Plant propagation part XV based on my own experience

Good afternoon:
I am glad I don't have the urge to go gamble. we have the tribes setting up casinio's everywhere. the cherokee's have 2 here in tulsa one is affiliated with the hardrock. It might be nice to explore and see some of the memerobelia in the hard rock.
Take care everyone
Dave

O.K. Dave and gang, I am getting into begonias and I have three Hiemalis, which are tuberous. Now that would be herbaceous, right. So, if you are starting them with cuttings, would the cuttings be called herbaceous cuttings.....does the cutting come from the leaves or the root or both. I would think it could be both, but I do not know and I thought maybe someone here would know. I have not tried to propagate them yet, they are so beautiful and blooming like crazy, I thought I would wait until they stopped. But I am putting them up on my lists and I need to know. The information I have says cuttings but on DG info, there is no place for just cuttings. I guess I could go on the begonia group and see what they say. I start my other begonias with regular cuttings. But they are not tubereous.

Rieger begonia, that is what you have. A cross between a tuberous and a wax which makes it a fibrous root, not a tuberous JB. I just googled it. I didn't get into cuttings etc. But there is a lot of info there. Just try googling the Hiemalis begonia.

BTW, the Riegers are gorgeous house plants.

Great question JB. Through me for a loop. Acording to one of my books (The Plant Propagator's Bible by Miranda Smith) it says the tubers can be divided mush like dahlia's.
Dig and let dry for a week after top growth is dead or removedto allow skin to harden. It makes me think to seal the cut also.
cut back the stems to several inches above the tuber. next years eyes will grow there. check for disease if yess toss
gently wash to remove soil and let dry totally
cut the tubers apart. make sure each one has at least 1 eye if not DO NOT CUT AWAY FROM TUBER WITH EYE, EACH TUBER MUST HAVE ITS OWN EYE.
Dry tubers over night. Pack dry tubers upside down on a layer of sand or peat (coir might work also) in a sturdy box

I would think you might be able to do stem or leaf but I am not positive Its well woth a try as they will be tossed anyway. IMHO.
Acording to a second book Plant Propagation A to Z by Geoff Bryant if seperation of the tubers is difficult allow them to dry a little. Best time to do seperation is spring as thats when the eyes develop. now I don't know if its possible but you might be able to trick them into thinking its spring byregulating the day length (just a thought). unless the tuber is dry & shriveled let the tuber dry for a day to allow the cut to calluses to form. Dip cut sections into fungicide to protectect from disease. they suggest powdered sulfer
It looks to me like the potato as long as the tuber has an eye and is not shrivveled up you can cut them into smaller pieces. Its going to be judgement call anyway you slice it....
I collect books so Unless you want a huge selection of books on hand I would find one that looks like it will meet your demands and go with it I am always willing to help and any idea on a subject is always welome.
JB do you have any pics? could you do a how to with pics for us???
Dave

I agree they area nice plant to have and grow. Do you have a source for quantities of tubers or plugs?

Dave, JB, I was going to divide my tubers like what you just described one time but decided to research a little bit. So, I sent the question to the president of the Canadian Begonia Society, a real nice guy who answered me back right away.

He said they did not advise it since you lose the original tuber too if things go bad.

But, according to the site I googled, they say they are not tuberous, but fibrous roots. In that case I would think you could just cut them in half if the plant is big enough. Use a couple of forks and take them apart.

I don't know, if they are in deed Riegers, I think they are fiberous.

I would think a fiberous plant would be dividable as long as the top green part has roots connected to it. I have an unknown flowerinplant that looks like I can divide him but I need to look at him closer when I have the time to do it.
I am so far behind. I have not been able to get out and mess with the plants lately. too many plants to plant and divide up. my seedling trays are ready to split up and they look perfect for it, I start them with a good pinch in each cell and wouldn't ya know it but most of everyone sprouted. good thing is I believe they will go fast. alaska shasta daisies, ox eyed daisies, cherry brandy pudbeckia, little bunny grass.
I ran out last year so I thought I should grow a bit more this year.
I think JB is going to split them up no matter what anyway. I am looking forward to seeing pics if they are available.
have a great evening
Dave

I need to get more books. I have several but I need ones just on propagating.

