Okay, you all can continue to chat and swap to your heart's content over here. Things are moving rapidly here. Hope you are getting as excited as I am.
We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1305621/
Chat and Swap thread PART 2 for the RU at Jan23's on May 18
Thanks Jan! You're the best! Yesterday we had 61 posts to this thread! Must be some sort of record for us. But then we are exceptional in so many ways! Or as Chantell and Becky might say "We Are that good!
Yes, we are!! Yay, I did it. I started a food thread too
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1307660/
Woohooo! We sure are rolling along... you'd think we were down to our final week, not a month away! I LOVE IT
Thanks, Coleup! Sounds like my cuttings are good ones, then. Do you know if Fig Man just sticks them in the ground, pots of potting soil with a baggie over, or... ? I'm sorry if you posted this somewhere... I went looking last night & couldn't find it.
Chantell, yes, fun, and it's remarkable how much they remember from year to year.
Coleup -- That is so good to know about the Quince -- I'll put them in the back this weekend! I have just the spot. I had to laugh about what you wrote about daylilies. Like you, I put some double ditch lilies in the back on a steep hill -- they don't ever bloom -- at least not that I notice -- just not enough sun -- but they hold the hill up beautifully and they are a lovely green. They have not been too thuggish.
Donnerville i've got 2 KIWI FERN's with your name on them.
It is on the Yardening Thread--the new one....
Here is the link to "Fig Man"'s beautiful site. Love it to death!
Long--but each picture has a description of what he is doing....
http://figs4fun.com/basics.html
G.
I took a stroll .. checked the fig in the container outside.. I snapped a branch.. it's still green inside.. should I have hope??
Critter, here is what I wrote over on the Yardening thread
"At the Farmers Market opening last Sat one of the farmers had Brown Turkey fig trees that were a good 4' tall. He said he took cuttings last year (Didn't ask when darn) and has over wintered them in his 45-55 degree greenhouse. The twigs of figs he used were finger thick and about 16 inches long to begin with. He said if I bought one that I should keep it in the garage until temps stayed in the 50's.
Also said I could keep it in the 3gal pot until roots started coming out the bottom, then either pot up or plant. He says they need "protection the first two years in the ground and then they should be ok. Said Brown Turkey most reliably hardy around here and that it will get big, so keep it trimmed back short enough to be able to harvest the figs!. Put that almost invisible deer fencing over the bush to keep birds away from the fruit. He described his method of winter protection but I'm not sure I remember correctly. Will ask next week. Brown Turkey gets both those early figs on old wood and the new season figs on new wood cause each tree he had had one or two figs on it."
And here is Rooting Figs in a Bag from a longer tutorial with excellent photos and step by step instructions in Figs From Twigs
http://figs4fun.com/basics.html
ROOTING FIGS IN A BAG
Take dormant cuttings approximately 8" long, and wrap in very slightly damp paper towel or newspaper, covering the entire cutting except the bottom 1/2". This allows the bottom end to "callus", which helps to prevent rot, when rooting. If you are doing several cuttings, roll the first one in the damp paper, then add one, and roll, and add, and roll, until you have 5-6 cuttings in a bundle. Place the bundle(s) in a sealable plastic bag (a Ziploc or zipper-bag works well). Place in a warm place, with a temp of 70-80 degrees F (not in the sun or next to a heat source which considerably hotter than the desired temperature). Check frequently for signs of mold, and air out the cuttings is necessary for a few hours. Re-moisten the paper if necessary (a spray bottle works well for adding water, though this is not usually needed if the bag is tightly sealed). Under the conditions of warmth and humidity, roots will develop, starting as small white "bumps" called initials, and gradually growing into longer roots.
When there is good development of roots and/or initials, unwrap carefully, and pot up as follows. Use clear plastic picnic glasses, of about 45 ounce capacity. Drill or poke 4-5 drain holes in the bottom. Stacking 3-4 cups together makes them stiffer and easier to make the holes. Place about 1/2' coarse, well-wetted Vermiculite in the bottom of the cup, insert the cutting, and fill the cup with coarse, well-wetted Vermiculite. Place the cuttings in a container (I use a plastic storage box), with a wire rack or other suitable arrangement, which will allow the water to drain through the cup and keep the cup from standing in any water. Return the cuttings to your warm place. To maintain humidity, you will need to cover the container to simulate a greenhouse environment, but leaving it open for fresh air, periodically, to avoid mold. Water as necessary. The higher humidity environment requires much less frequent watering, which yields better moisture control in the root zone and leads to less rotting of the cuttings.
