please dont throw things at me :)
I've read all the discussion about bubbler propogation and I'm still confused. I seem to do best with woody cutting in soil....however. sometimes you dont have any woody cuttings. Then, I tend to murder them like I did with my maya cuttings. so.....
anyone who is willing...please tell me the "simplest" most surefire way to root in water using a "bubbler" assuming this will be attained with an aquarium pump and stone. any water additives - just small scale info to root a few green cuttings at a time.
one thread bubbler designs....
Charlotte, the ones I did last fall were much larger, woody cuttings. Today I started these and they are greener than I would like but I thought I would give it a try. This is a simple small pump, with a 'T' splitter giving me 2 lines. Today, I used cut off soda bottles. I take a wooden toothpick, break it in half and stick the pointed end into the cutting to raise it off the bottom of the container. I should know in a few days if this is going to work at this time of year.
I'm right behind LindaSC, Charlotte. This is my first time to use a bubbler at this time of the year, so I don't have a clue what the outcome will be. These cutting are from a brug whose limb was too heavy and broke. I haven't added toothpicks yet, but probably will - one cutting already has nubbies, I want to do a log cutting, and might try it with one of these. Mine are in glass containers, inside the house, in a southern window that gets very little sun. I added a drop of SuperThrive and put it in water I had been sitting overnight. Yesterday, I had another one with a giant shoot that was uprooted, filled with buds and I took it to my newly converted brug pals. Keep us posted Charlotte, and send photos!!!
I forgot to add that my granddaughters added the butterflies to keep the cuttings company.
This message was edited Jun 11, 2005 3:25 PM
Looking good Sherry, I like the butterflies. I was wondering if the temp in the gh would be too warm. Maybe I should move the setup inside?? How long have yours been in?
Linda , you only used the T to give you two containers...right?
Any reason other than ID that you used 2 containers instead of putting them in one?
anything in the water ?
Linda, I was afraid of the GH temps and suspected that they could scorch quickly and mine is in the shade in the summer, but hot as all get out. I started them yesterday, and I have them in a south window, that gets good light but it's shady. Shoot, I'm playing this by ear, this is only my second bubbler crop. I really like the clear container Blaine used and knew I'd enjoy it too, so I could monitor the progress. Also, Blaine is bound to be in weather that is cooler, less humid, so, in putting these inside, I was attempting to mimic what he did. Even if I decide to move them outside, I won't go back to the GH because it's too risky - ya know, outta sight, outta mind, whew! I think it's funny that you are the reason I 'took up' bubblers and our new models are so similar. Thanks, and thanks re the butterflies, the grand girls will like that you noticed!!
Charlotte, there are viruses etc that can be spread from one to the other. That is why pruners should be sterilized between cuttings on different cultivars. Ideally, each cultivar should have it's own container, I didn't do that last fall and so far so good.
Sherry, I noticed that as the temps warmed up this spring, the ones in the bubbler didn't like the warmer temps. This time of year, it may be better to do potted cuttings.
Well...the place I am putting mine is in an outside shed that gets HOT. I may need to move it somewhere else.
Yes, Linda, and thanks!! The rising temps/humidity are why I just started them in the aircon from the get go, but I'm going to pot up a log cutting, first chance I get.
Charlotte, mine are all cuttings from the same brug, same limb; however, I put all mine together in the bubbler last winter, without a problem, but that's not to say there couldn't be a virus lurking out there. I don't know what I'll do next winter, but that's one of the reasons I'm using glass, smaller containers and inside, so I'll have some idea if this might work. One thing I can tell you, this pump could service many containers, it's a good bubbler and loud, but a sound that will put you right to sleep. Good luck and do send pics of your setup!!
Charlotte, you can go to a different forum and the same techinique is called aerozone or something. Basically, moving the water which oxygenates it and keeps if from getting stagnate. If you really think about it, the same thing is accomplished by changing water every day if you just stick some cuttings or 'flower's in a vase, jar , what have you. At least thats what finally seemed to be common in my narrow mind.