J my zone is Sunset zone 11 but USDA 8b/9a. If that is not too confusing. I think all zones should include high and low temps for suitability.

Sorry Janette I forget everyone does not know me like they do on some other threads. lol People always used to say, Who is Dawn when they were talking to me, often it was someone who knew me by Hellen, that would ask.

It's kind of a bummer for me, since most things that I plant at this point will not be strong enough to make it through summer at this point so I have to wait a couple of months for more planting and all unless I try cuttings inside and move them later.

There is a fruit baring mulberry tree down the greenbelt. I am going down tomorrow to take cuttings. I was going to do it today but the wind was blowing again. The trees cannot be shipped in most areas so I am going to start trees in my EZ Clone. The berries are all over the tree and they are delicious. Wish me luck. I will start with 10. Or I will try to start with ten until the owner chases me off with a gun.

Dawn I looked in the begonia forum and also the plantfiles as I have not grown many different types of begonias, but I have grown the fiberous and I see that they classify that begonia as a fiberous, as you already mentioned. They are so easy to propagate, just as you would a coleus. There are other ways to do it as they have described as well.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/626497/
http://www.taylorgreenhouses.com/begonia.html

This link to the Taylor Greenhouses has specifically just added the Rieger Begonia.

Of course, the first link will take you there and to all the various places for all you wanted, and more..☺

evelyn_atthecomputer....

Sharon, I take it the Mulberries are woody? Have you tried cloning woody before? How do they do? What kind of dip do you use? Do you put anything in the water?

I tried starting some woody things before the time in my area that things were growing. Everything was still dormant. Didn't work. I don't know if that was why or?????

All the woody stuff I put in the cloner, turned black.

mornin everyone:
we are ok straight winds with 66 mph gusts. will be on a bit later
Dave

Dave

thanks for the check in. Hope the winds die down for ya. The winds and rain and hail have just killed my new hoop house to the point that I just gave up trying to keep it up. so another project that didn't turn out along with many lost tomato plants.... more money down the drain and it hurts when I was hoping to make some to add to our income since DH lost his job... so now back to a few new seeds for us to have something, I'm done trying to get another batch going as our growing season is so short that nothing started now really has much of a chance to produce tomatoes before the cold is back...

Janet

Hi Janet:
I am sorry to hear that the winds have killed you GH. The economy ...lost for words... Sorry for the job loss I know it must be tough.
This year has been horrid for everyone to some degree.
We had 66 mph straight winds really tore up the whole state. Tulsa schools were canceled today because of all the downed power lines. I will say they have the correct aproach on when to cancel school. If any student is in any kind of danger they cancel school.
I swear it looks like it could rain again today. Good news though I have a helper in the garden today. I have a lot of weeds that need to be pulled. It should keep her busy for about 3 hours as both of them tend to get distracted "squirrel" a lot by just about "look a snail" anything .....
I will try to get some pics out so we can see the current garden
TTYL
Dave

Thanks Dave

Looking forward to pictures.

Janet

Well update: Rain has haulted progress of cleanup of the nursery. I've pulled 10 trays of 3.5" pots of dead plants. Last years winter really hammered everyone. I waited untill now so I can give everyone the chance to pop up and say "Howdy". Its amazing how we get these diluions of how well we will do with our endevors. I am learning what sells and what is a waist of my time. Its been a real eye opener.
I did notice that my little bunny grass has jumped 2" in height almost overnight. Its been amazing to watch it grow.
I hope everyone stays dry and does not get blown away.
Dave

Janet, so sorry to hear about your hoophouse. What you might think about is going ahead and starting tomatoes, peppers etc. (if you need seed I can send you some) and get them going and put the plastic over the hoophouse skeleton at the end of the season to extend it a month or so. That way you would make up for the month you will lose now.

I have a lot of tomato seeds (sorry, they are a lot of different kinds) several kinds of peppers, mostly sweet bells and some jalapenos, some herbs, and not too sure what other vegetables, but no cool weather things like broccoli, etc.

Let me know and I will get them out asap.

Jeanette

Janet, I also have seed for many vegs. Just let me know and they will be coming your way.

you folks are wonderful to offer your seeds, that is one problem I really don't have, got plenty enough seeds to start over, but the delay and yes if I knew for sure that we would still be here come the end of the season yes rebuilding the hoop house would help to maybe give me some more red tomatoes, but there are a lot of buts...LOL

Thanks ya'll thoughtfulness really touched me.