The most important element is providing overall humidity, without keeping the root zone overly wet.
The coarseness of the Vermiculite allows air in the root zone, and holds moisture in the root zone. If the Vermiculite is too fine, or packed down too much, it excludes air and holds too much moisture in the root zone. Generally, in a warm environment, if there is condensation on the inside of the cup, there is sufficient moisture, if not, it is too dry. The clear cup makes monitoring root zone moisture much easier.
The clear cup is important, enabling you to monitor of root development visually. Leaf development is absolutely NOT an indicator of root development.
When there is good root development (do not rush this step, or be in a hurry to repot in potting soil) repot in a one gallon pot using a minimum of 60% Perlite in the mix, and the other 40% compost or similar organic component. The vermiculite will shake out of the cup, when pointed down at about a 30 degree angle and rotated and squeezed, followed by the rooted cutting. After potting, place in very, filtered shade, with good humidity until the plant has adjusted and is stable; then increase sunlight gradually. Water when necessary. After about a month, water, and let the plant absorb the water for 1 hour, followed by "watering" with a one half strength solution of Miracle Gro. This keeps you from "burning" the plant with the fertilizer. Fertilize twice a month. When roots begin to grow out the 1 gallon pot (roots growing out of the drain holes), repot in a 2 gallon, with 40% Perlite and 60% Compost. When roots begin to emerge from the drain holes, move to a 5 gallon pot, using 100% compost. When roots are visible in the drain holes of the 5 gallon pot, plant it in the ground. At this point, the plant is sufficiently developed to be stable and durable. Many cuttings will grow to 2-5' tall in their first year, but some varieties are slower growing.
If you observe the principles, you can also root larger, thicker cuttings, as well.
I hope everyone will take a look at the tutorial linked above (http://figs4fun.com/basics.html) because I think it would apply to many of the woodier plants we are chatting about swapping or just increasing for our own use.
The use of clear cups for planting so root developement can be seen is great. The use of the plastic storage box as a mini propagation house takes a lot of guess work out of maintaining proper 'just right' humidity and is the most full proof I've seen and simple enough to throw together...Kinda like a specialized 'milk jug' for shrubs!
But, I'm no expert on any of this, just learnin from them thats doin like the rest of us.
This message was edited Apr 16, 2013 6:30 PM
Thinking you are probably spot on with that, coleup.
Hello! I think I noted everyone's last round of requests!! I'll add them to my Haves and Bringing list. You can confirm that I got your requests on that listing.
Donnerville, I'd love to try your Alpine Catchfly please if you have any left. Your photos look great. I have to read up on it. I know nothing about that one. I'm hoping it's a perennial?
Thanks!! I stuck a few cuttings (not fig) in 1 & 2 liter bottles last year. I cut them just as I would for winter sowing, put 4-5 inches of potting mix in the bottom half, closed it, and stuck the cutting through the top opening. Sounds like this might work for figs, too, but I'd need to use a better draining mix... don't have vermiculite on hand, but perlite + coir should do the trick.
Main problem is, I just don't have time to mess with them for the next week. If anybody wants them, I can leave them (in their bucket) on the side patio, just around the corner from the garage. I suppose I can wrap them with wet paper and put them in a bag instead of just the bucket... that would "hold" them and maybe also start them rooting. I bet there are 3 dozen cuttings in there.
edited to add, Fig Man's photo of a ripe 'Celeste' fig looks *exactly* like the figs from my tree. They are a rich dark wine color inside.
This message was edited Apr 16, 2013 6:58 PM
worth a shot.. I will try one
Donner, I'd love some purple oxalis. The squirrels dug mine up. :(
I'd like a parsley, too. My parsley seeds aren't germinating! The seeds may be too old.
I went back to check want and have thread and some of my requests are not listed, think they are getting lost in the shuffle...so here they are again
Memory: can I get a blackberry?
Jill: Can I get a tomato and a crooked willow?
Diana: Can I get some dill please?
Thanks, all!!!
Jen, I'm going to need to update my lists and comb through the request threads when I (hopefully) have some spare time next week... but I've got you covered on crooked willow cutting & tomato 6-pack.
