Propagating to the max

I've found another plant web-site that gives me additional information. At least it did today. I've got a boston fern sending out runners that can be propagated simply by leaving them attached to mama plant and pinning them down onto damp soil. I also found that 'polka dot' plants can be done by stem cuttings. But I think I deserve the 'Distinguished Service Award" for today's work. I saw a strawberry begonia at Home Depot with lots of babies hanging out over the side. "Ah-ha," says I. More plants!
I started this morning. I snipped off all the babies and pinned them onto the surface of 32 pots (the 2" ones: paperclips partly straightened into a 'shepard's crook' work very well for the pinning part).
Then I planted 4 into 3" pots. I'm very carefully spraying dirt off the leaves (neat freak) and off the crown (to prevent crown rot.) At this point my fingernails have gone soft and and my finger pads are all wrinkley. I have already filled a coffee can with the detritus that I can't do much with - damaged, too small, or unheathy looking. Was going to toss the rest out, but just couldn't. Planted 4 clumps into 4" pots. That's 40 plants? Ta-da!!! Anyone out there want a strawberry begonia?

I'd like one, please. Just gotten interested in this kind of begonia. Want me to send you a list of what I have available for trade or do you want postage?
Digs

Yes Please, says I....!!!!

~* Robin

Okay gang. Y'all just have to give my new babies a little while to make sure they're established and healthy. They're the type of plant that should be handled much like African violets...always water from the bottom and give them lots of indirect light. Then I have to learn how to package and ship them. I'm a novice about that part, but if you help me out, I'd be happy to send you some. Give it a couple weeks. Keep in touch!

That experiment sounds very interesting. I hope that you have good luck with all of them.

They are a perennial in my yard! As long as they stay in part shade they do great! The flowers are incredible too!

I also have them growing in a small wooded area on my property. I think the folliage is
just gorgeous but never saw them in bloom. (I planted them in an area behind my natural
pond - kinda tough to get there).

Digs: I'd love to have a list of what you have to trade. I also realized that I won't be able to ship for a little while. It's 28 degrees at 2:00 pm in the afternoon! They'd freeze right now.
I'm so jealous of youse guys that live in areas warm enough to grow this as a perennial. Only trouble is, I'd have to leave my home in PA and that would tear my heart out. Considered building a conservatory with one end closed in for a bedroom and shower; a place where I could just live in the middle of greenery. Unfortunately, that's what it would take.
Green. Lots of it. Could be the grass is greener on the other side of the fence? And if I say "green" one more time, you can shoot me.
But...there is something too wonderful about scouting the yard every few days in the spring looking for green stuff to appear. Oops!

And she's off on another subject. Right now my big problem is finding enough places to sit everything until it gets warm enough to transfer them to my porch. Wandered around the house scratching my head and considering. Top of the laundry hamper? Nope. Gotta get in there every day. Etc., etc. Came across an old wooden ladder down in the basement. Covered with paint splatters, it'd been replaced by an aluminum one long ago.
Dragged it upstairs, put a coat of dark green paint on it and used nursery trays ( the ones without holes) to bridge the space between the step on the front and the braces on the back of the ladder. Elegant it ain't, but my house is almost 200 years old, so "country salvage" is probably a better decor. Plus, when the early spring seed-starting frenzy is over, it can be folded up and stashed back in the basement until next year.
'Till later. :-)

Give me a couple of days to take inventory on my plants. Have seeds to trade and these could be shipped anytime, but you'll have to let me know when you want plants. I'm a brug nut so have several varieties rooting in the basement now and have other perennials such as daylilies, stokesia, butterfly bush. Will know more later.

Digs

Digs, I finally gotta ask, "What is a brug?" I thought by watching various threads, someone would finally tell me. I'm not familiar with the term. Be gentle.:) Thanks.

A brug, short for brugmansia, is an angel trumpet. They have big, gorgeous blooms. Check out the brugmansia forum. Warning! They are addictive.
Digs