I got these tiny cuttings and was told by the seller to pot them up to root them. They were "air rooted" when I got them. They've been potted up about a month and lookin pretty bad, so I unpotted them to take a look. What the best way to get em to root? They look mushy, but they're not yet.
Debbie
Awwww, Debbie:( All is not lost- you've got some aerial roots, so you're doing good. Clean them up and then pot them in pure perlite, with a little vermiculite in a pot no bigger than 3 inches. Give it a warm location(bottom heat if you've got it), humidity and bright indirect light. IME, these are really hard to root without bottom heat at this time of year. The one I gave to Char was in the same pot for a year and it was in a crunchy mix of perlite and Pro-Mix(know you don't like that!), so it's a slow rooter(LOL< that sounds funny) in my opinion. I've always wanted to try air layering and suspect I will be doing that next Spring. Sounds fun!
GH
Thanks GH! I put one in perlite/vermiculite and the other in coir/perlite just to see which, if either is best. Also gave em bottom heat and put in little yogurt cups.
How do you use your Pro-Mix? I got it wet before I used it and then potted up plants in it. I cannot get water to go down in it when It's time to water. I just spent 30 min watering 1 spider plant that I put in Pro-Mix a couple months ago. Water just sits on top. You don't have that problem?
Debbie
Debbie,
Put the PRO-MIX in the pot, mix a little perlite with it and put the plant in.
Get a bowl or deep plate big enough to hold the pot, put water in it and then the pot.
the plant will absorb the water from the bottom.
Keep it that way for about 5 to 10 days and I guarantee you that it will live.
Don't water it from the top. Pink Princess is a very slow grower, PATIENCE!
Armando.
No, I don't have that problem and I beginning to think we are using two different kinds of Pro-Mix. I use the one in the white bag with red writing. It's called seedling mix or something like that. Don't have a bag right now, so can't quote it verbatim. I even have plants that have been in Pro-Mix for a year and I still don't have the problem you speak of. I have that problem with my Clivia because it appears the plant was sold in pure peat. I never repotted it, of course, because I didn't want to ruin my chances for a repeat bloom. Anyway, peat alone is extremely difficult to rewet and it sounds like that's what you have.
Good Luck again and let me know how it's going,
GH
