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eloise_ca

Cuttings, need expert advice

18 years ago

Yesterday I picked up two cuttings of a shredded white (in the blue bucket) from an ebay seller who lives here in southern CA. I'd appreciate any advice on what is the best way to root cuttings about the size of a silver dollar in thickness. Thanks.

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Comments (37)

  • 18 years ago

    Root in dirt, if these were mine, I would cut be taking many cuttings from the main stalks. If I can get you to send me a better photo I'll tell you where to cut each. I see several side shoots that can be rooted. That new sprout at the top center could come off too if you are wanting more? Plus I'd be stripping off the leaves and allowing them to grow back.

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise, I rooted cut branches like that in water (six feet tall and fully branched at the top). It took about two and a half weeks for roots to emerge.

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise, here is what you MUST do. Cut off the bottom 12 inches of each, and mail them to me............LOL Edna

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise, what that you that got that cutting off ebay that said you had to come cut it yourself? I thought they were crazy but then I said maybe one of you might live near there. I want a cutting too since everyone is lining up, lol. Great find!

  • 18 years ago

    Thank you Karma, Cali, Edna and Kristy.

    I could kick myself; I didn't have my camera with me to take a picture of the shredded white brug TREES this lady had in her back yard! One especially had a lot of bloom, and the flowers were about 5" long!

    Karma, I will try to take close ups of the cuttings this weekend and email you. There are some buds on the smaller piece (about 5') that I had hoped would open. Would you strip the leaves irregardless of the great weather we have here in southern California?

    Edna and Kristy, provided I don't kill both cuttings, you can certainly have a cutting when your weather is good; just email me directly. Same offer to you Karma and Cali.

  • 18 years ago

    eloise_ca, all doubles and triple/fuzzy leafed ones should be rooted in dirt not water even if they have wood stalks as these appear. I would also recut before putting into dirt due to these were in water and you may find the ends will need a fresh cut. Yes, strip off the leaves, no matter what as this way you insure no critters. I also would not put these next to what you already have. I'm just one that would be safe when one brings new babies home. Will help all I can once I see the photos so that you get cuttings! It appears there is plenty there to share. Thanks for the offer but I'm passing, I have more than DH wants to see.

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise, I saw those on ebay and wanted to ask her if she
    was sure she would`nt send some cuttings in the mail......
    then I thought even if she would it`s freezing here!
    If you have extra I would love a cutting also when it warms
    up.
    Thanks,
    Karen

  • 18 years ago

    gardenpaw, where do you live? it's roughly zone 5/6 here in central connecticut. just curious.

    Ria

  • 18 years ago

    Put me in line for a cutting too Eloise. That is of course if you end up with enough to go around. LOL Those look great, but I think I would make several cuttings out of them too.

    Good Luck and let us know how they do.
    Marian

  • 18 years ago

    Hi Ria,
    Im in Brownstown, Indiana it`s in the southern part of the
    state.
    Karen

  • 18 years ago

    What a haul. got to love those people who will not ship. I saw some plumeria a while back in the Chicago area and sent the ebay link to Techno. I think she got 3 3' plants for a dollar. I know they will do well for you. I second or third the dirt.

    Jim

  • 18 years ago

    What haul!!!! Great job!!! I rooted a dozen or so Large cuttings (standards) in a BOB took only a few weeks and then potted them up... Best of luck!!!!
    Kylie

  • 18 years ago

    I was just kidding about a cutting right now. I have my hands full right now but that is one that I would like later on if you have extra. I hope thing will settle down soon so I can spend more time on my hobbies, lol. All this work is is killing me, lol.

  • 18 years ago

    I certainly was fortunate, and each cutting was only $5. I have Edna, Kristy, Marian and Karen (gardenpaw) down for a cutting when the weather is better. Did I miss anyone? Thanks all for the advice on rooting.

