basic how to on propagation based on my experience

40 cell tray with growing media watered

Sorry I got the wrong pic on this one. I will repost it on down a few posts

This message was edited Aug 28, 2008 12:21 PM

I use a pen to make a hole to stick the cuttings in, approximately half way into the cell. I feel this is better than making the stem push through the soil. I believe it may remove some of the hormone from the cutting if pushed through the soil. Some times the cuttings will buckle when pushed into the media.

40 cell tray with growing media watered

A tip cutting from Carolina jasmine - Gelsemium sempervirens, I like to look for stems with leaf nodes close to each other. I usually start with a 6 to 8 inch piece.

Individual cuttings from the tip cutting with the lower leaves removed at the node. Note make sure to remove the starting branches from the nodes. (I am sure there is a technical name for this part of the stem, it just escapes me at the moment)

Trim the leaves remaining on the cutting. This lowers the transpiration rate by lowering the leaf surface area. I like to coat the cuttings stem surface half way between the nodes. This allows the plant enough stem to keep the leaves off the soil in the cell. I like to plant the cuttings at the middle point of the cell at a depth that is half way from the top to the bottom.

This message was edited Aug 28, 2008 12:27 PM

I like to use 3 Cuttings per cell, because more than one cutting per cell increases the success rate and makes for a larger plant.

Yellow Lantana stems for propagation.

Lantana stems with their flowers removed.

Tip cutting with flower buds. Removal of the flowers increases the amount of energy the cutting is able to apply toward root formation.

Tip cutting with the floral buds removed.

Stem cuttings with lower leaves removed for each cutting. Above is one stem cut into cuttings and the lower stem ready to be cut into individual cuttings.

The lower stem has been cut into individual cuttings. I like to remove the extra stem between the upper cutting and the terminal portion of the cutting. Note you need to cut the cutting close to the lower node. Excess stem will most likely increase the chance of disease getting into the cutting.

I like to firm up the soil around the cutting by pushing in with 2 fingers making a finished lantana cell.

Finished tray waiting to be watered in. I like to let the tray to sit for a little while then follow up with “jumpstart” application. Jumpstart contains Fulvic acid, thiamine mononitrate, humic acid & seaweed extract.
Finished trays need to be placed under a shaded area with high light that filters in. I like to mist the trays 2 to 3 times a day. Do not place the trays in the full sun, even if they are plants that like full sun.
You will know the plants are ready to transplant when they are putting on new growth and they are able to be carefully removed from the cell and all the soil comes out with the plant liner (rooted cuttings). You can also look at the bottom of the tray to see if roots have formed in the soil visible through the drainage hole. I like to lightly tug on the cuttings to see if they are starting to root. Be careful doing this because you can pull too hard and rip off the new baby roots.
When you transplant the cells into a bigger container I recommend watering them daily for the 1st week and then back it off to every other day. Look closely at the liner to make sure the liner does not go into wilt. Use close observation to know when you need to cut back on watering more than every other day. Most plants need to be kept evenly moist at all times. Too much and the plant will lose roots to rot and disease. Not enough water and the plant will wilt and drop leaves or worse die.

A close up of the leaf node on cats whiskers. Note the bud formed at the node where the leaf has been removed.

Here is what I store my extra rooting hormone. I like to mix my liquid hormone at 5 to 1 dilution. I realize that it may be a bit to strong for some plants, but I don’t want to have 3 or 4 different dilutions and try to keep up with which one is which. As I am preparing the cuttings for sticking I will place them upright in the container so that the node and stem are able to get as much of the hormone as they want. I am not sure if this helps them but I doubt it hurts them.

Here is a picture of the watering wand I use. The watering wand provides fine streams of water that reduce the chance of soil wash out in the trays cells.

Here is my green house, without the woven poly sheet that helps trap in the heat from the sun.

Here is another view of my green house. It has 2 roof vents to help vent the heat during the summer. I plan to build a cold frame on the north side of the green house (left of) out of poly sheeting from Home Depot. This will give a stagnate air space next to the green house and in theory reduce the heat loss on the north side of the green house.

