Pathetic looking plant isn't it?
I had this in a pot until last week. I put it in the ground hoping it would get better looking. I think maybe I allowed it to get too leggy.
How can I make it look good again, if possible? If I need to trim it, can I propagate the clippings and if so, how?
Thanks,
Molly
:^)))
I cut on mine all of the time...prune, run over parts of it with the mower and it is unaffected. And, yes, you can make starts from the semi-ripe stems....easily.
HTH,
Carol
I totally agree with Carol. It's a tough plant. LOL!
Do you just stick the cutting back in the ground?
I can only speak for myself, but I use soiless potting mix and keep the pot moist and in the shade until the cuttings root well.
Great Brugie and Carol,
I shall get out there tomorrow and start cutting. If they get rooted in time I will share some at the roundup in Okeechobee next month.
Thanks so much,
Molly
:^)))
LOL Molly, You should see mine, it's in a pot in the greenhouse, and cut down to the dirt, it was so ugly I just chopped it all down , it's a little difficult for me to root this sometimes, but I have some rooting now, and the stuff I cut back is coming back now
kathy
I do the same as Brugie...unless it gets thrown in the bush where it will root anyway!!!
Well I chopped it back a couple days ago. If I am lucky, I will have some rooted cuttings to trade at the roundup.
We'll see how my luck goes.
Molly
:^)))
Molly, so THAT'S where my Persian Shield went during the storm! LOL Actually mine looked a lot worse than your's, even more leggy. To tell you the truth, it had gotten so ugly I'm glad it's gone! I tried to cut a few pieces off and root them, but, as usual, no luck. *sigh*
Pati
Hi Molly,
Thanks for sharing your garden with me the other day.
As to the shield...I think you need to have it in more sun. Mine is semi-shade and getting very leggy. I have some cutting and am going to put them in a more direct sun. I know your thinking....oh Lord, move it again! But, I think that it will do better.
Nancy Lee
Yes...lots of sun. The more sun, the bigger and brighter the leaves get!
I did a search here for dense shade plants and this came up.....Maybe one should correct this?
Nancy Lee
Nancy,
Thank you for that info. Ah, it's no problem moving it, I just need to figure out where. A place where it won't get burned out in the summer sun. Any ideas there Nancy? You've seen my yard. (I do recall the HD has them sitting out in full sun too, what was I thinking?)
I think the Violas over on the north side of the house need to be moved too. Maybe over by the wooden fence. Just a bit more light over there and no cats.
Pati, would you like a clipping or two? I have them in a pot now and I think they might be doing something good there. I will be bringing them to the round up in Feb.
Molly
:^)))
Molly,
I would try a couple right by your front door. What's to loose. I will give you more cuttings if nothing works out. I am going to try the cuts that I made the other day in my full afternoon sun. If things get leggy, they usually want more sun.
Also, almost anythng that flowers needs a fair amount of sun, i.e. the Violas. Those I have no cuttings for so you are on your own...
Late for me, on the way to bed..see you all tomorrow.
Nancy Lee
They seem kind of picky. My first one did well in a partially shaded bed -- those recommendations for full sun are definitely Northern zones -- but our cold wet winters turned it into a yucky brown-leafed stick. My second try on the sunny side of the house didn't do much better; it was a cold summer (San Francisco Bay Area, 25 miles from coast so a little fog but not too much) and the plant just sulked.
I think they need warm temps, in Southern & Western zones very bright light, partial sun beds, no hot afternoon sun to scorch the leaves. But site it where it's happy and it is certainly the Queen of Foliage Plants!
In Iowa, I give mine sun until noon and then shade. If I give them more sun that that, they get crispy on the edges of the leaves.