  • 18 years ago

    Jim:

    "Plumeria - I think she got 3 3' plants for a dollar. "

    Yes I did. And now, have no idea what to do with them! (grin)

    I have a friend who said she may have a spot - and she would take them. Otherwise, I'm going to place them amoung the brugs and see how they do. They're huge. I think the stalks are 1 1/2" in diameter? Some parts almost 2. Very, very healthy. They're leafing right now. I give them some water every now and then.

    In the mean time, I was babysitting her brown turkey fig for her - and that thing has put on over 1' of growth and is unfurling LEAVES in there (dam***it!) It's starting to get nutty while I'm trying to move around the room! Had no idea her fig was going to do that. Wouldn't have agreed to babysit it had I known it was going to immediately be so HAPPY! (grin)

  • 18 years ago

    Very nice El!! I wish I could come across that kind of luck.

    Jim, very nice find for Annette! Wow, you made out like a bandit with that! Now, Annette, I think they would look lovely among the brugs! 3 for $1?? I am amazed! I know when it warms up here I'm not going to be able to find deals like that! You gals are very lucky!
    Daniella

  • 18 years ago

    Edna: E-mail me, please, and let me know where in So Ca this is. Maybe I can pick-up some cuttings, too. Would luv to be able to share some of what looks like healthy cuttings. gshorton@earthlink.net TIA Gloria

  • 18 years ago

    Daniella:

    The gentleman I bought the plumies from, this guy had the most beautiful landscaping out back. I walked into his back yard, and just stood there and went "wow" - I looked at him, he smiled and said "thanks." He was about 1 1/2 hours north of me.

    Koi pond, rambling roses, rhodies, (where he told me about the anti dessicant that stops them from getting burned) - and that's where I saw the ground crawling thyme for between the stepping stones.

    I should shoot a pic of the plumies. They seem happy - leafing out a bit early, but they seem to be happy sitting next to the brugs in there.

    That turkey fig is getting on my nerves though. (grin) And it's in the most gruesome heavy pot - must be rocks in the bottom. Can't lift it and it's a toe buster in there.

  • 18 years ago

    Yes Annette, take a pic I wanna see I wanna see!! lol
    SHe may have had rocks in the bottom for better drainage. How the heck you supposed to move that thing around? lol.
    Gotta wear steel tipped work boots goin in there now eh? Speaking of workboots, I gotta get my self a new pair..my Timberlands soles cracked right across the middle! They sure dont make em like they used to.

    That guy's yard must be gorgeous! I wish I had room for a nice size koi pond. I just have some pre-forms I am setting up this spring..joinin them together..I hope it all works out well..looks good in my head, lol. Hubby just ordered me the pump I want this morn :)

  • 18 years ago

    We've been talking about a preform over here in the new brug area. I'm just not sure I can keep up with it. And the last thing I want to do is set up a skeeter pond next to my door. I have some skeeter dunks and stuff - but until I can step out the door and not be on snow, no point in even arguing about it.

    Re Turkey fig - yea, I made DH carry it in. He was swearing the whole time. There aren't any holes in the bottom - and it's a plastic container. I can't figure out how it got so beastly heavy except maybe she put stones in it. it was dying in her house - too dark, so I put it in the green room. Been watering it, etc., and now it's unfurling 10" leaves and getting in my way - and I can't MOVE IT! I can't let it get too much larger because I have no idea how I'm gonna get it back to her.

    I have a pair of timberlines - think they're almost 15 years old. (grin) I'm real hard on hiking boots so they've gotta be sturdy.

    I can't wait to see how your ponds turn out - sounds BEAUTIFUL!

  • 18 years ago

    I had a preform pond before I moved to this house. To keep the skeeters away I bought some minnows, I think they were called red minnows the eat the skeeter larve. I bought them the same place I bought my koi.

    Mary

  • 18 years ago

    Gloria, did you mean me and not Edna? I'll email you directly.

  • 18 years ago

    You can get feeder guppies to eat the mosquito larva also. I did that in one of my tubs that was too small for goldfish. If you don't want any fish you can also use Bt in the form of something called a mosquito dunk.

