Propagation: Propagation part VI based on my own experience

Hello to everyone and welcome to those new to our little chat. Plese feel free ask anything, as we try to keep it simple and feelwe should always pass along our own knowledge. Lurkers are also welcome.
We came from here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/940669/

As with all of the threads I stat I like to welcome anyone new to our little corner of Daves Garden. Please take the time to read all the past threads. Most of them have some great information in them. There are no dumb questions except for the 1 thats never asked.
Please check in if you are continuing on from part V. I like to make sure we did not loose anyone. I am still trying to put together the info from the threads into a word document so we all have something to look back on. I will try to edit out user names because I don't want to worry about who is ok with using there name and who has an issue with it ... for what ever reason. I try to keep things on track and a nice calm slow paced thread that everyone can understand.
Welcome and thank you to the loyal readers on this thread
Dave

I am here Dave. Haven't heard from you for awhile. How are you doing now?

Dave, I am sorry you have such pain and this weather is so horrible. We too had 50 to 60 deg. yesterday, we are back down to 30 something today and cloudy. It is to snow, rain and sleet tonight and then again Monday with accumulating snow in some areas. Not good for my old bod either. The only places I hurt are the bumps I got over the years falling off horses or falling over wagon handles, just dumb stuff, but they do hurt. I have osteo arthritis in my hands and even that does not hurt, but my fingers look like a monster and when I try and plant seeds I am a real klutz (is that how you spell that).

How difficult is it to grow camelias? I just love them as I do gardenias and I have four Kleims Hardy gardenias I was lucky enough to propagate from a dying plant. They get yellow leaves and then I give them iron and they come back. They are slow growers and I keep hoping I can get them to grow enough to bloom and use as stock plants. I just love them. I would like to try a camelia, but they seldom become available. Maybe I am just not looking at the right place.

Dave, I read that you had a pain free day with no meds? How good is that? How often does that happen? Good for you!! Keep it up.

Jeaanette

Jeanette: I rarely get one of those. I guess it might be some where between 5 and 10 a year. I love it when it happens. sometimes it gets so light I start getting a coppery penny taste in my mouth. if that will hold for a day or two then I go in and have the pump turned down a notch. I wish it would happen because there is a limit to how much medicine the thing can deliver and I am about 1/2 way to max.
Anyone get outside today?? The bank sign said 32 degrees...brrrr. I am glad I have plenty to keep me busy inside
Dave

Dave, if you do not hear from me for a few days you know I dug a big hole and jumped in and am hiding. There is a potential for us to get 5-9 inches of snow starting Sunday night. That will put me over the edge. It is a coastal storm and I am only 20 miles as the crow flies to the ocean. 25 to 30 minutes if you drive. I am not sure how far inland the storm is expected to come, but it sounds to me like we may get some. So for now, I will see you tomorrow. I am out of here to get my shovel and dig my hole. I hate snow. I hate cold, I hate winter. Today it was in the 30's and damp and cloudy and cold and it is to snow , sleet or rain tonight. . LOL
Have a good evening everyone. Hugs.

lol I do understand about digging a hole and diving in with the soil as a warm blankie.
I wanted to make sure everyone has this link.

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/pnw0152/pnw0152.html

I love my links, between links and research books and a few good friend anthing can be done.
Dave

Jeanette:
How are your dahlias doing??? I have 6" seedlings I just pinched. They dry out super fast. I am hopeing to get them into 3 1/2" pots in a few weeks. DW let me get some cheapie shelves to move my rooted seedlings off the heat and out away from the direct light. I am not shure how watering will go. I have to find some cafateria trays to move everyone around on. Its going to be a fum spring
Dave

JBerger,
Camellias are not difficult to grow, but they may not be hardy in your zone. I have both Camellia Japonica and Camellia Sasanquas. the sasanquas can handle more sun and bloom in the fall, the Japonicas have larger leaves and usually begin blooming in early spring, although I have had some camellias in bloom nonstop since october. I have 3 more plants that are full of buds, but haven't bloomed yet. They are easy to root if you take cuttings in the summer and are patient.

Dave, I am glad you got more space. I moved some things out to the cold frame today and I am about to take over ( or should I say " overtake" what is left of the weight room, kitchen and den. LOL. I always go crazy starting things indoors and then trying to figure out where to put them after they grow a little.

If you can't find cafeteria trays, check into some cheap baking sheets. Dh got me some that a restaurant was throwing away and they are too big to fit in my oven, so I use them for plant trays...

Well, gotta run, i just wanted to check in and say hi.

Jeanette, How is your confederate rose doing? I have some more cuttings rooted so if you need one, let me know.