Janet

Meadow, I am so sorry you have GH problems. Believe me I know how that is. Mine is finally up again and working, but it takes time and money unfortunatlyl. Do you have insurance, maybe the policy would cover the hoop.

I do nothave much of what you grow, but I will send you anything. Why don't you make a list and let us see what we can come up with. There are alot of us here willing to help.
Maybe we can get together a good stash for you so when you are ready you have it.

God Bless and Hugs andPrayers. JB

Not to be the one to rain on a prade but I believe a hoop house falls under the movable structure part of insurance and would not be covered unless its specifically written in. For some reason I know that... I forget why but I do. I wish we could all get together at Janets house and have a gh raising I know I would be game for it.
JB are you getting the lovely weather we are having today and all weekend? We are on day 3 of rain and its 70% chance of more each day through the weekend. Good thing I got my hostas planted yesterday.
My niece helped me as well by cleaning out the weeds in some 3.5" pots that failed to establish. I am going to try to get something to take over in the flats as its a lot of soil to toss into the trash. I have a few things I know will do quite well no matter what the soil is like. I am thinking little bunny grass, pampas and shasta daisies should tolerate the "pretested" soil.
Stay dry...who needs a spot on my ark???

Hi Dave, our days are so confused I am afraid to say it is not raining because I think it is to storm today. It is going to be in the 80s so they say and humid. I think it is to remain warm for a few days with a chance of rain every day.

I took a picture for you and forgot to take it off my phone. I will do that right now and send it to you. I took it yesterday while mowing the trees. Hold on. Be right back. I said hold on......not take a nap.

I am back. Here are two shots of the Acer Palmatum 'Bloodgood' or Jap. maple we have. They were 6 to 7 feet tall when we got them and they have grown some, but not much. Remember, these were throw aways......am I glad my SIL rescued them. LOL

I love the little red seed pods, or whatever you call them.

I used to call them hellicopters when I was a kid. Looks like you have some nice specimines. Hang a sold sign on them and I will bet the will sell real quick ...lol

LOL, we used to call them that too Dave. But we would stick them on our noses. LOL???

JB, I had two of those Bloodgood Maple trees in my yard in Seattle. I told Dave that I had planted them both when they were quite small and when I moved they had gotten their full growth long before. About 12-15 feet tall and the same spread.

I really liked them.

Meadow, how long is your growing season usually? My grandma in Oberlin always had great gardens, but as a kid you don't remember the length of the season, there always seemed to be some thing in bloom.

I know your season was bad, time for an Aero garden ha? Greenhouse?

With her husband out of work I think a greenhouse is probably out of the question right now.

Oh no. I heard Ohio is like California in ratio of Unemployed. Good grief. I see in This Old Magazine they were trying to get people to look at Wellington Ohio for historic homes, since it is so affordable to live and not far from large Cleveland but really close to Oberlin, where I lived as a young kid. Who cares if the house is cheap if you have no work or prospects of work. Who could get to work with the winter you guys had back east this year.

Would be a great place IF, you had a great retirement, liked the cold and was not into shopping. I have been in Cleveland, my son did his internship there, and the shopping sucks.

Actually housing is relative cheap in Las Vegas right now and our winters are mild but the summer heat will kill your budget.

There must be someplace in between because real estate is very reasonable everywhere. If you cannot buy now you will never be able to do so. BUT, I was a mortgage banker for 35 years in Las Vegas and parents would bring their children into my office for the pep talk about get a life, get an education and get a great job. I always suggested going to work for the State, Local Government, Utilities, Fireman, Police or Teacher. Now they are all being laid off and I am in total shock. What in the He** has happened.

I told my granddaughters that I was a protected class. If the Martians invade, they will save me and get rid of them because I know how to grow food. LOL. OH GRANDMA.....

JB and others you folks are wonderful to offer, but not to worry I found some tomatoes and will be picking them up next week. We still have chances for frost here.

Yes Ohio and Cleveland especially is hard hit for jobs.

I just found out Monday that my job is on the next laid offs which could be any week now. I applied by e-mail to a job that I saw posted the week before and miracle of miracles I got a call for an interview the next day, getting ready to go in a hour for the interview. Yall please say payers that these folks will instantly like me and offer me the job today, so I can start it on Monday.