This is a picture of one of the benches in my greenhouse. It is built out of
3 – 2”X4” X 8’
11 - 2”X4” X 4’
16 – 2” X 6” X 4’

I plan on having another one built for the other side of the greenhouse. I like to check the discount bin at home depot. They sell slightly damaged lumber as well as left over pieces that customers do not want after they cut the customers lumber for them. Most of what I like to buy is 51 cents each. Sometimes I might buy the more expensive lumber if it’s something I think might be useful.
I also plan to have more pavers laid as a walkway on the floor of the green house. The pavers will absorb heat and store it for release during the night. Other passive temperature storage can be in the form of containers of water stored under the bench.

I have sprayed the grass on the south side of the greenhouse to lessen the speed of encroachment of Bermuda grass in my healing in area. Healing in is done in several ways. I prefer to use a raised bed and sink the pots of the plants I want to winter over outside and exposed to the weather to the same depth as the plant is potted at.
Oklahoma has a rollercoaster winter most of the time. I have literally seen it at 75 degrees in the morning and a build up of snow that afternoon. Our typical snows run around 3 to5 inches each accumulation. The accumulations rarely stay for more than a week. I try to keep my out side plants watered well between each cold snap. A well watered and properly fertilized plant will survive the weather we get better than a plant that is in stress.
I try to fertilize 3 to 4 times each year, with Osmocote. I use major calendar events to help me remember. Like Halloween to fertilize for the up coming winter, Valentines Day for the spring flush and Memorial Day for summer fertilization. I realize there are gaps in the coverage of the slow release fertilizer in the late summer to early fall but I over come this with supplemental liquid feeding in the late summer.

Here is a picture of some seed flats I built with lumber out of the discount bin at home depot. I have about $1.75 in lumber. I use metal screen to allow proper drainage. They are built out of 1”X 4” and 1” X 2” lumber. The 1” X 2” provides feet for the flat and allows them to stack when being stored.

Here is an end view of the flats. The one on the right is upside down. They are built by starting with 1” X 4” and attaching the 1” X 2” as feet on the boards.
Next the screen is fastened over the 2 sides leaving a space in the middle for drainage. The sides and ends are attached last.

As you can see the repetitive wet and dry on the wood has warped the flats making them harder to stack.

Ok thats the entire propagation how too with pictures. Please ask any questions you may have. I tried to be as thorough as possible, but I am sure there are some spots of ambiguity (big word for a farmer). LOL I tickle myself sometimes. I hope this helps Dave

In case you are wondering about Lorraine she is taking a small break as she has been busy finishing up the shipping on the germ coop. A big thank you to Lorraine for all you have done for us on all the coops you so freely volunteer to do.
Dave

Thanks Dave. I think I can follow most everything, but will def. have questions as I actually start doing this. First ?, Did you say you overwinter your plants in the ground outside of your greenhouse & you call this healing in? Explain healing in to me. Is that when you start conditioning your plant for change in climate or in my case in the spring when I harden off plants.. (Probably a very elementary question, sorry.)

Thanks so much Dave, I really appreciate the help. I am planning to get started over the weekend. BTW if anyone needs lantana cuttings to start with, I have quite a few that are in desperate need of being cut back. I am happy to provide cuttings for postage to anyone who would like some.
The lantana varieties I have are "new Gold" aka "gold mound" . I also have an abundance of american beautyberry cuttings. If anyone is interested, please send me a dmail. thanks, Ibartoo

Davis: No that is not an elementary question. What I call heeling in is simply sinking the potted plant into the ground at the same depth as the plant is potted. If you think of the ground as a solid flat plane the potted plant's soil is just a continuation of the soil. this getts the plants roots below the ground so that it has extra insulation. I like to pile leaves over them as well just extra protection for the plants. I will water at a minamum of once a week during the winter. We get a few warmer days each week all winter long. for those who have it where the snow sets in on you and doesn't leave untill the spring thaw. The snow provides extra protection to the plants against the drying winds. we get a lot of wind here which dries out the plants and if the plants are not watered well throughout the winter you might loose some or all of them.
It is similar to hardening off but in the other dirrection. This how I manage to keep so many plants in containers for a lot longer period of time. You are in a warmer zone than I am so I am not sure how your winters go.
For those who want to know, hardening off is slowly getting your plants used to the out side conditions. A cold frame or unheated space is used to get the plant ready for a cooler climate than they were grown in. I hope I explaind all this well enough to understand. I am flying off the top of my head.