Hi Jen, I had you down on my other swap trade list that I keep on Word... but forgot to note it on the DG swapping post - so sorry!! but I have your Dill request and have plenty to share. I'll be glad to bring you some ^_^
Critter: I'm confused by your post yesterday about cuttings. What cuttings did you take?
Anyone want a box (or more or less of these aluminum markers? http://www.gemplers.com/product/T800/Aluminum-Marking-Tags-Box-of-100. Terp recommends them for labeling azaleas. Shipping prices are less, the more is ordered. I'm going to place an order in a few days and would be happy to add on any orders for the rest of you and share the shipping. I'm also happy to break a box if you'd like fewer than 100 (these are boxes of 100).
I really think they are great for any shrub, not just azaleas. Count me in for a box.
Ok, got you down.
thanks!
flowAjen -- what are you saying "thanks" to? Did you want a box of markers?
Oh no thanks sorry, I was thanking Wind and Critter
No problem -- just didn't want to make a mistake in the order!
Greenthumb -- something terrible has happened - my Tinantia pringlei which I promised you has disappeared -- I had two pots of it from a dig that I hadn't put in the ground yet, and now I can't find the pots. I don't know what happened. I hope I didn't think it contained something dead, and overplant it with something else. So I may not be able to bring it to you this year. But I LOVE it and will definitely get more, so it is still in your future....
Happy, no problem. It is not like I really need more plants. I was just informed by Pat (ecnalg) that I posted to the initial section of this thread after it had been continued here, so I repeat my ill-placed post:
"I currently have almost no idea what I will have to offer for the swap. The late spring has delayed my plants breaking dormancy, both those in pots and in the ground. Coleup - my Asclepias plants are especially slow this year. Many of the plants are just beginning to show any growth and quite a few are keeping me in suspense. I probably will not post "Haves" until near the end of the month. :-("
Plenty of time. We are still a month away.
BTW. Have I said how excited I am?
Happy, I've been mostly talking about the dozens of fig cuttings I clipped out from the recent big trimming I gave the tree. It's either Brown Turkey or Celeste, and I think it might be Celeste. I also have several crooked willow cuttings that I've shoved into a water garden pot for the moment... they have little root bumps already. I won't be in the garden at all this weekend or next week, so although I know it won't take that long to stick a bunch of cuttings, it might be more time than I have... so they all might end up staying in a bucket of water for a couple weeks, unless somebody really really wants fig cuttings -- in which case that somebody would be welcome to come get them!
I'd love a couple of figs, Jill..if you still have them!!
David - your 'ill placed post' was just fine...I just thought it might get lonely over there by itself and you might wanna join the rest of us...
Critter -- I'd love some of those cuttings after they have had a good 4 week fermentation period in a bucket of water -- I think they'll do just fine!
Jill you can always try sticking a piece of willow in the bucket with the cuttings.. they say it's a good rooting hormone
Holly, if you have any marigolds left I'd like some, thank you
I probably can root cuttings of any of 3 begonias -- "Leaf green" (I think that is what it is called -- the leaves are a dark green, and it is a cane type, but I can't now find anything on-line -- I got it via a co-op), and "my special angel" (http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/71382/). Plus beefsteak begonias, but everyone in the world has them.
Also, I have a Drimiopsis maculate, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/49519/, that I got at a DG swap years ago -- it was stunning when I received it, and now doesn't look like much. Clearly it and I don't get along.
This message was edited Apr 19, 2013 8:03 AM
Attention Japanese Maple Lovers
Wanted to make you all aware that a fellow Dave's Garden member who lives in the Mid Atlantic area not far from Jan's raises some fine Japanese Maples. He posts pretty regularly on the JM forum as"DavesNursery" Here is a link to his web site
http://davidverkade.com/Home_Page.php
This is a great opportunity to save on shipping for that special tree!
Good find Coleup!!!
I love love love Japanese Maples. I have a Seiryu potted up waiting for an appropriate spot to take over. Whenever that will be.
For those of you who love them as much as I do, here is a JM grower with pictures to accompany his descriptions.
http://www.davidsansjapanesemaples.com/
Even better pictures go check out http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Maples-Complete-Selection-Cultivation/dp/0881929328 from your local library. It is a gorgeous book.
That's a great idea, willow cuttings and fig cuttings on the same bucket... maybe on the back patio so they get the warmth from the pavers & south exposure. THAT much, I can do! :-)
Paul: You know a book must be popular when even the used copies, in only "acceptable" condition, are 28.50!
Sure do Jen.