Here's an example. I'm thinking moving the water to oxygenate. Ok... I stuck a cutting in my water feature stock tank. I just planted it today because it had spikey nubs allllll up and down.
This is a couple days after I cut a sucker off.
I planted it today... more nubs than I've had on any of the other cuttings..
This was my original 'bubbler' attempt which has worked everytime. A soda bottle with the top cut off and and cheap aquarium pump with an airline ran into the bottle.
I use the 'bubbler' (bubble stone, I think) because I forget to change the water, they are cheap at WalMart, under a dollar. Looks like I can plant my big cutting any time, it has nubbies just like yours Blaine...I'd really like to use part of it to start a log - where should I cut it if I do that and how should I cut it, straight or diagonally ?? TIA!!
Think in all the posts I'd read about the bubbler method before I first tried it, people let them go until they actually had a root ball. I've planted all of mine as soon as the nubs start looking spikey - roots are about to emerge. Roots grown in water aren't the same... not as tough as grown through a solid medium. They've all taken off and I'll see roots at the drain hole in about a week.
The log thing will be the next I play with after seeing so many success stories. You can just cut it straight and make sure you have a couple of nodes on it then press it down into the moist potting medium.
You are right Blaine, water roots are not the same as soil roots. I left mine in water too long mostly because of a space problem. When I finally potted them up I lost a few, some are still in transition. On the other hand, there was 1 that I put straight in the ground from the water and it hasn't skipped a beat.
Linda did you have problems with the roots in warm weather or in the winter? I left mine in the bubbler from Dec 15 - until about Arpil 7 and all of them took right off in dirt. Next year, I plan to get them out much earlier since I hope I won't be juggling gardening around doc appts for the ankle. I think I'm going to start a log cutting today, I don't know why I'm hesitant, but I tend to get antsy when trying something I know very little about because my gardening instincts aren't always the best...
Okay - you "bubbling" experts - you've got the line into the soda bottles with your cuttings, you've Y'd into two containers, everything looks good - BUT where lies the pump? What is it installed in? Is it plugged into a socket with an extension line? (I can't see my taking on fishes and aquariums!)
I like the big plastic bucket idea for fall, but is the pump in the bucket, too?
(Need the very, very basics, here!)
I set up a bubbler with a clear rubbermaid shoebox (about 3 inches of water) then I tore apart an old plastic basket I had and used the "holey" part as a grid to hold the plants upright. After all this...and reading this post..I decided maybe its too hot to do that now. The storage building I wanted to use gets HOT . Using green cuttings (very few or no nubbies...) and its hot out...? Seems all of you guys having success...have bubbler water that is staying on the cool side?
Another issue....if water roots and soil roots are different...is there a big problem (loss) in transition from water to soil ?
I have a MAJOR problem trying to root green cuttings. I murdered several that were given to me last fall....also..the maya cuttings I got in the experiment were somewhat green and they bit the dust also.
I will definately try to refine this to my purpose for fall/overwinter cuttings but my interest right now is trying to find the best way to root green cuttings.
dunno... I stuck a piece I broke off this spring in the basement, right into a pot of potting soil. Thought about wilting and took off. I snapped of a real succulent sucker some someone else, took it in and dropped it in the soda bottle. Man, it wilted and flopped over the edge of the bottle like it was laying on hot pavement. I left it there and eventually.... started perking up a little then some more. I cut off the bigger leafs that were floppy. I nubs, stuck it in a pot and it's now in someone else's hands. I think I sent that to 2pugdogs. Most recently I broke of a green piece and put it in the stock tank. Except for this one, I took cut some bubble wrap to fold over into about an 8x10 square. Wrapped a piece of plastic mesh around it and simply tied some sisal. Cut a slit in the bubble wrap and stuck the cutting through. The bubble wrap floats it. It was wilting in the afternoon sun it gets, so I've kind of tucked it back up under the edge of the shelf that the pumphandle sits on. This morning it's still turgid and I guess I'll be nubby again in a couple of day. Bad thing - I don't remember who she is now. Oh well, it'll be a Forrest Gump brug for me or whoever I force it on.
