how deep do you plant new cuttings

I received four cuttings, each about 20 inches long, and am going to pot them, but wondered how deep in the soil they should be.

Thanks,

Sharon

Hi Sharon

Put it about 4" into the soil. At the top of this forum Clare_Ca has a sticky with all kinds of helpful info.

Good Luck!!

Jeri

Thanks Jeri! I looked at all kinds of stickys and couldn't find anything exept "shallow". Off to pot them up :-) I do have some bamboo stakes to help hold them upright.

Sharon

Hi Sharon,

I'm gonna try to give you a link. I'm just learning how to do this I hope it works.

http://www.plumeria101.com/cuttings101.html

HEEEY it worked. Click on the above link and it has helped me.

Jeri

PS I've started to use dip n grow instead of rootone. I like it too!!!

This message was edited Nov 5, 2006 6:49 PM

Hi Sharon, Jeri gave you a good link for rooting cuttings and a good tip about checking the Sticky Thread for lots of information. I would only add that I only ever root the bottom two inches. I know that Plumeria 101 suggests three inches in soil and one inch of pea gravel, but I prefer two to three inches, depending upon the length of the cutting, well-packed-in, well-draining potting soil, and a stake for stability instead of the gravel. It won't hurt to bury four inches, but it isn't necessary to plant quite that deep. JMHO.

I would like to add that I followed the 101 advice and used the pea gravel... well, it burned the cuttings and I lost most of them before I realized what was happening. I think the problem is only when they are in the sun. the gravel really heats up and burns or desicates the cutting just where the gravel is. In short, leave out the gravel.

Tammie

...having success using a heat mat.

I have to agree with Tammie about the pea gravel. I know people in Arizona who had cuttings burned also, but people in Florida have said that the pea gravel is no problem for them so, as Tammie said, it probably just depends upon the strength of the sun and the humidity levels and the type of rocks as to whether or not the rocks will burn the tissue. I never liked it because it compresses the soil, keeps in moisture, and blocks needed air flow and because you can't see whether the soil is moist or dry. I rely on the appearance of the soil to tell me when and if to water the plant so the pea gravel would not work for me.

I just used promix and perlite, with a stake to hold them and no gravel. I'm hoping they do well :-) Gravel around here would get mighty hot at times.

Jeri, thanks for the link. I had looked there, but missed the info.

Sharon

Sharon

I'm glad it helped, sometimes I'm looking so hard for something that it's right in front of me and I don't see it.

I'm from Louisiana and I don't use the pea gravel either. It gets so hot that it would burn them.

Did you understand that this is not the best time to do cuttings. If you have no other choice it is recommended to put them on a heating mat. If you have any other questions Clare_Ca had really helped me.

Jeri

Jeri,
These were cuttings that I ordered after I happened upon this forum and found a new addiction :-) The potted cuttings are on a heat mat in the greenhouse. It's warm enough here that I haven't heated the greenhouse yet, so it's plenty warm during the day, but has gotten down in the 60s at night, so the heat mat should do the trick for now, I think...I hope! We shall see.

Sharon

Sharon, where did you order the cuttings from? I saw a posting on this forum and ordered.... I have had them for just over 2 weeks and they are already starting to 'wake up'. They arrived with small roots already! The ones I bought were from Buried Treasures.

Tammie

Tammie,
That's where I got mine, too, and they had little roots,so I'm hoping they will do well.

Sharon

I bought 2 also . The roots were dry-ed out . They [ Buried Treasures. ] emailed me before I paid that they would have to grow new roots , so if you get some with dried out roots - they are probably OK .
-- Anyway , I didn't use gravel either - BUT I do put an empty strawberry basket in pot .
--I cut the center out of strawberry basket , put about 2 inches of potting soil [ or dirt , seed starting mix , orchid rocks - even sysrofoam - depends on what I am try-ing to root ] hold strawberry basket in hand and pack potting soil in it flip over into pot and fill in sides . This gives me a root ball that all the soil doesn't fall off of and supports the plant / cutting a little
--I have a piece of PVC [ plastic pipe ] That I shove thru the hole in strawberry basket .
--When I pull it out it leaves a hole for cutting .
--Dip cutting [ I use a sandwitch bag and shake ] in hormone and stick in pot .
--Pack down planting mix and pray [ a lot ]
--I stick either a tooth pick or bambo skerwer in bottom of cutting so I know how deep it is in pot . --This year I am try-ing the rooting gell called roots on some and the powder on some - no difference so far .
Just my way . So far about 60% good rate .

Thanks for the tip about the strawberry baskets - I'd never have thought of that!!

tonyjr

I'm sorry to be so dense but could you show a picture of this?

Jeri