See Ya, Linda

Linda: I was hopeing you would pop in and fill in the blanks. I am also glad for the room. I forgot all about baking sheets. I hijacked DW's old bet up ones. I will try good will and find the 3 I used last winter. I am still digging out from the move last summer. DW says we are getting an outdoor tool shed to store all the garden stuff we have in boxes on the back porch.
Between the grow bags, chemicals and misc. tools Its quite the collection. It will get all the garden stuff where I can really see what I have and keep it all tidy. Yea....lol
I found a closeout of an ortho rose insect and disease controll. It is pyrithroid and oil based. purely organic and semi odorless. Its gone in an hour or so. I think I killed all the little buggers. I am going to spray spray spray untill the are completely invisible. I also found an ortho systemic for insects. I got it for this summer. I am going on the offensive this year. The earwigs drove me batty last year. It took me a while to figuire out what it was gnawing on my hostas. I plan to put down granular, then a ground cloth (my bro-in-law gets it for free. they use a 3' strip to controll run off at construction sites). I am not going to fight anyone this year. of course I may have to do without my friendly visitors. last year I had a nice tree frog and a couple of praying mantis. I may buy some mantis egg cases this summer.
Its funny how we run out of room so fast when we are doing seedlings. so many to grow and wht to do with them until we can go outside with them. I am thinking about getting some 6pk trays for next year, 12 to a flat. I just don't know where I would put 7200 plants LOL Oh well thats later in the fall.
Dave

Dave it sounds like you have a huge plate full. And I am so glad you are feeling well. I have not planted any seeds yet. I just don't have any place to put them. We are finally getting some warm weather and the snow is starting to melt. When I say warm, I mean in the mid 30s. Above freezing.

I am so happy for your dahlias Dave. Be sure to pinch them then they will bush so you don't have to stake them. The flowers may not be as big as they might be but you will have more of them, and if it is the bronze foliage then it is just as pretty as the flowers.

That was a very interesting link from WSU. They are the ones that have the extension office here. They are very helpful to our county.

I do believe I am going to lose all of my thuya Pyramidalis. I am sure that spelling is not right. But you know what I mean. The snow and ice came off the roof and just stripped and bent them. They are from 6 to 9 feet tall. I was thinking of taking them out this year anyway. They have just taken over. But it is awfully hard to find things that can grow near the house. I will see if I can't find some landscaping examples.

Getting late, think I will hit the sack. nite, Jeanette

Hi Jeanette:
I do know what you are saying about the thuja. they tend to split with heavy snow and ice fall.
What exposure are you dealing with. Sun shade...??? Yea I know the answer is yes...LOL. We are thinking of yanking our azaleas. I am leaning towards abelia grandiflora.
My dahlia are bronzey foliage and I just pinched them. They are long between the feaves. I am pushing the more mature plants onto my unlit no heat pads or lights over-.head My version of pre hardening off.
Oh yea... I had well duhhh spark of genius on the PH papers. I bought some for pools and spa's. 50 papers test. I need to get my ph correct for some of my special seeds.
Have a great evening.
Dave

I think those dahlias do get long between the leaves, but are they getting enough light? Do you have it close enough, or are they on the light at all. That is my problem most years I start so many seeds that the lights are not the right heights for all of them. That is when you bring out all the books etc. to jack them up.

i.e. put the books under the trays to get the plants closer to the lights. My daughter has tons of CD cases stacked in her hallway that she uses for that. Works great.

Jeanette

Jeanette: They are under lights and now are righy at the lights. I started the seeds with the lights about 10" away. they get 16 hours of light. Everyone else seems to ge doing fine with the distance and If I needed to lower the lights its a bit late because the would be crushed... ooopss I squished em...lol. I will try adjusting the lights down to them next year.
I will adjust it for the next set of seeds I sow. I wondered why the lights were adjustable..LOL I just hope they will look ok as they are for the garden.
I took a bit of a tumble yesterday so I may not be one much the next day or so. Feeling a bit off.
Dave

Are you ok Dave? Gotta be careful.

When you start seeds the lights have to be within 2" of them and they are suppose to stay that way as they grow. That is why those things are adjustable. Good grief.

Sounds like your problem is the same as everyone's, in that the plants you have to put under the lights are all different heights. Gotta stick something under the short ones to boost them up there.

Jeanette

Thank you ibartoo I am in a zone much too cold for camelias. I used to live on Wrightsville Beach NC and of course I had no plants, nothing but sand. But maybe I will give it a try. Space is a problem just now in the greenhouse but summer is coming. Thank you again for your comments. JB

Jeanette:
I have to laff at myself. I sometimes forget some of the obvious basics and then have to try it a few times. You made me laff. The rest of my seedlings are doing quite well with no streatch. I am hopeing I got them pinced soon enough and tey will fill out and be something usuable instead of an addative to the compost heap. See everyone even those that are suposed to know better do make mistakes.
Dave

Dave, I didn't mean to make it sound like you don't know what you are doing. I just know that there are times when I, myself, forget certain things until it is too late and the plants are leggy beyond repair and I have to start over.

