Clematis: This Is a Test,from the ...., 1 by Clare_CA

Clare_CA wrote:
Hi JD,

I definitely admire your enthusiasm and your energy and your ability to work in your wheelchair. Thanks for offering to show me how to set up the lights, but I'm afraid I have no room for such a set up, and I don't really need them. Since I'm in Zone 10, most of my plants can live outside for most of the winter. I do nearly all of my rooting outside in the spring and summer, and hubby prefers it that way. This was just an experiment for the winter, and boy did I hear the complaining! LOL! I don't think anything will be brought inside next winter:-)

As for hydroponics, I've heard wonderful things about it. Someday, when I have more time, I'll look into it in a little more depth.

I grow Daturas too and love them. Many people do call them "Moonflowers" still, but that is confusing because the vine Ipomoea alba is also called Moonflowers. I've included a picture of one of my Daturas below.

Gosh, JD, something terrible must have happened to your package because you said it looked as if it had been sat on. The cuttings were wrapped with moist, even wet, papertowels. Don said his cuttings were perfect with very little wilting, but he got his in two days, and you got yours in three days. I wonder if your package was subjected to extreme heat or cold or something. The Charles Grimaldi and the Frosty Pink cuttings should have bounced back in a day or two because they are well-rooted. Feel free to remove all of the leaves, if necessary, because they will grow back. You can also top off the cuttings, and they should respond well to that. When I have a Brugmansia cutting that I don't like the shape of, I can cut it off at the base, and the roots will send up a new shoot, which usually grows straight up for several feet. This should only be done with a very well-rooted and established plant. Remember that next year if you want to change it's shape. Anyway, I feel just terrible that they arrived in poor condition like that. I won't send out any more unrooted cuttings from now on. I couldn't afford to send them overnight because shipping costs would have been about triple what they were.



Edited to add: I would just use a soil test from HD. They also sell soil ammendments which are good. They should sell Peat Moss and dried manure as well.



This message was edited Mar 15, 2004 6:03 PM