Plant Propagation: The Basics Spring 2016

I made a bunch of foot long cutting 's and put them horizontal in A plastic tub with wet compost over and under, in November, put lid on left in garage a month. Stuck in garden soil in 5 gallon pots with 6 inches below surface, vertical. Left out in rain And snow all winter. They sprouted in spring. Do not disturb roots for 6 months to a year. Works on heirlooms but not grafts.



This message was edited Mar 20, 2016 8:48 PM

I looked in the address exchange and she is not in there anymore, and I don't know where to look for it now the way this new format is. Used to be able to find things like that by looking in the rose forum, but not now. And no way would the plantfiles have it. I couldn't find it in my files either. Sorry. It was good.

I forgot to say, my mom used to just take the cuttings and plant them in the shade in the garden with a fruit jar over them and leave them for the season. Or whenever. I never knew when she took them off. Guess that's the old fashioned way and maybe didn't work as often as the ways they do them now.

I am back to Basil and Mint , my garden skills took a vacation and never returned , hmm ???
Watching here keeps me in tune ,,like transistor days ,,lol
I remember that Jen ,that instruction , a while ago ,,

one time a rottweiler ate a climbing rose bush, I cut those footlong and just shoved them in the ground in my garden where the compost pile used to be. 7 out of 7 rooted. November seems to be the time to make cuttings in Texas, for a good success, and at least 6 inches of the cane underground, young canes. about finger diameter. Those I just transplanted after they sprouted, and root damage on one sprout is where my don't move roots for 6 months rule came from.

Gypsi , Jen I remember the jar method around here or where I was ,, Lot of difference in Texas and here ,,
It is cold again ,
Sunday , Spring Arrives ,, and Brotherly Love ,, being Couch potato ,,

I only know how to garden in North Texas. My grandmother gardened in Michigan but except for what we grew I missed it. I was too young to learn HOW we grew it.

Gypsi I was not that good the either anything beyond lettuce and a few pumpkins , not much ,, lol
How ,,, still fascinates me ,

What my grandmother grew that we ate a lot of because it thrived were: Swiss Chard, Asparagus, Green Beans and I think Acorn Squash. And of course tomatoes. Funny thing I didn't even taste zucchini squash until I was in my 20's, don't think she grew it. But she did grow, and we ate, rutabagas. They are very healthy but I wasn't too big a fan, still I ate them anyway. And onions, lots of onions.

I grow swiss chard here, and asparagus, and a lot of broccoli, my winter squash will do very well if I just start the seeds, normally I start them outside but with this late freeze I think I will start my buttercup and butternut today.

Trying to duck a cold and catch up on bids. Hope both go well.

I covered the borage bed last night, and a good thing, with the frost. A shot of my oriental lilies coming up and one of the greenhouse through the window this morning, and one of 5 dogs having a ramble around the back yard this morning.

Imagine getting a pic of all five dogs in one shot, that's got to be talent. Michigan is a strong Agricultural State, lots of stuff grows well here but not in my small yard. One large Sugar Maple and one small yard does not make for a good vegetable garden. Most veggies require more sun than I can provide.

Lucky us (not really), we're waiting on another snow storm. Hopefully I won't have to say goodbye to my newly popping Hellebore.

This message was edited Mar 21, 2016 5:31 PM

It is different here , more sun early Lost two small cabbages in last night freeze ,
Those two and pot of lettuce full of cat poop ,,
3 casualties of 100's ,,
A penstemon and Lettuce showing up ,

Robin Snow ,, oh goodness

With three cats this year, I'm not looking forward to the cat poop part. Yuck. Sorry for your losses Ju.

I got some root cuttings from a coral honeysuckle last week, have them in pots out front, hope the feral cats don't bother. They usually don't. I put mulch on the paths in my garden over heavy landscape fabric and something is digging little holes in the mulch

i was looking a few minutes today , Some Hybrid Violets , White swan Echinacea , Milkshake Echinacea , Thalictrum , A turks cap lillium , False aster purple Echinacea ,, all sprouted nicely Clematis out front ,, Iris and Hemerocallis have been sprouted for weeks .

I saw one nigella sativa sprout, of all the refrigerator seedlings I moved to a heat mat in the greenhouse. Still have flax and another bag in the fridge chilling - might be lavender?

Can't imagine growing asparagus where you are Gypsi. I always thought it liked cold climates. neat pictures everybody. It is nice to know you all are enjoying flowers. Mipii I really like that Helebore. Those are one of my favorite plants. I am wondering if mine are blooming. I can't get out there to see. Do you save the seeds, or let them fall and start them on their own? I put those little Organza bags you get for wedding decorations or whatever, Michaels sells them. And put their blossoms in the bags (still on the plants) and tie them. When they are ready they will drop the seeds in the bags.

