Propagation: Propagation: part XI based on my own experience

I'm with you guys, 2 years for seeds, I don't think so. I am happy when they germinate in a few days. I just can't imagine 2 years.

No, my greenhouse isn't heated, well, other than an expensive little portable heater I use in an emergency. I usually bring in the tenders, and I have an area in my sewing room that we have hung lights and DH built a stand for double trays. I can start about 30 flats of seeds. all the lights are adjustable so I am OK until they need to go into 3" or 4" pots. Then the "bar room" gets promoted to a kind of greenhouse. It has skylights and windows on three sides. Used to be able to say they did pretty well in there, well still can, just need to have time to take care of them..Thanks again to all of you. Hopefully I can return the favor next fall.
Lee

Lee, didn't you get some unrooted cuttings from that outfit last year, can't remember the name of it. How did they do? I thought they were pretty small?? Just looking.

Jeanette

Yep, it was North Carolina Farms, Inc. The originals were v ery small, and they all died. However,When they replaced them, they sent rooted cuttings. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again. Very nice to work with. The rooted ones did fine until the disasters hit and they didn't get watered.
Lee

What do you think about the unrooted. Would you order those again? I wonder why they send such small ones. Aren't they around $7 a flat? I looked at some of them yesterday.

I guess if I had a greenhouse I would get some.

I would have to think long and hard about unrooted. If I ordered something else, I would probably take a second try at it, but I wouldn't order them by themselves.
Lee

Hi: I am thinking that lee ordered early and they had to scramble to come up with cuttings t fill the order. I am planning to order the unrooted cutting but I will do it once I chat with them in advance to make sure I get a decent cutting because I don't want to get cutting just to fill an order,
Everyone needs to know and be warned that this is a gamble not every cutting wil root for various reasones. everything from faiure to water properly, under nurishment, as well as disease and unforseen issues. Also it take a great deal of dedication to grow them from unrooted cutting to rooted cutting and then to a plant.
anyway, I am ordering 2" sheet flats as wel as web trays pretty quick so anyone needing any please contact me either here or on my hotmail account.
I hope everyone had a great turky day
Dave

I am the one with the Black Lace Sambucus seeds on the Piggy Swap. I will send you some, Dave. I can take some cuttings this winter and try them in the EZ Cloner for you. I have had success with many plants in that, but the hardwood cuttings have not been as easy to clone. But I will keep trying. Let me know if you want some cuttings, rooted or not rooted.

Lynn,
The Black Sambucus your talking about, are those elderberry? If so I would like to try some please.

LOL, I didn't remember who it was that I had seen has them Lynn. Do you like the EZ Cloner Lynn? Sounds like it. Now, when will you take the cuttings? Over here on the East side of the state, ours are in complete dormancy. What are yours like? If you were to take cuttings now, will they want to wake up and root? LOL, just thinking like a plant I guess.

Yes ff, they are elderberrys. Gorgeous. Black stems, leaves, and beautiful pink flower heads. I was thinking of planting a clematis in with mine to use it as a "ladder'. But, mine is still too small. I am wondering if I need to move it to a different area. I don't think it is in very good soil. It has been there for 3 years and still is not a very big plant. What do you think Lynn? The wild elderberrys around here are considerably bigger.

Now the instructions I have read say to cut them down each spring to about 12 inches. But, the wild ones aren't and do better so I haven't done that. Lynn, what do you do with yours? Maybe if I did cut it off it would give the roots more Gojo. "for lack of a better word". lol

Jeanette

Lynn: I would love to try seeds as well as a rooted cutting. I am trying plastic airlayering system. it keeps the fumbeling down to a min.I will try to find the link. Email me for address info. Pughbear7@hotmail.com
Jeanette: You might check the ph level I will do a double check in my books to see if there is a specific issue that they are tender to so we can get them out of their funk. I know some plants have specific nutrien requirements. I think yhis is the issue whith you clematis. how old is the plant? a pic might be helpful if you have one.... ok I just like pics. shhh you never heard that here
Dave

No Dave, it isn't a clematis that isn't growing, it is my Black Sumbacus Elderberry. It grows, just not very big. About 4 feet tall.

