Has anyone ever rooted oleander? I still can't get my cuttings to root.
Thanks,
MickeyAz
Oleander
Mickey, haven't done it in years but used to put just plain water in a beer bottle and stick a cutting in..
The beer bottle was for a colored glass. That seemed to be the main thing.
Today I would probably use any colored glass vase and one of the root type things. It took about a month.
Maybe someone with more knowledge will come along.
LouC
It has been a long time since I've done this as well but what I remember is that it took forever to root so don't give up yet!
Do you change the water or just keep adding more as it evaporates?
Mickey
Because of the small neck on the beer bottle, it didn't evaporate quickly. Could be part of the reason for the recommendation. I never knew. Didn't change out the water.
Don't know about oleanders but I finally got my begonia cuttings to put out roots and for me that's awesome.
Ann
i have a good looking oleander that i rooted and it did take a very long time to get its roots started in water--last year i tried just sticking one in the ground and watering it but that did not work--i have noticed that oleanders are fairly inexpensive to get a pretty good size one so i bought a nice one last fall-now i have 3
HI I rooted a bunch this year. It seemed that the ones I rooted in March did much much better. Not sure if this will help but it is worth a try. Just put them in water and watch the roots grow.
I've not ever tried to root oleander in water,.....but I've always had good success with just potting semi-hard or hard wood cuttings in potting soil....no need to use rooting hormone....warmer temps are best,,,,keeping soil from drying out completely...(good drainage is best)....so I usually water every other day especially when it's hot (like now).....great success with layering (air layer or otherwise) with larger limbs.(I've layered an upright 2 " dia trunk easily - during a growing season - using a 5-8 gal plastic pot with an hole cut in the bottom to roughly match the diameter of the trunk/limb...and the side slit to allow wrapping the pot around the same - taping the slit closed with duct tape - wounding the limb by slicing the bark along the length - a couple of inches - not removing any part,...just slicing it open about a sixteenth
deep or so - like a sliver......filling with potting soil and watering as though a potted plant - it will have roots by the end of the growing season...the longer you wait....the more roots will form - by the beginning of the next year,...there will be a root ball large enouigh to support the limb when cut off from the host)
I usually don't take cuttings until the host plant is flowering (when it's warmer/hot)...I've observed that when the soil temp is cool,...the success rate drops dramatically. Tip cuttings (soft wood) will take as well but are more sensitive to heat & drying out.
In my opinion - stick with hard wood cuttings (in diameters from pencil size to broom handle) they're the easiest to care for. Hope this helps!
Lee
I finally saw a little root on one of my oleander.
Hurray me...
I really like the air layering method you use Lee. I have to try it. I would really like to have a few trees in pots. It's about the only thing I can grow here because it gets cold in the winter and cooks in the summer.
Mickey
If you have a source for layering....friend or your own,.....you can easily bend a limb down to the soil and keep it down with a cinderblock or brick...whatever weight is readily available,....score the bottom of the limb as described above...and start a layer that way, as well. I like the air layer technique best...but keep in mind that the pot must be watered as though it a potted plant...(just keep it from drying out...especially when the roots are forming) Good luck! Lee
Up date:
Thank you for all your help and ideas. My cuttings seem to be rooting. I think they like the hot weather. I haven't tried the larger cuttings yet or the air layering. I just can't see me watering them every day. I think after my trip in Californit I will try some air layering. Finaly a plant that I can grow and the animals wont eat!
Thank you to everyone again,
Mickey
Alriiiiiiiight! Good goin'! Oleanders can eventually make an impressive visual (and some sound) barrier....if you live near a road and want to make your "space" more private!
I was fortunate to find a type I hadn't seen before - a yellow one
I've got 3 pots of cuttings goin' pretty good - about 90% survival rate
so I will have some nice additions to a special area ....in a couple of years....will be fun watchin' them grow! Good luck in your future layering !
didn't know there is a yellow! i have pink
I have a beautiful double yellow. It is off white to me but they call it yellow. I love my oleanders. Will post a picture when I find it.
Blessings,
Sandy ^8^
sounds pretty--i like mine too--
last night i watched a rerun of monk--turns out the bad guy used oleander to poison his wife--
Here's one I got cuttings of while workin' in N.O. after Katrina.
I call it a "peach" color.
very pretty!
Love that peach colored bud and bloom.
Along the same line, has anyone rooted crape myrtle cuttings in water? I can't seem to root them in soil - with or without root hormone, regular compost or sterile potting mix. They either rot or shrivel up and die.
I've not tried crepe m. yet,...wish I could help!
I know dave roots crepe myrtles...you might ask him..
"eyes"
I think the timing has a lot to do with it. Mine root best from the middle of February to Mid March. The white ones seem to do better than my reds too.
I have cut mine back some in the last few months and put in water. The very thick part of the stem is what is rooting not the smaller. I cut off all growth and even the leaves are coming back when they start rooting.
It has not taken long for them to get a few roots and then more. My first yr they have rooted for me.
mine took forever to root but you should see the size of the tree it made! so i am wondering if maybe the secret is to use the thick woody part of the stem and take off the growth--which i did not do last time--
I did not cut the leaves off of some and the leaves slowly died and did not seem to root. Maybe too much energy put to keeping leaves alive? I do believe it is in the thick woody part.
All the tiny cuttings from the end still seem green but not one root. I did have some of the skinnier ends root in the spring and they even sent up their blooms and bloomed while in the water. But I believe the best is the thick woody parts and cut off the ends leaves and all.
I am going to try some more as soon as I locate my pruners. :o)