Plain Ole Philodendron - Rooting help please

Hi...
I took my philodendron vine out to the screened porch for the summer...forgot about it (Totally!) and when I remembered, it was in pretty bad shape.

Can someone tell me how to break up what's left of it and make rooted cuttings? I know it should be simple enough, but I need to know the best method - soil or water, light or no light, and about how long should it take?

Thanks a million for any help you can offer. (My dining room table looks a little bare without it. :-))

~julie~

Julie. . .Philodendron naturally root from their stems. You can use almost any part of the stem, a leaf bud, stem tip, or sections of the stem with at least 2 nodes on them. Remove any leaves on nodes sunk in soil. Need to be kept warm and humid. Will take 4-6 weeks to root at about 70 degree temp. Need indirect light. You can do this anytime during the year. . tho it sounds like it's pretty much NOW for this plant LOL. If it's hot weather, keep them misted until well rooted. Hope you have success!

Hi jcangemi...yep! It's pretty much *now* alright! Come to find out the problem wasn't mine at all. It seems the *cat* decided to pull the plant out from its moorings but left it so that it just barely was hanging on. I tore into it, cut it in bits before I realized what had happened. LOL But the pieces are sitting in water right now, looking extremely 'perky' (don't suppose they were starved, do you?) and very thankful to finally get a drink. (DARN cat!! ~grin~)

Thanks for the help. They'll come out of their water soak tomorrow and go in 'rooting mode.'

~julie~

Most will root in a glass of water, too. If it's common house ivy then it can actually grow in water for a long time.
MsC

MsC...that's good to know, cuz mine never got out its soak. :-D Maybe I'll just wait and watch. Thanks for your input here...I appreciate it.

~julie~

Sure Julie88,
I have some cutting growing in a small vase attached to the bathroom mirror, they stay there until they are good and rooted...sure beats what I see without the pretty greenery decorating the mirror(lol). I have tons of little rooting vases with ivy in it in some of my windowsills that are too narrow for a regulat pot plant, too. Just remember to add fresh water to the vase every once in a while, also you can add just a drop or two of Hydrogen peroxide if it's in a darker area...it helps keep the variegation and the roots healthy, at least that 's been my experiences.
Good Luck,
MsC

I agree w/mck on rooting in water . . it's possible to do with an endless variety of houseplants, but it sounded like you wanted a nice pot for your table again. . . you probably have several pieces. . .you can experiment to see which works for your needs. Let us know how it works out.

MsC...thanks SO much for the info AND the grins!

jcangemi...I plan on trying lots of different things this winter. It's good to know that I won't kill my philodendron by leaving it in the water until I can get back to it.

Thank you both...again! (walks away thinking..."Nice people ya meet here on DG." :-)

~julie~

Julie you wrote:
"Thank you both...again! (walks away thinking..."Nice people ya meet here on DG." :-)"

There are some of the nicest people on DG's and we are always glad to have one more!

Keep us posted on your ivy project. We love pics too.:)

MsC

~ julie blushing ~
Thank you *very* much MsC...that was awfully nice of you to say.

LOL I wish I'd taken a shot of the plant before I cut it up. It's sitting here on my computer table (above my monitor) so I can see its progress every day and most of all be able to know when it needs more water or a change of water. Right now, it's looking "perky", beautifully variegated and GREEN! (Green is *good* LOL)

(Anybody want a cat? LOL I swear, she loves plants as much as I do! But cut roses are her favorite. :-D )

~julie~

Hey Julie, we are glad to have you here at DG's..

-green is good and it won't take long for those roots to grow, if you can keep the cat off of em. Share your cat pics over in the pet forum we love newbie's there too....:)
MsC

LOL I'd rather share HER instead the pictures!
(She was rescued by me (stupidly! I'm NOT a cat person) during the coldest sub zero weather we had last winter. Someone...more STUPID than me...tossed 3 little kittens out in the woods by our house. Only one came to the "here kitty kitty" and she was SO beautiful and SO little I couldn't leave her outside. SOOOooooo...the rest is history. I've never had a cat before and had NO idea what they could be like when they came 'in season'. :-O) And I didn't know that it could happen every WEEK! :-O :-O LOL She's been a PITA but, she's settling down, she doen't poop on the floor like puppies...and she FITS in the bed nicely to warm feet! :-))

Thanks McK...nice to be here.

~julie~

Julie. . .I no longer have house plants due to a certain 2 resident kitties that won the battle at my house. I finally just gave in and have all my plants outside. . of course not everyone has agreeable climate to do that. My husband couldn't even bring me flowers without having to lock them up behind closed doors (how can you look at or enjoy them?) to keep them away from 'Atilla'. . .like your cat, she seemed to have a penchant for fresh flowers. . .but any old chewed up house plant would suffice in a pinch. I too got taken in by her when she was abandoned at 3 weeks old in our back yard garden shed (I should have known there was a reason her mother took the other 4 and left her behind...LOL). Anyway, after eleven years of companionship, I lost her to illness last summer and in spite of her plant chewing habits. . .I sure do miss her. . even now, a year later. My other cat is great, but not quite like the little grey tabby. Couldn't be two more opposite personalities. . .but I enjoy her company and funny antics. Welcome to DG's . . .I think I only beat you by 3 weeks or so in finding the best garden spot on the web. .JMHO...;-D Janet

Even the fake plants weren't safe. . .he..he..he

Janet...thanks for the 'welcome'...I'm still grinning at the photo! That's just like my Sadie...I just haven't caught her...yet! :-D

I'll find a couple of the shots I took of my cat and post them in the pets forum. But I'll be back to post a link.

~julie~