Asparagus harvest is late Feb to maybe April, then I let it go to seed for the summer, cut down in the fall and harvest until it goes dormant

My Hellebore (I only have one), was one of those Lowes plants that had no tag on it's last legs (roots) on the clearance shelf. I had no idea what it was then but was smitten with it's leathery leaf so bought it. It's an amazing plant, tropical but tough. It's one of the first blooming plants I have. It's a great way to celebrate Spring.

I do save the seeds with organza bags, I'm a seed geek. I harvest as many seeds as I can. Jen you've got a nice little Hellebore collection, I've seen some pics. I wish you could get out and see yours, I'm sure they're bloomin' their little heads off for you.

Good for you growing Asparagus Gypsi, I love my patch and look forward to harvesting spears and seeds every year. Mmm Asparagus...

I have asparagus already starting- I get a few spears when I am home, but dau loves the ferns, so...Martha Washingtton var..moles dont like them. Be on my way to Mi tonite- Plymouth. From what I have seen of Mi you have to log off the area you are going to garden every year once the ground thaws, chuckl.

I don't think we even got the permafrost this year, that was a nice change. I bet I could have done some digging all winter long. I sure hope MI weather co-operates with your visit Kitt. Drive safe!

Zucchini plants apparently were bred in Italy and brought to America by settlers in the 1920's- of course they took our squashes from America to play with first! I knew of the yellow squashes and winter squashes, but zucchs I had never tried til the 80's - nor paid attention to if I saw it.
I did like it when I did grow it, but veggies for 1 arent like veggies for a family of 7 and still growing.

I am still amazed that you grow asparagus Kitt. You are going to have to explain that one for me Kitt. Logging off the area you want to plant? What?

I wonder about the Helebores growing then Robin. If it didn't get that cold. Thought they needed it to bloom. Maybe Saturday I will go out and take a look at my Helebores and see what is going on with them. Too many things going on before Saturday to be able to do it sooner. Sure would be nice.

I would think all you would need is one zucchini plant to feed a family of 7 Kitt. I have never grown it, but sure heard a lot of stories about them from people who have.

zucchini doesn't live long in Texas, not sure I will even plant one this year, going to plant buttercup and butternut instead

my mom in law up in buffalo has a huge patch of asparagus I clean out every fall, she gets her daughter up there to cut it for her every spring. I grow zucchini, my daughter Rose, loves to make lasagna from it. I just like any kind of squash, Joe only likes the yellow ones. I like to fry up zucchini like onion rings, but no one else eats it besides Rose and I, just me and Joe at home, we just grow potatoes and tomatoes , peppers, peas, green beans and squash, but I had a huge crop of cukes last year growing in the arbor with the cherry tomatoes and morning glories. LOL

we haven't figured out what to do this year, our garden plot is gone now..

Mich scenery Jen. Ya gotta log it to get to ground level dirt. Everything else is terraformed.
Veggies grown usually do reflect the tastes of who grow them. I would eat a lot more than I can grow, my family tries to stay to basics tho. Avocados, maters, onions, garlic, carrots, taters, (canned refritos)sigh, peppers, herbs we love.

Nice buds on that last pic Kitt, if I were any good I'd be able to ID it.

I could sure use a taste of freshly harvested veggies right about now. I've never met a veggie I didn't like. Speaking of which, Ju do you eat those Sun-chokes?

I guess you had to re-evaluate all your gardens this year Debra, I hope there's some sweet with that bitter pill.

Sure Robin I eat a few from time to time , bland things

I have never tasted them but considered they'd taste a bit like potatoes. I've got some green popping out of the ground, if it doesn't rain tomorrow I'll get out to snap a pic to show you. It's a very exotic and rare Electric Orange Dayliliy. As soon as it grows another fan, it'll be in the mail to you. I'm so looking forward to seeing it bloom this year, the excitement is building...

Robin , I hope it does ,, Takes a few seasons for it to reach it's full size ability , So grow it for at least three seasons , before doing anything with it , I have plenty of goodies for now , and I am happy to see the plant survive
To many odd things happen around here , You do some nice things along with everyone ,, that is delightful ,

Sunchokes taste like a tasteless Carrot ,, really

This message was edited Mar 24, 2016 12:33 AM

Lol, tasteless Carrot, hmm...somehow I think I can live without it.

