, but it makes them so fragrant and great for any sinus issues!