a bubbler too?? LOL
Inspired by Blaine's recent bubbler posts I just HAD to try it. Today I took sports off of Dr. Seuss, Citronella and Versi Peach, tagged them and set them up in this handy dandy bubble machine...a cut off water gallon and a bubble stone.
Here's a look at the inside ..day 1. I'm gonna post progress reports. I added to the water 1/4 of a capful of Schultz Starter Plus transplant solution. I put a small granite stone chip (God knows there are plenty of those around here) in the bottom to weight down the air stone. Looks good no?
I am attempting to root these for fellow DGer Annapet. I will send them to her if they take okay.
Diane Krny
That's pretty cute Diane, I'm going to start my in house bubbler back up tomorrow. I love starting plants in the ground, but seeing them start is just so much fun. To me, like peeling seeds - when you peel them, you, at least, know if there is something inside that will grow. With a bubbler, you can see the roots start which is comforting, like peeling the seeds, at least you know something before they go into the ground and are hidden...
Diane, How much water did you put in it? Blaine said 1 1/2 inch of water. At least I thought he did. Does it matter how much? Will they rot if there is more?
Is the bubbler just an airstone?
Jeanette
Hi, Jeanette - I have about 3-4 inches of water and the cuttings were about 12" each. I don't think it matters - its just that the lenticels (sp?) or roots will sprout around the entire area that is submerged and when I used to start cuttings in glass jars with water - I used about the same height in the water. I think it helps not to have too much of the bottom of the cutting touching the floor of the container. I made the cuts on a 45 degree angle so only the pointed end is on the bottom of the the container.
BTW - I checked them first thing this morning and after about 13hrs in the bubbler all 3 had little white bumps. I think it's working!
Diane
oh, I forgot your other question Jeanette - yes the bubbler is just a small airstone connected by the clear hose to a small, inexpensive aquarium pump.
Diane
LOL Diane!! It's fun too!
I did say 1 1/2" of water but that was just documenting exactly what I did with the Maya's. Now it doesn't seem to matter as long as the foliage isn't submerged. The 2 I did in the stock tank had about 30" of water under them. :) But - they ended up with spikey nubs the whole length of the stem that was in water. I'm thinking that's a good thing. Bigger, better root system. Like stripping leaves off the tomatoe plants when transplanting and laying at an angle, burying all but the top 2 inches or so. It then sends roots out all along the stem.
I haven't even used an airstone yet. Just the airline itself. Of course the DW wasn't too happy when I had this going in the guest room. It was a big airpump with high output and those big bubbles were very noisy. :)
(blush)
oh, goody. saw my name up the thread. i'm such a lucky gal these days. yesterday i'm peeling seeds given by diane, and now there are also cuttings being rooted for me. thank you, thank you. i can't wipe the smile of my face.
annapet
Okay..day 2 - came home tonight and checked the nursery bubbler. Found all 3 cuttings limped over the side of the container. EEK! I checked to see if they were out of the water but they were not. I said to self, "well, hopefully they aren't dead but just fainted" LOL
Then I re-thought all those leaves and figured maybe it was just too many to be supported with no roots - so I took off the biggest of the leaves on each of them and then tucked them back in.
All are showing tiny little lenticels so I guess we'll wait and see what happens.
Diane
They look great Diane! I love the bubbler system, it's really neat! I think I'll have to try the stuff you used as a starter for them...never thought of that, hmmmmmmm
Lucky you Annapet :-)))
Everyone's joining the Blaine Bubbler craze. I was inspired to spend the big bucks for a deluxe Wally world pump and an 88 cent bubble stone. Whee! I've got 4 generic Double White cuttings that are showing nubs. They're from a big double white that I gave to a friend ..... and decided I missed it. My friend brought down the cuttings a couple days ago. It's nice that we can pass them back and forth.
Anyone tried rooting other plants this way?
Mary
Annapet, I have with some Fig Tree cuttings. And would you believe they have roots????? First they were nubbies then now I have roots. The in-laws are moving and trying to cut and take with them so I indulged in a few and had to try it. It worked for those.
Diane I had 2 rather green cuttings do the same thing. One inside and one out. Had the same response too, with the first one inside. But I just left it alone and in 3 days the tip started raised half way (otherwise it was completely flopped and draped over the sides like I had dropped it on the sidewalk). Eventually, here it came...
btw... I just put the cheap soda bottle twist on what was already discussed at length in another threads after I had the pleasure of stopping and and meeting Brugie and saw the little aquarium she had set up.
Dianne,
This is only my second year growing Brugs. Had only one last year--Dr. Seuss. Have 5 this year (thanks Bruggie--all are doing well!)
I have a question.
When you say "sports", what kind of cuttings are they? Are they the shoots that come up from the bottom?-- basically--suckers? I have a lot of suckers on some of them, but they all are very soft wood. I thought cuttings had to be a bit hardened off before they would root.
Any advice welcome--from anyone.. Thanks, gita
Hi, Gita - yes - that is what I was referring too - the shoots that come up from the bottom of the plant and sometimes I see them coming from the main stalk part way up. Two of these were really green - which are harder to root by normal methods, but this method is reputed to be an easier, more sucessful way to route those green cuttings. We shall see, huh?