Western Michigan is flat, we had our gardens in the same place every year as I remember. (a VERY long time ago)

As is much of North central Indiana ,, All the remainder , Rolling Hill country ,
Michigan is Rocky ,,
Raining here , I am waiting on the gears for my shredding , chipper device , Went to plant some seeds yesterday and misplaced them , While their probably right here with the other seeds ,, the sneaky snake seeds , there but not seen , lol ?
We are also south of the usual spring snow line here ,, he , he ,,

Well JU, I am so glad that someone else does that, misplaces seeds. I got the pot all ready to put my wave pansies in it and cannot find the seeds anywhere. You do make me feel better. Thank you.

So Robin got the other fan of your Electric Orange? She is so lucky. Take good care of it Robin. It is a prize.

Well Debra, I really do feel sorry for your problem with a garden. Or without I guess. How about planting some vegetables in pots this year until you get your soil worked the way you want? You won't have as nice or as many, but at least you would have some, and then just think how good your soil will be next year. I envy your MIL's asparagus bed. Those are worth their weight in gold. Does she freeze some? I got a big bag from Costco a while back and put enough for meals on cookie sheets and froze it. Bob then vacu-packed them. I just love it. My favorite vegetable. Think I got 5 or 6 meals for the 2 of us out of that bag. I roast it in the oven. So good.

Well JU, I am so glad that someone else does that, misplaces seeds. I got the pot all ready to put my wave pansies in it and cannot find the seeds anywhere. You do make me feel better. Thank you.

So Robin got the other fan of your Electric Orange? She is so lucky. Take good care of it Robin. It is a prize.

Well Debra, I really do feel sorry for your problem with a garden. Or without I guess. How about planting some vegetables in pots this year until you get your soil worked the way you want? You won't have as nice or as many, but at least you would have some, and then just think how good your soil will be next year. I envy your MIL's asparagus bed. Those are worth their weight in gold. Does she freeze some? I got a big bag from Costco a while back and put enough for meals on cookie sheets and froze it. Bob then vacu-packed them. I just love it. My favorite vegetable. Think I got 5 or 6 meals for the 2 of us out of that bag. I roast it in the oven. So good.

Actually Jen, I got a leaf start from Ju, not even a whole fan. If it weren't for his propagating prowess, I wouldn't have even received that. He taught me something new in the meantime and I'm extremely grateful for both. Amazing isn't it? It certainly is a prize and it's my most protected DL in my garden. He'll be able to get it back into friend commerce soon.

The Electric Orange scenario taught me another lesson, It's good to have friends to share your prizes with cause you never know when you may need paybacks!

Digging holes in mulch Gypsi. Armadillo. Searching for worms, etc. They are active 11pm to 4-5 am
The trees look wicked icy, but even at 31* the sun is strong enough ots melting the ice that melting snow became when temps dropped. Drip, drip...here I come Md, flash me some flowers!

AWW kITT, I ENVY YOU TO NO END. well shoot I am at work and always forget the stoopid caps lock. I am glad I am not the only one to lose seeds. and I have a lot of them to lose. Jen we are going to do cotainer everything for the patio and west house flower beds. It just takes so long getting the containers, soil and loaded up. I really do not know how I did it all before while I was working. seems like there is not time left anymore.
Love Asparagas. never had it roasted, but we did try grilling tit and it was yummy. Greta told me she eats hers as fast as she gets it in, she is almost 87 now.
Robin, I have a tub of bulbs when I get it sorted out, I'll send ya some. wish I knew now what they were, but you can tell me.
I don't see my pink, white or purple milkweeds in that tub I had to dig out.... I'm kind of worried. Planted new seeds from them tho, everywhere. ( around the fences)

40 degrees and the fruit trees and shrubs are blooming Not getting much done ,
I am looking through , winter seeds from you Debra , the phlox and few coneflowers . a couple milkweeds are up and growing of those I remember presently ,

Kitt only the cold not the Snow , off to Capital Area are you now ,? warmer ,,

Robin the Coneflower or Rudbeckia from last season about the Daylily time is sprouted , Leaves still look Hybrid , Does not match any of Echinacea or Rudbeckia , As to that several are up ,,

*sigh* wish I knew what I was gong to do with my gardens this year..

Having one of those seasons about Debra ,, That happens once in a while ,, You wait, watch, When the idea of how to work the garden or rebuild it comes back to you , you will ,,
It does place one into trial mind ,, watch and enjoy the blooms anyway ,, the garden shall return !!! .
yesterday , plum and cherry looking wild