Root Beer bottle Kohleria 'Jester'

Northern California, CA(Zone 9a)

While visiting in Florida in March, I bought a Kohleria 'Jester' at Palm Hammock Orchid Estate and by the time the two of us made it home it was looking a bit stressed, so about a month or so ago, I cut an 8 or 9 inch piece off of the top and potted the cutting into my regular AV soil. I could see it was already crispy on the edges due to the low humidity, so I put it in a plastic 2 litre bottle 'terrarium' with the lid removed.

Today I wasn't feeling very patient with the whole experiment so I opened it up and was beginning to dump the soil off to see if there were any roots at all, and lo and behold I see a new rhizome forming at the second to lowest leaf axial. Actually it's a 'V' shaped rhizome with each side about as big as a pencil eraser (just slightly larger). So I apologized to it for disturbing it's growing and repotted up baby 'Jester' and put it back in it's root beer bottle and told it I'd leave it alone.

When I did the 'surgery' to it a while back I also took it out of it's pot and found at least three good sized rhizomes that I could remove (there were more, but I was a little hesitant to remove too many). So I potted them up in a 2.5" pot (same AV soil mix) and today I dug that poor little bugger up too and it's rooted nicely and starting to sprout a bit of green! Woo Hoo! My first attempt at Kohlerias!!

I showed this to Key & Anna, but here's a photo I took today, seems pretty happy! I didn't know it would make rhizomes before roots, but it did. No roots on the end of the cutting yet, but it has swollen to a horse hoof shape on the bottom. I've seen some AV's do this too when I'm potting them up from rooting in the perlite trays.

Thumbnail by begoniacrazii
Northern California, CA(Zone 9a)

and speaking of terrariums, here's the big jar I've put some new episcias in. They don't like our dry weather (learned that the hard way) so I keep them in the jar with the lid half way on.

Thumbnail by begoniacrazii
Dunedin, FL(Zone 10b)

Nice growing Laurie ! Everything looks great !
I am lucky not having to cover. And her in Florida we have been lucky past couple weeks it's been going to 60 at night and humdity under 30 percent .
Plants still seem happy.
I know it won't last but enjoying it while we can ! The A/C does not gone on to mid afternoon.
Thanks for sharing your experimenting. Very Interesting :))

Mansfield, TX(Zone 8a)

Glad your experiment worked! They all look great.

Northern California, CA(Zone 9a)

Here's the new 'bowl' humidifier I got for the baby episcias. Seems to be working great so far.

Thumbnail by begoniacrazii
Dunedin, FL(Zone 10b)

Awesome ! I've done this before :))
Today I took a picture of the Pink Panther I re-planted I trans-planted last week into a 5 inch pan pot and took it's babies off to grow ne plants. One of the baby plants has a bud too :))
I will down load pictures later after I nap my eyes keep crossing :))

Mansfield, TX(Zone 8a)

Laurie,
Where did you find your bowl humidifier? If it is what I am thinking, my Mom's been looking for one.
Sharon

Missouri City, TX(Zone 9a)

Yes Laurie where did you find that?
Beautiful plants Laurie, but I have come to expect nothing less from you!

Dunedin, FL(Zone 10b)

Did you know before Nov 2005 Laurie just had a f=coule no named African violets. Now she has hundreds and more hundreds of leaves down all named :)) She has some cool Av Cousinplants " gesneiads too ! Not to mention her hugh Begonia plus collection ! laurie is a Super Gardneir heck with green thunbs God dipped her in Green !

Dillonvale, OH(Zone 6a)

WOW. I want her to come help me :) pretty please!!
LOL

Hugs
Janis

Northern California, CA(Zone 9a)

thanks Ali! And now that I'm at the greenhouses, I have received a few more begonia cuttings too! Ahhh the life of a plant addict! And what a great group of enablers we get to hang out with! I love it!

the humidifier bowl is a 'fruit ripening bowl' that I found online. I think it was about $15 +s/h I'll try and find the link but if you froogle it you can find a few companies that sell them.

When I saw the beautiful bowls at the Sacramento sale and show filled with 'Unpredictable Valley' I figured it was a good way to grow them. Here's a photo.

Their bowls are a bit different, but this one is pretty cool, it has holes on the bottom for drainage and a hole on the top so it isn't collecting condensation.

Thumbnail by begoniacrazii
Northern California, CA(Zone 9a)

Here is the company's link that I got mine from. took about 4 days in the mail to get it.

http://www.kitchen-classics.com/fruit_ripener.htm

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