    Dweeb why in the world does your friend have a Brown Turkey fig in a container? They are cold hardy and besides that they get huge! I have a few in my yard and if I didn't prune them they'd be trees!
    Karyn

  • 18 years ago

    Karyn - they ARE cold hardy?

    Are you kidding? You're right - WHY in the WORLD is this beast in a container? You know, unless she got it too late in the season. (It doesn't even have holes in the bottom so I have to make sure I don't over water it!)

    You can BET I'm going to ask her THAT one the next time I see her! (grumblebumble!)

    So - they are cold hardy here, huh? Maybe I'll get a couple for myself. But this beasty has to go back to her as soon as it is warm enough!

  • 18 years ago

    Maybe she has it in a pot to stunt the growth? Not wanting it to get huge if it's planted in the ground?

    I had a small washtub pond last season, had 3 goldfish in it, they kept the skeeters away. I didn't even have a pump in it, just threw in new water every couple days. Worked out well. There's lotsa fish that will eat mosquitoes. I wanted mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), but no pet stores near me have them. Maybe this year I can get some.
    Mosquito dunks supposedly work well also, though I haven't used them myself.
    I think you can handle it Dweeby..get a nice cute fountain/spitter to keep the water moving, as long as you have good circulation the skeeters won't breed there. Small pumps don't cost much. I got a 500gph magdrive for $69 on sale from $90 something. Got it on petco.com..free shipping! Magdrive is the way to go, a lil more expensive but costs 50% less to run. I made my own filter, no elec at all.
    And if it is by the brugs how great is that? Sit there listening to the water, watching fishies smelling the brugs!
    O I can't wait to do that. Spring is almost here. 6am this morn it was 60deg here, I sat on the back steps for a half an hour taking in the warm breeze..felt so good.
    I dont know much about figs..actually I know nothing, lol.

    Dweeb, Timberland's are the only ones I buy, just for that reason..I am hard on everything, esp my shoes. I don't even buy sneakers..I'd kill em in a month. LOL, I even tried to wear my workboots on my wedding day..long dress, noone could see em, but my mom almost killed me, wouldn't let me, lol. ack..mothers!

    Anyway, I'm rambling again..I will def take pix from beginning of set-up all the way thru, and will post.

  • 18 years ago

    Yesssssssss, take some pics! I'd love to see it.

    I wore my snakeskin cowboy boots with my dress. (grin) Mom was horrified. Dad wore his black cowboy boots. It was fun. (grin)

    If I could get a pond with some dunks in it - and then put a pump in - that would work. I don't want fish. What would I do with them in the winter when it got far too cold? I couldn't do that to them - I'm an animal nut. (grin)

    But I bought skeeter dunks last year when Karyn suggested soaking some in the water that you use to water plants to help ward off anything. I just don't want to create a maintenance nitemare. The number of brugs I'm going to be putting down will be more than enough to push my time limits. (grin)

    My poor asaragus fern looks really unhappy - but the two I gave dad, he's having wonderful luck with his. I was hoping to up it to a bigger pot and put it out back this year and feed it like I feed the brugs to get a monster plant. I just love asparagus ferns.

  • 18 years ago

    I love ferns. I bought some last year, which I think were christmas ferns, but not sure. Did great in the ground all summer..then the cooler weather came and everyone kept telling me, they're gonna die..we can't have ferns around here. Why do I listen? Because I think these people who love me, know more than me due to the fact that they are older. Well, as it turns out I am pretty sure they were xmas ferns, and would have done fine in the ground outside. As many ferns would in my area. But dummy me, listened to "them", dug em up, brought em in..they croaked.
    So ferns are on my list for this spring, and now that I know more about them, I can tell those folks a thing or two, lol. But I know just like everything else, they will roll their eyes and say "I don't know" with the tone that I am nuts & will regret it lol.
    They all say "O she's so good with plants, has such a green thumb, blah blah blah" Yet they go and roll their eyes at me..people, I tell ya!

