Should these be rooted in water before planting or should they be cut and allowed to callous and planted directly?
Question on How to Start a Cutting from Orchid Cactus
Knolan
You should let it callous over well before planting and then just barely keep the soil moistened while rooting. I usually just mist the soil for the first few weeks until it starts to root. You can also root your cuttings in just perlite.
Lots of good information on cuttings and growing epi's at www.epiforums.com and at Pat's - http://www.epies.net/cgi-bin/evoque?evoque.id+985411215
Hope this helps.
Hillary
Hilary, Thanks much! Just the answering I was hoping for. I've never grown one but have a cutting on the way. They are so beautiful!
Kristi
I have a related questions - maybe someone here has thoughts.
I just received a cutting of an unnamed orchid cactus - flat leaf, relatively floppy. It turns out to be a whole leaf cut from the base (i.e., there is almost no cut surface to speak of).
The question is this: will the base put out roots, or am I better off cutting the base off, letting it heal, and then rooting it?
All the orchid cactus cuttings I've rooted so far have been from mid-leaf cuttings, so I'm wondering..... Some plants put out roots from the cross section, so the more cut surface there is, the more roots will form. Is this true for these plants too?
Wish I could answer your question but I just planted mine for the first time and have no experience.
I would plant it whole. The more surface cut and exposed the more chance you have for rot. You are better off planting the entire leaf rather than cutting it. But if you want 2 cuttings to make a fuller pot you can cut it in two and plant them but make sure you let it callous over well before planting it and you will have to be more careful with the watering.
Hope this helps.
yes! thank you.
It's only about 6" so I will plant the whole thing as one. Hopefully it will take and there'll be time for cuttings later....
I've stuck Epi oxypetalum cuttings (and others) into a jar/glass of water and rooted them. They even grow on and bud! (I suppose they 'converted over' to a hydroculture environment) They seem to do best in soil nevertheless - the bigger Epi oxy rooted in water I transferred to soil after a year or two and it has grown on and flowered.
Here's that cutting-in-a-jar budding, after 1.5-2 years ... I transferred it to soil not so long after.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1597732
That is awesome!
neat, i am thinking of trying this, does it work with any cuttings? callus first?
Thanks!
Abbie
I succeeded in starting a cutting from (get this) a "lobe" from Epi. chrysocardium. mine is hanging and every time you walk under it & brush against the leaves, a lobe or two falls off, so I am starting them from lobes, instead of leaves. One has rooted!! Yay
Oh, I'm glad I found this thread & the great links... I've got Epi cuttings on the way, and I wanted to figure out what they needed before they arrived!
Critterologist- are you going to root yours in water? It seems the least likely route for rot during the winter. I suppose they could be rooted in perlite too. I have some on the way and am very, very excited. I rooted some other Epis this summer, but they were in regular soil. The hot weather and sunshine made it all the easier. They're growing on nicely now.
GH
I have two HUGE epi's (an unnamed one from Mexico) and (forgot the name of the other one). Neither has bloomed. Any suggestions to help them to bloom would be appreciated.
Knolan : I just take a stem off of my Epi.and cut it in 4 to 6 inch pieces -I make sure I put all pieces in a row so I know what piece is the "top" ..I let it dry for 2 or 3 days and then plant it about 2" deep in ..good peat and soil..(I use Pro -Mix) Ive never lost a piece I mist them lightly ..and they just take off..Gingerose