It's drizzly and raining here in Cornwall, yet again and it's getting kinda depressing. Even if it's not drizzling, it's grey and muggy with no sunshine at all and I find it's very hard to concentrate when it's stuffy and muggy and drizzly. Anyhow, I have been pottering in the garden between showers and the other week I had to cut off a big rose branch that had snapped under the weight of the wet roses and on a whim, I stuck the three rose sticks into the tub that my cucumber plants were growing in. When they started to sprout, I was thrilled and decided that as the sticks were looking good but were getting bashed about by the growing cucumber leaves, I would move them to their own individual little pots. They were great for a day or so but then 2 of the sticks went black and the leaves fell off and they were clearly dead. The other one limped on for another couple of days and then that also died. I'm guessing that it's because I disturbed them too soon so when the same thing happened again a couple of days ago and I had to cut down another rose branch, I snipped it into three and having learned my lesson, I put each stick into it's own little pot this time and so far, they are looking nice and healthy.
It got me to wondering, what other plants can you do this with? I have been grovelling to neighbours who have all said I can take some cuttings of things in their gardens and when the rain stops, I'm going to be hopping around like a plant cutting ninja to see what I can collect.
Does anyone have any tips for me? I'm a total novice at this and I have to confess, all my veg has been a disaster this year with most of the plants ending up on the compost heap ........ probably why I have turned my attention to flower cuttings, maybe I will have more luck with them :-)
Cuttings from plants need to be taken at the proper point in the growing phase and so vary from one plant, bush to another. You can try googling the particular plants that you want to propagate for more detailed information. There is a good book by Ken Druse called Making More Plants which gives lots and lots of information about how to go about doing this. There are used paperback copies available on Amazon for only $7.40 USD. Have fun!
ReplyDeletePencil thickness rose stems cut off at a node 7-9 inches long and pop into a glass jug of water, you will soon see the roots growing, when well established grow on in deep pots of compost with added vermiculite. Don't let them dry out and keep them in the pot for at least 18months before planting them in your garden. Always works for me, have even grown them from roses sent in a Birthday bouquet. GOOD LUCK, will look forward to an update on your rose culture.
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