    I wish I hadn't listened to my mom about the boots, if I'd worn them I'd have been so much more comfortable. Good for you that you did!!

    If you just have a small preform, it won't be a big deal..you can even use a 1/2 whiskey barrel with a cute lil spitter, Some water plants..water lilies don't like water movement though, just so ya know. As far as the fish, you can always bring them inside over the winter, keep em in a fish bowl, or just set up a tank for the winter w/a filter and you can keep your pond plants in there too. Right in your green room!
    Hmmm..can you tell I am trying to talk you into this? lol! Sorry!

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise

    Count me in for a cutting if you happen to have any left! :) I'd appreciate it. I received one from a person on another forum & of course, it did not make it! Maybe they're a 'finicky' one! lol!

    Mike

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise

    Please - count me in for a cutting if you happen to have any left! :) I'd appreciate it. I received one from a person on another forum & of course, it did not make it! Maybe they're a 'finicky' one! lol!

    Mike

  • 18 years ago

    Wow! Double posting - what's going on here?? lol!

    Mike

  • 18 years ago

    It's that whack a mole thing goin' on. (grin)

    Daniella - now the preform with the little stuff in it (sans the fish) sounds like a good idea.

    I swear, I'm goin' back for those rubber lillies. I thought they were hysterical. I wanted to throw them in some "perpetual" puddles around here, just to see if anyone said anything. (grin) That and the face on my tree sticking its tongue out, pretty funny. (grin)

    Too funny about the Xmas fern! Ha - yep, next time, just leave it and see if it goes. The asparagus ferns are used everywhere like evergreens in CA - I fell in love with them because they're just so fluffy looking. And they DO take full sun, no matter what anyone tells you. They need alot of water if they're in full sun. They stay soft and fluffy when they're happy and get lots of water.

    When it gets tight on water, they get spiny (self defense because they have bulbous wet roots that animals will chase in tight water times.) But if they're happy, they are fluffy and will actually climb as well as have long trailers. They take a lot of abuse, too. I'm going to get a bunch of them and put them in pots on my back deck. Full sun, fluffy green. Eh - they'll be pretty without a lot of fuss. I'm gonna buy those monster FAKE bostons for in front. (grin) Was too hard last year keeping them watered and happy. So get a couple monster fake ones - put them in some iron stands - viola! (grin)

  • 18 years ago

    Hi Mike, added you to my list. Just contact me directly when you weather is good to mail.

  • 18 years ago

    Eloise

    Awwwww - thank you! Too sweet! :) I will most definitely email you when the weather warms up a bit!

    Mike

  • 18 years ago

    hey, if you've got a tremendous excess of cuttings, I'll wait politely at the end of the line ;)

    Ria

  • 18 years ago

    Goldfish will live under the ice as long as the pond doesn't freeze solid. I put all my goldfish in one pond at the end of the season and keep the pumps running to make sure it doesn't freeze solid.
    Karyn

  • 18 years ago

    Karyn - I thought about that, but when we're dealing with sub zeros here, and a little preform that isn't much over 2' deep, I'm not going to be able to keep it from freezing. And I'm not sure how someone would feel about fishies in the winter inside. (grin)

    I like fish. I always had them. But I'm not sure he would appreciate me doing that. Creating an obligation to feed them, etc. And of course, there is my problem of getting attached to things. Between the brugs and then the fishies, he'd probably strangle me. (grin)

    I'd be better of with the skeeter dunks. (grin) And a pump.

  • 18 years ago

    Yes Karyn, but the pond has to be at least 18" deep, esp for Annette with how bad her winters are, and if she's just gonna have a lil one, they won't make it.
    That's what I plan on doing, keepin em in..got the stuff to make a bubbler, but I prob won't get around to making it till I need it. Hopefully next winter will be a mild one again, and I can just keep the whole thing goin all winter.
    Daniella

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