I have a specific purple crape myrtle that a friend would like a cutting of... Can anyone tell us the best way to propogate this? She saw a Paul James segment where they used a potato, and stuck the cutting in, and planted it in the ground.
Does this work, other suggestions? hardwood, softwood? HELP
thanks
Melanie
Need help to root a crape myrtle
I try to stick all my suckers in a pot w/ nice potting soil and put in a protected area. sucess rate is about 50% and seems like some varieties "take" easier than others. They were going in the trash anyway, so 50% is good enough for my effort.
I grow all my crape myrtles as standards, that's why I'm always removing suckers.
Well, I tried water rooting suckers, no luck, got rot.
I would try air layering.
Here are some threads I found by doing a DG thread search;
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/490478/
http://www.mosserlee.com/howto/airlayer.html
Hope you can get those to work.
I too like the purple and lilac Crepe Myrtles, but have all Tuscaleros
sidney
worth a shot - would love to know if it worked... that would be way to easy.... suckers always die for me in water or ground...
According to the master gardening courses I took earlier this year, you can propagate anything. Try putting a sucker in a pot of good potting soil and keep the moisture up...you can cover it with a plastic bag, supported by little sticks, to keep the bag off the plant. (Don't put it in direct sunlight) I've got a red crape myrtle sucker in my greenhouse as we speak, er, type, with a mister going to keep everything moist, and so far, so good! I'm propagating a bunch of different things out there. I guess I want to find out if I CAN propagate anything!! I'm even trying a Texas Madrone!!
Thank you to everyone for the suggestions! I guess I just need to give it a shot!
mel
By the way, Mel, after reading and then responding to this, I realized I hadn't checked on my c. myrtle, at least not closely. Well, I did today and its growing!! I think I just propagated my 1st CM!! Yee Haw!!
Mel, my crepe myrtle twigs that have fallen on the ground after I have pruned some limbs and missed picking all of the twigs up have rooted all by themselves really amazes me. I hope you have success.
Thanks! My friend will be so thrilled, Now, I just have to decide what needs pruned, and stick them in some dirt! Wish us luck!
mel