Just trying to save your plants. Sorry.

Jeanette

Jeanette: I did not take it that way. I was laffing about it myself. I rarely get to do that but its fun when it does happen. I do apreciate the help. Thats why we all are here anyhoo.... I am looking forward to seeing them flower. So far the dahlias are the only ones long in the tooth..
My salvia are looking great. Its fun to see how things just end up, its kind of like people, no 2 alike. some long and lanky some short and round. Its funny how some people never take the time to notice the little differences we all seem to see.
Dave

Dave, I've made mistakes like that also, don't sweat it, just get the lights down to an 1 inch to 2 inches above the seedlings. I hope you're feeling better. Jeanette, I also have plastic trays, wood blocks, for all the different heights so they're close enough to the lights. I had to go buy some new florescient tubes today. I was trying to cut costs and make my lights last longer. I usually replace all that bulbs each year before I start germinating,now several are getting black on the ends. I guess it doesn't pay to be cheap, when it comes to things like that. Jim

Jim: I agree we all make mistakes and its not really worth the energy to sweat it. I am sorry I came across wrong on the reply to advise. I did not mean to seem so off. Sorry if About that. The last thing I ever want to do is stop getting help. I gain new information daily from everyone on this thread. Its the bright spot in some days when all else seems to be going wrong, I know I can be lifted to a happier place just by posting on the thread. I am always greatful for all my friends here.
I don't know if its factual but someone once told me that when the black bands show the bulbs should be replaced as it will prematurely age the balists in the fixture. Sounds good but I don't know how factual it is. I am hopeing to get some rearanging done tomorrow.
I just need to make a run to goodwill for some cokkie sheets. My new shelves need trays to catch excess fluids from watering. Time to get busy planting the rest of my seeds for spring, as I only have 6 - 8 weeks before everyone is kicked out of the house. I am looking forward to it.
Dave

Besides Dave, dahlias will do that and then bush out as they grow. No problem with them. They will develop tubers this year also. Not huge ones, but they will be big enough to divide if you dig them. But, if you can leave them in in your country they would develop faster.

Or do you have to dig them every year? I grow mine for containers because I can't dig them.

Jeanette

somebody sent me some dahlia tubers last year in a trade and they didn't seem to do too well, but a couple of them were still alive before the hard freeze. How should I grow them this year? I don't know anything about dahlias other than when I put the dwarfs in my containers, the squirrels dig them up and eat the tubers. Any suggestions?

JBerger, I am sorry it is too cold for you to grow camellias. I know there is a nursery in NC that specialized in them, they may have some hardier varieties.


Dave I hope you are ok. I know how tumbles show up a couple of days later. Please take care of yourself.

Hope everyone has a good day, it is 25 here today,( our coldest day of the year.) so I don't think I will be working outside. I am sure I can find house work to do though.
See Ya, Linda

Hey Linda, that is cold for SC. Wow. hard on the Spring flowers that I am sure must be coming up now. The azaelea (can't spell) festival was such fun in NC in the Spring. Are your spring bushes showing any color? 25 deg. will turn them brown for sure.

It was 15 here this morning when I got up and when I went to the greenhouse there I found my cosmos and statice seeds sprouted. So exciting since the have only been in the flats for about a week.

Dave, I missed the post regarding you tumbling. Sorry. I fell over the handle of my flower wagon last August and my arm is still giving me trouble. It was my rt. arm and I had injured it years ago in a horseback riding twist.....put calcium in the muscle, had to have surgery....so it was weak to begin with. Anyhow, I went down and caught myself with the arm and bingo....the darn thing is still sore. PT and Xrays and all that good stuff and I am sure it will just be a pain in my ARM for the rest of my old life. So, just another thing to irritate me. LOL. You take care and be sure you pay attention to your body signs. I waited months before I had xrays and I am a good one to talk. Do take care of yourself and think Spring. A fall makes you feel so lousy for days....I will say a prayer for you. Hugs. JB

Howdy: I took the yesterday off and stayed down all day. I am still a bit sore but I am feeling better. Its the dumb things that I find humerous. I must have walked past the dumb umbrella a 100 times. My bro-inlaw put together a cabinet for me to store all my outside stuff in which narrowed the path so It was tricky. He seems to think it was the 2 variegated monkey grass clumps I dug up but I think it was the fall. oh well its over and I seem to be gaining steam again.
Thanks for the kind words. I will be gone the next few days so it might be saturday or sunday before I can post again. moms haveing a heart proceedure done in OKC. I hate traveling and so close to the recovery. Oh well.
Have a great week
Dave

Safe trip and stay strong and feel better. Hugs. The old lady who takes dumb falls more than I care to admit. Last year I fell into the garbage can trying to get to the cat food stored in the can. Someday you need a laugh, remind me to tell you about that. Head first no less. Yikes. Nothing broken but it was embarrassing. Called bottoms up.