Today is really hard in that my 13 year old collie Sarah and I will be making a trip to the vet, she has been having a lot of seizures this past week and not doing well at all. So I don't know if this will be a my last goodbye with her or if I'll have some more time with her. She is my first champion.

Got to go get ready for the interview will check in later.

Janet

Janet, good luck on the interview.
I hope Sarah will be at ease. It is so darn hard on you to watch a loved one experience a seizure.

My prayers are with you and sarah.

Janet, please let us know how the interview went and that you got the job!! I know you probably won't hear for a bit, but we can wish can't we? What kind of company is it? What kind of job? So hope you get it.

Let us know, and also about Sarah. They have meds for seizures I believe. I suppose it depends on what is causing them. Good luck.

Jnette, Fingers and toes crossed, prayers and all good thoughts coming your way. Good luck. JB

Janet I will pray at this moment before I even finish this, (Now). Ok a peace should be coming over you any moment.
I understand all too well. We live in a part of California that has a 17-18% unemployment rate and all jobs are mostly at least an hour or more away now. I was laid off of my job of 8 years, in 06, could not go back to the profession, got a job for a NASA contractor, who was fired after 18 months. I got laid off again, was off 4 months and put in at least 100 applications. Right when I got a job, DH was locked out of his job.

He has been off for 3 months and they voted to agree on a contract today. Yet somehow, God provided all along for us, against the loss of so much of our incomes. If this is not the right job for you, there will be a good one that will come. Start praying that job up, even if it is not this one. I have prayed it for you. A good one is coming and you will be fine in your finances, in Jesus name.

My 14 1/2 yr. old Shar Pei is going to the light soon, as she can no longer see or hear and has doggie dementia. We pray we will find her gone in a moment. It is too hard. Go on the Pet Forum and put your prayer request there and comments too, it is so nice to have people who care about you and your pet so much there.

Sorry if this post belongs on the prayer forum guys.

My 20 year old cat looked like she was ready to go, a month ago. We took her to the vet and they discovered a sore that was infected. They gave her a time-release antibiotic, and I swear that cat must be reborn to her ninth life now. Her coat was craggy - now smooth and lustrous, she could hardly walk and now runs around. I was think it was her time, but one never knows.

Dawn your dog will be in my thoughts and prayers as well.

Janet, we are all waiting to hear the good news from you.

Dave, are you over your flu? And high winds?

DH's fever broke and now has bronchitis, but no symptoms while he had the fever. Still, he is out mowing since they have predicted rain for tomorrow.

Hopefully I will finish at least #6 of my SFG's, as I have dug them all out before planting this time, sifted all the roots with a flat that has smaller holes in it, and added a good deal of perlite, vermicuite and peat, as their is no coir here yet. Then planted them. There are 5 of them planted. There are peas, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, bush beans, beets, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums and stevia in the first four, with one of them all in basil, at DH's request, for pesto. #5 has tomatoes, parsley, carrots and basil. The rest will have tomatoes, leaf lettuce, onions, peppers and eggplants and more basil as well. I am not sure where all the rest of the tomatoes will be going, but I did get some large containers, and maybe some in the ground as well. I will be taking my chances with gophers, in that case...




This message was edited May 16, 2010 3:37 PM

Evelyn, I love your kitty. and I am still praying for Sarah. I have told you, I am sure, I have 5 barn cats. Twin boys, two fathers and 1 Mother. All now fixed and healthy. But, the healthy part could change tomorrow the way they are. Such fun to watch and enjoy.

I so envy you and your ability to grow things from seeds. If you could see the Roma Tomato seeds I planted you would absolutely be sick to your stomach. They look awful. They are so scraggly and have two ugly curled up leaves on the top and just a mess. I am also upset with the other seeds I planted. Nothing but straggly crappy looking stems. Oh well, i guess I will stick to cuttings.

Hey Dave, the hosta you sent me, the one I thought died over the winter. Well take a look buddy boy, it is a beauty this year and now I wish you could tell me the name of it so I can make a note or it.

JB: I would have to guess earth angle as its the only one that fits the plants I ordered. as this is a guess which I am 95% sure. here is the sales aid pic from the tc lab