http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/799666/
Look what I found this morning growing from the same rhizomes that cutting formed.How stange the gessie plants are.
Do you remember this weird post?
How cool, Jan! I had missed that other thread too ... had no idea a rhizome would grow out the top like that! Sure hope you will post some photo's when that baby blooms!
When I take cuttings after all of yours bloom, jannich, I am not thowing the pot away at all. I don't know whether to cut the stem down to the soil level or not. Maybe you or Keyring can tell me.
You'll probably want to check the pot for rhizomes before you cut them back. Generally, I find it's better to let them die back naturally (or force them to die back, which can be done by pinching off the growing tips, cutting back on water a bit, and cutting back on light) because the plants take some time after blooming to put the energy down into the rootzone. I had a big pot of Achimenes last year that I cut back prematurely and found almost no rhizomes. Had the same issue with some Phinaea (a mini rhizomatous gesneriad). Reminded me that we used to knot the leaves of bulbs (like daffodils) in the fall to prepare them for winter.
What about sinningia Merry Christmas which I ordered. It is about 5" tall and getting ready to bloom but there is no foliage except on the tip top of the plant where it is going to bloom.
Forgot to say thanks for telling me about the rhizomes. The sinningias are tubers. Should I treat them just like you would a rhizome? I want to start a new cutting from the top, but then what do I do about an empty stalk> the same way........just let it slowly go dormant by withholding water slowly?
Thanks Keyring!
Oh, I didn't realize you were talking about a sinningia. Rule of thumb on sinningias is to leave an inch (on a medium sized one, less needed on minis) of the stem on the tuber (seems to help prevent it from going dormant forever). You can cut the rest off. If there are new sprouts developing already, you have less to worry about.
Thanks so much.........now I feel more confident ...I only have one that doesn't have foliage but Merry Christmas is a beauty.
gail
your right, just cut the top off leaving a 1 ich stem & your good to go. merry xmas is a beauty, mine is getting ready to bloom, when it opens i will post a picture.
mrsbonnie
Thanks, Bonnie and Keyring..........
Some of mine are blooming and ready to bloom, but I am so busy this week getting ready for the Mother's Day sale, I will have to wait and take some cuttings on those big enough to do so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!