I have a row of about 30 of the Sambucus Nigra 'Eva', planted them about 4.5 years ago. They now are about 7' tall, and so pretty. I do not prune them very much, I like their natural form. I get so many complements on them when they are in bloom. I might try pruning one or two a bit harder to see what happens. I bought 3 of the 'Black Lace' Sambucus 1.5 years ago, and they grew very fast, but I want them to be shorter and fuller than they are, so I will try pruning them too. I thought they were the same, but the 'Black Lace' has a bit finer cut leaf, looks very similar to a Japanese Maple, only black. Mine aren't dormant yet. I fertilized them with Llama poo when I planted them, and didn't get around to fertilizing them at all last year. Eva seemed to lose the intense color later in the season, whereas the Black Lace is still very dark.

My book says hardwood cuttings in winter, so I will take some cuttings now, and some later when they go dormant. Heck, I certainly have a lot to play with! My seeds are from 'Eva', because I didn't think about picking the berries before the birds got them off the other.

Dave, I will send you some after I get them rooted.
FF, I will send you some seeds. Do you want rooted cuttings also? That is, if I am successful.

Jnette, I do love my EZ Cloner. It is so easy to just take a cutting, pop it into the little neoprene collar, and wait for the pretty little roots to spring out. I usually have the machine full of water and ready to go. I have a bunch of Brugs, Coleous, and Hydrangeas that are so rooted, I should have potted them up 2 weeks ago. It is so rewarding and challenging to see what I can propagate.

Dave, what is your rooting hormone?

Lynn I would take some of the rooted ones besides the seed if you have success at it, Sometimes I am not good with some types of seed any more than I am trying to root hard wood cuttings I have the worst luck doing them. Cant seem to get any to root for me.

Lynn is the EZ cloner a hydroponic bubbler or does it spray the hanging roots? I can't remember what they call that. Air something. I was in a hydroponic store one day and the guy in there was showing me one and then he was saying how easy they are to just make your own. You can even buy those collars to put in the holes to hold the plants in.

It has been a while since he showed me but it was very interesting.

Yes, it sprays the roots with warm water.
A friend of mine made her own after seeing mine, and it works great, for a fraction of the cost. I bought mine on Craig's List, so I didn't spend a lot. Hers is a lot smaller, mine holds 120 cuttings. She is going to make another one that is larger.

Lynn:
I use dip n grow. it seems to work the best for me. I have some plants that fail and some that just take a while 6 - 9 months. Its funny we all say thats way to long, but I have so much going on that as long as its not dead I will leave it in its pot and see how it goes. I guess its the ole throw a hand full of stuff at the wall surely some will hit. I have been doing quite well with most of my seeds. I have to get my Daylily seeds going. I am behind scheduale (typo???)
I can look up the source if you would like me to. I ordered the smallest bottle 2 years ago and I still have plenty. I just hope the shelf life is good on it. I really never had any luck with my bubbler so it sits in the garage in a corner all sad.
They say will get our 1st hard freeze this week with a chance of the white fluffy stuff. we have a strange winter it will snow and then hit 70 the next day... hmmm. no wonder I have so much trouble with colds and flu bugs
Keep warm everyone. bachelor button is the pic
Dave

That is too bad about your bubbler. Is it DIY? I use Clonex rooting hormone gel, and a bottle of Clonex in the Cloner. It's expensive, but I use it for several batches of cuttings before I change the water. The instructions says to change the water and sterilize between batches, but I am too cheap.

I haven't had a lot of luck with some things, have yet to get an Echinacea to root. But I am a Petunia, Brug, and Hydrangea cloning fool. Of course, they all root so easily anyway.

Lynn:
take a look at this posting http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1029069/
I am ordering supplies if anyone wants in. I am buying 2" pots in sheets of 36 and web trays. I am willing to split the cases or just use them for myself. Just thought I would share the savings
Dave

hi everyone please chck you email for the rundown on my purshase plan. if anyone wants in or is just curiouse please contact me at pughbear7@hotmail.com.
as I like to express emfatically this is a no one is forcer or talked into joining in. I realize everyone has their own scheduale and agenda as to how many and at what pace or timing uniquely their own.
Dave

Hi all--- It is mighty cold here. -3 at noon and supposed to get colder for the next week.

lee you can have the -3 ..... Its hard enough to keep the temp up on my little ones . and I am thinking of adding more to the garage. hmmmm oh well.
I have to get containers for them 1st then fillem up. oh the joys of a hobby .... I think I am insane sometimes
Dave ...from my own littlle corner of fantasy land

Dave you got mail.

