Bud on cutting

This is a cutting from Springsong and it has a bud on it (CDW), it took me a long time to figure out what CDW meant. I don't know how heavy it will get or if it will tip over because the cutting is about 6 inches tall, if that. There are a couple other cuttings that are getting buds too. Will they bloom on the cuttings in water? Should the buds be cut off so they give more strength to the root system? So far about a dozen of my cuttings have dried out, but I still have about 35 cuttings/most already rooted.

I think I have convinced my other half to set up a shelf with lights for me for these babies. My kitchen counter cannot be used until March/April otherwise.

I've never had one bloom while it was still in the water, but have had blooms with rooted cuttings in soil. It's supposed to be hard on them to let them bloom when they aren't really established yet, but it's AWFULLY hard to cut buds off of a plant that you haven't seen bloom yet! Last winter, I had 2 different Sunset cuttings bloom, and both bloomed this summer. I also had a Jamaica Yellow cutting bloom, and it didn't bloom this summer. I would definitely not let more than one bud develop on a young plant.

Wow gourd, these things are truly amazing. Are you going to leave it on or cut it off? Sure would be intresting to watch it and see just how it effects the plant in the coming months.
Dee

I have had them bloom in water. They are usually much smaller when they open. I usually do cut them off, but if you have enough leaves off, the stem maybe able to maintain the bud.

PS Gourd. Those roots look more than ready to be planted in dirt. Water roots usually are not that good once in dirt I have found. I would pot it up very soon!

This message was edited Dec 15, 2003 11:07 PM

Antoinette, I know it's painful, but I would remove it. You want the plant's energy going toward developing roots, not toward flower production. The flower will only slow down the rooting process. Chop, chop!

Antoinette, if your cutting had been potted and had many leaves, it might have been able to survive letting the bud go, but on this one, I'd cut the bud off. I know it is hard to do, but would rather have lots of blooms in the summer than none at all because of death of the plant. It doesn't mean that it can't survive, but I'm not sure I would take a chance. I've had very small ones bloom with one or two blooms, but they always were in soil and had a lot of leaves already. Like Clare says..chop, chop. LOL!!

Oh no.. had a feeling you would say that, did you all hear me crying as I cut it off.. boo-hooing over here, it was awful..lol.. but, I understand why. Thanks everyone.

Here comes Ole Monkey wrench Root,LOL!I agree that it will take root producing energy from your cutting.
I did not think I had any Log cuttings above the Y,this one is going to prove me wrong.
This Log had no leaves when I put it in water,now it has a bud???
I think I would pull the bud off yours,but I gotta see what this will do.
Root.

You have a little more leaf surface to draw energy into the plant on yours Bob. It might do okay for you.

Gourd - I feel your pain...lol...

Root, you sure have the green touch!

never fear Gord here is a bloom from it's mom hope this makes you feel better

Antoinette, you did the right thing:-) Good girl! Now the plant can put its energies toward developing roots instead of producing that flower. There is only so much energy that that cutting has, and you want it directing its energy toward root development. If you had the kind of roots and growth that Rootdoctor has on his cutting, then you could have let it develop, but chances are, there wouldn't have been enough energy for a fully developed flower, and having spent all its energy on developing the flower, it might not have been able to produce roots. Shirley is right: it's not worth risking losing the cutting.