Blaine - glad to know my cuttings are only in a temporary coma :-)
I checked them again this morning and they are beginning to pick back up again.
Diane
Thanks Dianne! One more quick question. Actually-two.
1. What kind of store does one buy an airstone in? Pet? Aquarium? Pond supply store? How much$$$?
2. When these green suckers root, and you pot them up, will they ever get to bloom size this year? You are in Connecticut--I am in Maryland. Pretty much the same climate...
Maybe I can trade some cuttings with you later. I just don't want to get too overboard with all this Brug Stuff (she says....). I do not have room in my beds for anything like that. Have some in pots now as it is! Sunlight is another issue. I have 2 big maple trees in the back yard. Roots EVERYWHERE!!! Nicely shaded for living there, but not for sun-loving plants. At least the pots can be moved around. I live in an older development. My whole property is 65x100 feet, and everything else sits on it too. House, patio, shed, all my flower beds, driveway, trees, etc. Been here 35 years! Now I bounce around all on my own (divorced). Lots of work! Lots of contentment! Will NEVER move!
Thanks again...................Gita
Hi Gita
I can help with question #1....You can purchase all of the things you listed above at your local Wal-Mart. And it's not expensive. The bubbler I think was less than $6 and not sure though about the aqaurium. I think if you had tall cuttings you could do the tall trash can with the bubbler system, or if you had small cuttings you could do like some of the others and use 2 liter plastic coke containers cut in half and put the cuttings in with the bubbler. Just use what you have to accomidate them. They aren't choosey lol :-)
Hoped that helped. I don't have the exact amount after getting the bubbler, the tubing (we got extra) and the extention to enable us to have more than one bubbler in containers because my husband got it, I wasn't along with him. At any rate, it's not that expensive. I wouldnt buy a fish tank unless you've got one sitting around.
Hugs
Julie
I purchased a airstone from wally world (came two to a pkg) but they don't work. Mine are blue and I put it on the end of my air line and no bubbles. Am I doing something wrong. I have mine set up like Blaine with just the air line in the water. During one of our summer storms the top of one of my brugs got broken off so I put it in water and I am rooting it. It has the numbs just waiting for some roots to show. Mine had three leaves on it and they wilted down real bad, and I remembered when I got my cuttings last fall, they didn't have any leaves on them so I cut the leaves off.
If any one knows what I am doing wrong so my airstones don't work let me know. Like I said I got two of them in the pkg. and neither one bubbles.
If you have them on a valve, like a gang valve adjust the air flow with the valve. That should do it. Jeanette
I don't use the stone but it's a thought for the future trip to WW
Air will take the path of least resistance like water and electricity.
1) if your stone is not fully submerged then the air will just be running out the exposed portion.
2) some stones have to be soaked before use
3) check your connection to the pump and the stone. If you have a gang valve (where you can take one input and send it to 2 or more outputs) and only have one output valve used, make sure any others are closed. Or maybe even move the output line to a different valve.
4) Make sure you have air from you pump to the end of the airline. If using a gang valve, attach the airline input (usually side connection(s)) then verify you have air coming from the valve(s). Then attach an airline from the gangvalve outlet and verify you have air coming from the airline.
Finally when you have air from the airline (whether straight from the pump or via a gang valve) attach the airstone and put it in water.
*** If you have a checkvavle installed, please besure it's oriented the right direction. It only allows movement of air or water one direction****
Gita - 2pugdogs has you pretty much covered. I got my airstones (2 to a pack) at local pet store as my Walmart was out of them. I paid $1.50 or so for the pack. I bought 8 ft of airhose for $2.00 and a cheap 1 outlet aquarium pump for $6.00. The whole think came to around $10. I would not buy a new aquarium - for now I am using that water jug you see above but I will keep my eye out at flea markets this summer and maybe pick up a used aquarium for cheap.
As for question 2 -
Yeah I would expect they might bloom this year as one of the suckers actually looked like it was starting to bud. It could be it was the one growing out of the area of the mother plant that was above the Y. Not sure about that. But I was also told that even seedlings that I started last fall and that are now only 1-2 ft tall could get big enough to Y and flower by the end of the year. So we shall see.
Diane Krny
I get my bubbler stones, about an inch long, blue, and rounded on one end, for under a dollar each. It's a cheap setup and well worth every penny, the best and cheapest brug 'tool' I've bought. Yesterday, I put Maya, whose lower trunk was noticeably smooth, into the bubbler and today, she has nubbies and one with the start of a root, I REALLY could not believe that. I think I thought rooting, at this time of the year, would be quicker in the ground, and it could be, but there is satisfaction in seeing the plant root in the bubbler, I'll know before it goes into the dirt that it does have the capacity to grow roots and thrive...
I only have 1 air line running from my pump (which is the same pump that Diane shows) it did say to soak the airstone for about a hr. Will I threw it in and left it overnight (that's probably whats wrong), then I put the airstone on and put it in the water and still no bubbles. I remove it and put the air line back in the water and getting bubbles that way. There must be something wrong with my airstones.