Update Wed. 6:00 AM -20 without wind chill. Supposed to warm to 0 this afternoon. :)

That is way too cold for me! Temp was 13 here last night when we came home from the store. I thought that was cold.

yes way too cold. we hit 26 today and 13 tonight for a low then factor in the wind chill. Good news my propagation cart feels like its 80 degrees inside the poly cover. I brought in my muhley grass plugs to push them for next year. I gave them several weeks of up and dow weather so I am hopeing they will jump in size.
stay warm everyone
Dave

LOL, yesterday morning I looked at the thermometer at 7:30 and it said 3 degrees. a few minutes later it said 2 and then a bit later it said 1 and I thought what is wrong here, it is getting colder not the other way around. Not right. Then, I clicked on the button to see what was the coldest, and it had been minus 3.so it WAS getting warmer.

We didn't get that wind storm. They got it south of us but missed us. Thank Heavens.

Wow Lynn, that really is cold for you guys!! A friend said it was 23 at Sea/Tac last night. Pretty cold. My daughter in Fed Way was really whining. But, she does not like the cold, or the heat for that matter. That is why Seattle is a good place for her. LOL

Jeanette

Don't know which is worse, the cold here, or the constant rain in Seattle area. My daughter lives there still and boy is she whining!! I think she is afraid the roses we transplanted to her house when we moved to MT are going to cash it in. But told her, after 10 years of doing great, she shouldn't be surprised. We only transplanted 70 different types. See, I really did garden out there, had much better luck there than here. Too cold----- too hot what else can I b**** about??? Water is my fault, cant b**** about that, tho, I would surely love to.

Where abouts does she live in Seattle area Lee?

Jeanette

Shoreline, Greenwood N and 154th. She loves to garden, however she can do it the easy way, just go to the nursery and buy what she wants. She has a small pond with goldfish, and designs around it differently each year. Lots of big trees on her lot, so mostly shade, except for the rose garden, and even it doesn't get as much as it needs. They, however, evidently have adjusted somewhat and were doing fine until this weather, don't know what will happen now.
Lee

That is a pretty area. I know, they have it pretty cold too right now. And, she probably didn't get them mulched either since this weather is so unusual for that area.

Hope they will be ok.

Jeanette

She will be one sick puppy if she loses even one. Right, no mulch.

My mom used to put tomato cages on her roses after cutting them back and filling it full of pine needles. I don't remember her ever losing any roses due to cold weather and she was in Spokane. Much colder than the coast.

Jeanette

Neat idea Jeanette. you could also use leaves if pine needles are unavailable. I know in south florida you can buy pine needles for mulching but I have yet to see any. I think we are held down by eithe shreaded cypress or pine nuggets. and of course the new one recycled rubber and glass. there is a factory on the otherside of town who filled a diider with the different colored glass. It looks really neat and Iam assuming they tuble them as its not sharp. I just wonder how much they are.
I will try to get a pic
Dave

MERRY XMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all

Good afternoon to all:
I hope all your boxes are wraped and stockings stuffed. we are doing a quiet xmas eve. its in the 30's and raining/sleet and suposed to turn to snow soon. we are suposed to get 1 - 10 inches. Its an on the border of the storm thing. if it moves east we won't get much but if moves west then we will get hit hard. I know this system has dumped a ton of snow on kansas, colorado and the upper plains states.
What are we hopeing for? Personally I just want good health and a peacefull stress free year next year.
anyone doing any planting? I planted some pampas grass seeds and I am hopeing to plant some unique tropicals. I recieved some great tropical seeds I am looking forward to seeing what comes out.
Huggs to everyone and may you have a very merry christmas
Dave

Thank you Lee and Dave, and the same to you guys and everyone else out there. Hope everyone has a very happy and healthy New Year!!!

Jeanette

Merry CHRISTmas everyone.

I pray for all of us that 2010 will be a renewing year filled with many blessing for all of yall. Good Health to us all and may everyone's plants and seeds grow like mad.....LOL

Janet

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and to all a GOOD DAY

Thank you to everyone.
so how many of us got hit with the snow storm that blew through here. we had a cold front come in from colorado and a moist wet cold front from arizona. we got 8 inch's and okc (about 150 miles west) got 14". Its amazing how much everyone forgets how to drive on the first snow flake.
I am starting to plan a raised bed for a veggie garden. Boy how do we cut down the plants we want to grow into a garden we can manage? any idea's would be apreciated
Dave

Dave, I think the only way is pretty drastic. The only thing I have seen that was effective was a broken leg and arm. With only a broken leg, my friend just dragged it along.

I actually said to myself, "myself, I am not going to change everything around this year. Instead, I will sit back and enjoy all the beauty." I will let you know if it works. My DH says, no way will that ever happen.