I made up this bubbler from a CD container. Cut the spindle off about an inch from the bottom so it would hold down the air stone and keep ;the hose in place.
Then drilled or burn holes in the lid to hold the plants.
Now that is a Great idea!!! I must have a few around here I could do that with! hmmm Never thought of doing that, you're quite creative TA!
Okay - so it appears the pump is in the container ?
(How elementary can we get?
Very elementary my dear....LOL
Polly, my pumps are not in the containers, they sit a distance away and could not get the bubbler and the pump in the same photo. It's just a aquarium pump, this one I already had and it's louder than the $7 pump I got last December04. Good luck!! I think the bubbler that I can see through is lots of fun, it's kinda like a slow motion film, every time I walk by, it appears there are more nubbies...TAR, I LOVE yours, what a clever idea - I love your bubble wrap float for the bubbler, lol!!
This message was edited Jun 12, 2005 5:09 PM
Polly, in the gh mine is attached to the wall. It plugs into an electrical outlet and the air line goes into the container.
By George - I GOT IT!
(Now, what is a CD container)
TA - innovation at it's best.
okay now..you guys still havent addressed the temp question.
didnt someone say that the bubblers work best with lower water temps?
I don't know about the temps, I started my first bubbler after Dec 15, 2004, it was freezing outside but I have a GH and the temps there were 40-50 and lower some of the time, but some days there would also be sun on the cuttings. The bubbler on this thread was just started a couple of days ago - and, I was not concerned about the water temp in my GH, but I was concerned about the scorching sun and I saw Blaine's clear container and I thought it would be fun to watch them grow inside. Before I knew about the bubbler, I was more concerned about temps and the water, because I always forgot to change it and it got dirty, smelly and ugly. With the bubbler stone, that's never happened and I've never changed the water, left the same water all winter and occasionally added a drop of H202 and added to the water as it would evaporate...
Of course you wouldn't want the water to be real hot. If it was a small container in full sun, that could be a problem. Definitely don't want it cold. By running air in it you're constantly introducing oxygen. Otherwise remember the basic properties of water: Water carries less oxygen the warmer it is.
I've rooted stuff in the basement with a mean temp of around 62 and that was without air. With the all the shop lights and the aquarium in the guest room, the water temp was probably around 80.
Thanks everyone. You can make the holes any size to accomodate any size cutting. Made one out of a larger container that held 100 CD's for some Brug cuttings. Going to try some above the Y cuts in it.
By the way, went to an auction friday and bought a new 2 gal octagon fish tank complete with bubbler for 8 dollers with this winter in mind. No fish allowed. LOL
edited for spelling.
This message was edited Jun 12, 2005 8:25 PM
Wow TAR, thats one heck of a deal! Not a bad idea...may need to go flea market shopping..they have deals there too!
bump
All mine I tried in this heat have failed. Temp in the green house get really hot this time of the year here. Will wait until later this month to cut some more.
I have also become curious regarding the fact that since "water" roots are not the same are "regular" roots ....does the bubbler really help anything.
Now for holding cuttings all winter it seems like a great idea but for normal rooting situations are you gaining anything by using the bubbler ?
Charlotte, I have always saved cuttings over the winter in glass jars..no changing the water all the time, no special temps other then in the 70s from my home heat..Im not sure if its teh type of cuttings Im doing this with but Ive never had rotting..they form leaves on tehm and start to grow like they are in dirt..I even had an oleander cutting and a Maya cutting in teh same jar..never had any problem potting them up in the spring with so called water roots...Im going to try to bubbler with greener cuttings to see if that may be a way to sovle the rotting of green cuttings..we shall see over the next month...Judy
yes..Judy....I am a serious green cutting killer !
Charlotte is there a cure for it?..lolol....I do not like taking green cuttings and when somebody offers me them I cringe but Ive had wonderful luck this summer in dirt...now when the weather changes its going to be another story..its going to be very interesting and abit exciting to experiment on the bubbler....got everything ready and will let you know how it goings...good luck with all that you try....we do like to push the limits dont we?....Judy
Well...I try to push the limits but they push me right back :)