It is working fine this way, but like 8ftbed's wife said it is loud.
Linda, I cannot imagine what the trouble is, I didn't read the instructions, just threw mine in and I have about 10 bubbler stones, all the little ones and they all work. The first time, I put the tubes on where no air could get through, but you say you can bubble with the tube, so I don't know. Did you add that little piece between the motor and the stone?? I don't know what it's called. I hope you find out what is wrong...
Ok then do this.... Fold a soft towel and put it under the bottle. I did and it muffled most of the noise. :)
I had to go to Walmart to pick up some Pepsi and doggy treats, so while I was there I picked up another pkg. of the airstones. They were only 88 cents for the two. I will try them and see if they works. If not I will try what you suggested Blaine.
Linda
I think she just got a bum airstone. Stuff happens. Jeanette
Hahaha, the bubblers have gone up four cents, mine were 84 cents for two!! Do you get Meaty Bones for your doggie?? Blueray, my Golden, LOVES them...it's the only fast food he eats, lol!!
Sherry, are the Meaty Bones treats, or food? Jeanette
Jeanette, they are treats. I feed raw, my dogs do not eat kibble, EXCEPT for Meaty Bones, as i said, their only fast food, lol!! My pal, Shuey Lin, told me about them and said his doggie loves them. I went straight to WalMart and the rest is history - Blueray is picky except for Meaty Bones and he is so smart that we have to call them 'MBs', and, after he has done something special, like finding my granddaughter's hiding place of finding a ball she's hidden for him to track, if we say 'good boy', he goes to the cabinet were the Meaty Bones are and looks at the door, until it's open, then runs and gets in his bed for his treat. He LOVES them. I think they have them in sizes, we get the large...good luck. If you get them for your doggie, let me know how he likes them...
I got the new bubbler's and today I put them to a test. I took one and installed it on the tubing and put it in water, IT WORKS, I cut two cutting off of a brug that wasn't doing to good and have them in water now. The other one that I had in water is in potting soil now, growing new leaves. I must have had 2 bad bubbler's. Oh yes I put on a some new tubing and didn't put the valve on that doesn't let water back up into the pump.
Linda
OK OK OK!! I finally succumbed due to all the rave reviews on here. I went out yesterday and bought myself a set up at a pet store. I should have gone to Walmart. I paid lots more than you guys did. But Walmart was too far away and I was so tired. I am going to put it together soon. I have a cutting that usually does not root well, a vulcanicola, so I decided to maximize my chances. I forgot to have my husband set it up before he left for work. I am so not a mechanical person. Wish me luck!!
Diane glad you posted about it i wonder but did not want anyone to know how dumb , i"am.. neat idea..
ahhh Linda, it might only have been that check valve. Kind of hard to tell but if you put them on wrong it doesn't let air through. One way traffick only. As a safety, have your airpump above the water line. Put an inverted pot under it or something. If the pump and that end of the airline is below the water line and you lose power, water could run back down to the pump. Probably not but it could and has happened.
Hi, all -
KELL -- glad your giving it a shot --I can hardly believe you haven't tried this before with all your brugs! You never tried overwintering your brugs in water with a bubble stone either?
And what DID you buy, girlfriend that you paid more for??
Blaine - I think you are right about that check valve - if itis in backwords air won't flow through. I put mine in and it does work correctly.
Just an update on mine - I checked on them yesterday and they are ALL doing great - BIG lenticels and little roots! Dumb me though - I just hated the way the versi peach was bowed at the bottom from where it wilted and slid down further in the water - I would pick it up, look at it and think "how will I pot this when it is bent over like this?" So I tried to straighten it out by bending it back gently - well I snapped it in half. tsk. so I stuck the top half into the water and figured I would root that too. When I checked this morning the bottom half of the original cutting that I broke had fallen down and was completely submerged - now it has lenticils all the way up to the top! Hey..this IS a learning experience ya know - LOL.
Anybody gonna try wintering over their brugs this way?
Diane Krny
I think I have sucker written all over my face, Diane. LOL.
I never had trouble rooting in dirt so I was slow to try this. LOL. I am SOOOOOOOOOOO proud of myself. It took me 10 minutes to set this up. I do not believe in mixing cuttings together for health reasons so I got valve thingies.
And it is working on all but one cup. Tom may love yo for this or he may hate you. LOL. The pump is vibrating so much it is moving. He will hate the noise. The box says it is quiet. LOL
I will move all my cuttings from the kitchen, thus the love you part. I am now using my seedling table in the bathtub.
I overwinter mine in my hoophouse or outside Diane. We only get light light frosts here.
I can already tell I need a bigger plastic container to spread out the cups.
Thanks for all the info. And on my own I got the back flow valve. LOL. I did something right!!
I will drop a longer tubing to the lower shelf for big cuttings. What fun. A new toy!!
Diane, I did it last winter and every one rooted. They seemed to like the cooler temps better than warm like it is now. I have 2 that have rooted now. And you're right, it's all about learning and having fun.
Kell, I take a wooden tooth pick, break it in half and stick the pointed end in the cutting. This gives a little stob to the bottom of the cutting and keeps it from touching the bottom of the container.