I am interested in the lantana cuttings Is the yellow the only one you have? I would like those also. I have bought a few at lowes discount rack 50 cent a gallon pot. but i need more to get my stock up for next years planting. tulsa, ok 74133

Dave, that lesson was worth a million bucks!

I have a question for you. When you propagate vines in general, do you also do cuttings that small? I received some hoya from a trade and I cut it into 6 inch sections thinking I would get a larger vine sooner....was that a silly idea?

Thanks!
Roberta

Dave, I found that very interesting way back at the beginning about the patented plants. I never imagined that before. Also, your background is very interesting. What do you do now? You tell us about all the cuttings etc. what do you do with them?

Very interesting set-up you have now. I am not close enough to Lowes and HD to take advantage of their discount plants, lumber, etc. Too bad. I did go in there the other day on a trip to the "big City", and they had one of their half off tables stuck back away after people had finished with it. Too bad. I always feel so bad for the bedding plants etc. that the stores get in and don't take care of them.

Yes, Lorraine works so hard on the co-ops that would drive a NORMAL person crazy. LOL, Thanks Lorraine.

Jeanette



This message was edited Aug 28, 2008 2:48 PM

Roberta: I like to maxamize my cuttings I know it takes a lot of energy to suport the big vine. did it root out for you?

Jnette: I did a lot of trades this year and I am hoping to do some mail order with some of what I manage to get rooted out. I just play at it, its not a money making venture. I wish I had the energy to spend more time working on them I am lucky to get a half hour here or there.
Life has a way of making you do what you were ment to do. Mine is to tend to the family and help others as much as I can.
Dave

Well Dave, if how you are helping us with our gardening is a sign of what you do for others I would say you have a pretty full and busy life. I'll bet you really enjoy the plants. I was looking out my sliding doors at the flowers on my deck today wishing I could have a picture the size of each panel of the doors to put on during the winter to trade off with the snow once in a while. Think I could turn that into a business? LOL I wouldn't want it to look like a picture tho.

Oh well. I like the snow too. Just not 6 months of it.

Jeanette

Dave - what is the best time of yr to take cuttings? Does it depend on the plant? I want to take some cuttings of my gardenia bushes - frost free - Veitchii - I believe - when would be the best time and does it matter where I take the cutting from - should I do it after they flower and use the leaves back from the flower node - like in the example you used?

I also have some brugsmania that I got from the co-op- some are zone 7 hardy one is zone 9 - I know that one is pushing it - I thought it was dead once already - when it arrived it was totally limp and leaves have shrivelled - 90% of the stem is dead - at the very bottom nodes there are new leaves - the rest have put forth new leaves and seem to be doing well - they are in 1 gal pots in part shade - eventually I want to put them in the ground - but not sure when or what location would be best for them - I do need to put in a bed for them -

Thanks,
Kitty

Hi Kitty:
Optimum time frame is in the spring. According to what I've read you will want to get semi hard wood cuttings. Not the green stems and not the real hard stiff one either. I would try both semi hardwood and soft tip cuttings. Label them and let us know. I know we have a few Brug experts on this thread. anyone want to give us the tips on the brugs and their cousins Daturas? I know a lot about a lot of plants but I feel no one knows it all. The Burgs are an area I am unfamiliar and since we have some experts I feel it would be best to hear from them.
Dave

Thanks Dave!

Brugs are extremely easy to propagate! I've done it both in water and potting soil with equal results = 100% rooting.
I have one in full sun and another in part shade and both are doing well. I would think in your zone they would like full sun. But make sure they always get enough water and fertilizer. They are very heavy feeders. I feed mine with rose fertilizer and they love it!
Hope that helps, Kitty.
Rob

ps: another thing: they really do not take wind well, the leaves are easily damaged by wind. So find a sheltered spot too.

Right now they are on the upper level of my patio - at the edge of the shade of my live oak tree - When should I put them in the ground? this fall or in the spring - I would move them inside for winter if I should wait until spring - I was thinking of putting them along the fence - east facing - just outside the shade of the tree - would that be a good spot ? the tree would provide shelter - so would the fence - LMK what you think - THANKS