Cuttings
>> Wednesday, January 6, 2016 –
cuttings,
overwintering,
propagation
One of the ways that I continue gardening over the long winter months is through cuttings. It's one of my overwintering strategies for tender plants: take cuttings and root them instead of trying to overwinter the entire (sometimes large) plant.
That's what I've been doing with this trio of cuttings from a beautiful tropical that I got on sale late this summer (Aerva sanguinolenta). Since I wasn't sure how it would fare spending the winter in the garage, I decided to see if prunings would root in water. If they did I would have a "backup" plant or two come spring.
Not knowing if the cuttings would root in water, I put them in front of the kitchen window (the only south-facing window) so I could keep an eye on them.
Clearly rooting has occurred!
Strangely though, only one of the three has produced roots...
...and only from a single point.
The other two cuttings show no signs of root growth:
Although they look remarkably fresh, having been in water for about 2 months now.
I did make fresh cuts on the ends of the stems a week ago in hopes of stimulating them into doing something.
They don't have the fresh growth of the one with roots:
I'll get the rooted one into soil soon, and maybe move the other two down to the grow table where it is warmer and brighter.
Also on the kitchen counter are the green onions...
...so easily regrown over and over, all winter long.
Speaking of the growing table, that's where some other cuttings live, like the trasdescantia that seems to grow roots the instant the stem touches water.
I'll have many more cuttings of this type rooting soon. I don't like to start them too early or I'll have a huge tangle of stems and roots come spring.
Do you grow anything from cuttings?
I can't imagine not having something rooting in water during the winter...
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I usually root cuttings but often forget about them and end up with the tangle of roots that you talked about. Coleus, geraniums, some impatiens, and trasdescantia are usually kicking around somewhere in old glass jars. Never thought of regrowing green onions! Thanks for that great tip.
I keep forgetting your tip about green onions. Gotta try it!
Currently rooting a passionflower cutting (tropical that didn't bloom last summer) and a couple of χ Fatshedera lizei ‘Annemieke’ cuttings - one purposely taken and two that Mother Nature delivered when winds snapped my plant in half.
Peter: you grow all of that during the winter months, or year-round?
Gerhard: Not going to save you lots of money, but it's fun. :)
Loree: I love accidental prunings, because they give me reason to attempt to make more plants without having to actually cut anything myself -- which can be a difficult decision sometimes. That Fatshedera looks really interesting! (Don't remember you talking about that one specifically before...)
I never have that much luck rooting cuttings... But all my little cacti are taking up the south facing windows, so maybe that's part of the problem? I'm in awe of your ability to propagate plants over the winter!