Linda, after the ground is warm enough just plant them with the eyes just under the ground. As soon as they reach about 6 inches do some pinching to make them bushy. I find busy plants don't need staking. And they are wonderful as a focal point in containers.

Jeanette

Just got back from England - and, of course, they had Camellias blooming like crazy..... sure got me going!

I'm in the same zone as you, JB and will be researching them, I will let you know if I can find anything out! Also thought I'd do the ol' microclimate thing and plant it on the s'east side of my brick home, about as protected as I can it, here.

PC, that is gorgeous. I am in zone 5, but try to buy things that are good for zone 4. If you find a camellia like that I would love to know a name so I could order one.

I love them. Had them in Seattle, but the zone is 8 there. How long were you gone to England? Do you have relatives there? What got you going there?

Jeanette

Sheryl, There is no way the camelia would survive outside the greenhouse in the winter here. I would just love to have one for the bird room. I an antherium and gardenias in there now along with some other favorites and a brug , but I want that brug to go out to stay next year and I WANT A CAMELIA. There was a time when you could buy one at a florist, just the flower , but you can not even do that anymore. Not many tropicals being used here anymore. I used to get birds of paradise, antherium for valentine, instead of roses, but not anymore. The cost must be out of reach to get them here or else they are not that popular and people will not buy them. I know I love tropicals any way I can get them. LOL I will be so happy to see what you come up with. I have my credit card waiting.

You asked for it..... here are the 6a &b selections.... I found some at Wayside, too, but they were so costly....

http://www.camforest.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_12_13

http://www.camforest.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_3_7

I'm sorry, Jeanette - I'm not finding a single one below 6a. Can I interest you in a flowering Quince?

No, I know they are lovely. Both the red and orange are beautiful, but I just happen to really like the camellias. Thanks PC

Jeanette

p.s. Don't really have room for either.

In June, I can offer you a few cuttings. If you want to try growing them indoors. Our coldest temperatures are probably in the low 20's now and I have 5 or 6 in full bloom and more on the way. My sasanquas begin blooming in october and the Japonicas don't finish blooming until mid april. I also know there are some varieties that bloom into may.

There ya go, Jnette! You could always do bonsai for indoors if you don't have room there...

Sheryl, you are a bad influence. I went shopping and purchased two camellias. I can not wait to see how they are when they arrive. They will not be shipped until the weather is o.k. Thank you so much for doing the research JB

Linda, how do you have them blooming now? Is this your season, now I know that camellias do bloom early, but 20 is pretty cold for things to be blooming.

Do you actually think I could get them going from cuttings? Wouldn't that be cool. Let's remember that.

Jeanette

I ihave a question about cuttings, we have to be careful we do not take cuttings from patented plants. I belong to a group of growers and they are frequently talking about never taking cutting from patented plants. Of course, if you do not know it is patented, how can you be wrong if you take cuttings. I have noticed some of the plants I get from Logees are marked as patented. Those of you having them in your yard are so lucky and I would doubt they are, but for those of us who have to buy them as plants, need to pay attention to that. It makes me wonder just where are the written laws governing plant patents. I would guess it is like a copyright? Sorry to bring this up, I was just thinking about what they say on the other list. Any comments will be welcome.

You can often find the letters "PPAF" on plant tags - same thing, Plant Patent Applied For, and therefore illegal to propagate. Typically, that is really only for those who sell plants, not private or individual use (such as getting a cutting from your mom).

But that is only my understanding, I could be wrong.

Okay, JB - which ones did ya get, huh?

PC, that is what I was thinking. I think that is illegal if you are going to sell them. I could be wrong. Has happened before. Probably. LOL

Jeanette

ouch, you twisted my arm, I will tell you what I got, I was going to wait and send pics but I can do that too. I plan on keeping these inside and on the deck.

I got a 2 yr. old. April Tryst ( IT IS 40 degrees here today. HOORAH!)
and a 2 yr. old April Blush

I was afraid to invest anymore money than that until I see if they will do well where I want them. Both were $24.00 and they will be shipped when the weather permits. My scented geranium cuttings will be shipped Monday. Now that is excitement.