Ornamental peppers from cuttings?

I bought a very unusal ornamental pepper with bright purple leaves. I have had very poor germination with the seeds and the seeds that do sprout are growing very slowly, probably our high summer time temps.

Has anyone had luck rooting peppers from cuttings? Any secrets/tips to help the process?

I have already taken a few cuttings and placed them in my propagation/cuttings area that gets misted several times a day. But, before I scarifice a good portion of these 2 plants I want to be sure I am not wasting my time.

I will know in two or three weeks if the cuttings I have taken already will root - it is just that I am in a hurry and was hoping someone had done this before.

Here is a photo of the plant. My cheap digital camera doesn't really catch the brightness of the colors of the leaves>

This message was edited Jun 10, 2009 3:16 PM

In the back left corner of this hoop house is where the propagation area is located.

I think that is black pearl ornamental pepper. I have heard several people mention rooting it from cuttings.

I'll put a cutting of mine in my cloning machine and see what happens.

Well, I will just have to give it a try, with a few more cuttings.

I have no problems with coleus>

Dale-what a beautiful Coleus! I really like them, but recently moved here to WA- Coleus are hard to find, and I have never had mush luck with seeds.

Jo,

Only people who are really good with seed have success with Coleus Seed. I have tried the seed - it did not go well.

Any seed smaller than a bean just doesn't work for me.....I prefer cuttings.

I could do cuttings if I had some plants! Here there just isn't any choice at all- I don't know why. Years ago I was a grower for a nursery and I did a lot of seeds- of course that takes the proper equipment and space to do. Now I play on a small scale with heat mats & lights- just enough to keep my green thumb in shape.

Do coleus even grow in Washington state?

I live in zone 10 (northern edge) and have problems keeping them going during the winter inside an unheated greenhouse (maybe I should call it a solar heated greenhouse, sounds 'greener')

Of course being east of the Cascades you have warm summers, but still, 5 months of summer seems pretty brief.

Perhaps our climate is why they are uncommon in garden shops. I did grow a nice one last year (my 1st year here) and kept cuttings rooted in water all winter, then it croaked when I potted them up! It definitely is a new world than I had in Gainesville FL and before that Bossier City, LA. On the positive side I do NOT miss lovebugs, biting yellow flies and 2 seasons of pollen! Oh, and the humidity and hurricanes are not missed, either!

And what is your take on winter?

I grew up in MN, about the same distance north as you are.

Dale - I've done 'Black Pearl' cuttings successfully. The original plant was started from seed and I over-winter it in a cool greenhouse. I use rooting hormone on all of my cuttings just as insurance. Two to three weeks is about right for these. I never root in water - I had heard/read somewhere that the root systems develop a little differently in water and have a hard time adapting to soil. Not sure whether that's true or not since I'm not a botanist. I know some cuttings can make the transition from water to soil better than others. Most often, I use a blend of seed starting mix with extra perlite to start cuttings and keep them covered with a humidity dome or tented plastic but do allow for a little air circulation. Keep the cuttings out of direct sun. They're almost as fast as coleus. In my limited experience, coleus is one of the faster rooters.

Also forgot to mention - I also get some self seeding from 'Black Pearl'. As long as the little peppers are allowed to ripen (they turn bright red), you can get some viable seed. Most of them come true but you may get a few greener seedlings. My daughter in TN treats BP as an annual and usually has seedlings in the same pot the following spring. I found a couple of the previous year's ripe peppers and experimented with the seeds - still pretty viable.

Cindy,

Thanks for all the good information. I will start more cuttings soon.

I have been saving seed, as the peppers begin to dry I pull the fruit and have them in a small bowl on my desk. I will try starting them this fall, when the weather cools down some.

I agree with you about rooting in soil vs water. I have no problem rooting most cuttings, I even have been starting peach trees from half ripe wood cuttings. I have never tried root hormones. Maybe I should on the stubborn stuff, like Crotons.

eye candy>

Dale - While I don't know much about rooting hormones, some brands have different hormone levels depending on what type of cuttings you're trying to start. I just use whatever I find at the "box" stores and it generally works. However, I may need to expand my knowledge as I tried some dormant cuttings over the winter/spring with very limited success. I have no advice on starting Crotons since I've never had one.

Just happened to come across this thread. I thought that was BP, just got a plant from the swap I attended this spring. I planted it in with a dark coleus and OSP vine.

I just found out there were different rooting hormones also, I too just go with whatever I find. And always root in a soil mix not water.

And I am trying air layering with a very old Croton, put a little rooting hormone in the cuts, have not unwrapped it yet.

And Dale, I just want to take my little plant wagon and start loading up in your hoop house. LOL. I should never open a thread with your name on it, I get in trouble every time.

Hey, now - I am no seed wiz and I got all of my coleus seeds to sprout, and well! I think having the domes (for humidity) and steady temps in the mid seventies might make the diff.

Give 'em a try!

I should try them inside. Our temps outside don't go below 80 this time of year. I keep the house at about 78. The floor always seems 'cool' when I am barefoot - maybe indoors under a dome would get them going.

I really like ornamental peppers. I wish I was better at getting them started.

PS I am very unsuccessful with seeds.

I can relate - at least outside, in the garden, it seemed like I could never get any seeds going. But once I started using the silly domes and heat pads, well.... you could probably even do it outside with temps like that, Dale, probably in the shade.

I do know that pepper seeds like it really warm.

Dale,

I got a black pearl last year and fell in love with it. It stood up to our Texas heat and looked great all year. I was ablet o succesfully propogate it this spring after overwintering the original.

I use a method of propogation that is much like a mini greenhouse. I use a 2 lite soda bottle, or a juice bottle. I cut in the middle to create a top and a bottom. I DO NOT add any holes. the idea is to create a mini climate. I then use potting mix that is only wet enough that I can clump in my hand with no water draining. Any wetter and your cuttings will mildew. place this in the bottom of your mini greenhouse.

I use my finger to create holes in the mix. My cuttings are no longer than 4-6" making sure I have at least two nodes that will go in the mix. I wet the cuttings, dip in root hormone (still using the small container DH got me for my b-day two years ago) and place cutting in the holes and plant. Cover with the top. Place in a shaded spot. DO NOT place in direct sun, as it will bake the cuttings. The peppers took about 3 weeks. Coleus can be done in this method with out the hormone and have a viable plant in less than 2 weeks.

See pic with roots on side. This is a cuphea (very successful at propogation with this method)

I have also propogated brugs, ficus trees and lots of perennials in this same method.

Lizzy,

That looks like a good method, I will have to try it, but, on a slightly larger scale. I have some leftover rock wool and trays with clear covers. I hadn't considered using them for this project.

I tried a few pepper cuttings, but, they didn't make it. I think it is too hot and too humid. I am going to wait until Fall (Nov) when the days and nights are a little cooler.

These 80-85 degree nights are hard on everything except the tropicals.

Some of my Begonias like this time of year>

beautiful. Even though we are having triple digits here, if you keep your mini greenhouse inthe shade, it will work. good luck.

L

TexasLizzy, I am intreaged about "no holes".Is your "GH" air tight?Sorry, but I would like to know more. Mike

not a 100% airtight, but pretty close. If you feel it has too much moisture, you can open the lid. I usually leave lid on and open the container to check moisture and for roots.

Thank you, I will try that method tomorro. Mike

the whole point is to create a terranium like setting.