Cuttings advice for novice please...
pierre_de_gaye
Posts: 182
Hi,
I'm new to propagation.
I have a Vitopod propagator and am currently trying to propagate all sorts of different shrub cuttings in there.
Some are in root riot cubes, there doesn't seem to be major problems with those at the moment I don't think, apart from one species' leaf going yellow. Should I remove this?
The main problem is with lavender. Several have gone black (blackened leaves). I'm guessing this is rot? I tried to research, I think I read something about over-watering. Is this correct? If I pick off any of the blackened leaves, will the cutting recover?
I honestly have no clue about how much to water the cuttings - I have been misting everything thoroughly twice per day, including the root riot cubes.
Please could I have some advice about how much to water, that would be very helpful. The propagator is set to a constant temperature of 21 celsius.
Thanks in advance.
Posts
Anyone?
Must admit I'd never heard of root riot cubes,had to look them up
.I would think if you are misting them so much, that's why the lavender is not happy. What types of shrub cuttings have you taken?
not all cuttings need the same treatment. Misting twice a day would rot anything with grey felty leaves. I'm a bit of a dead loss with cuttings but managed Lavender in gritty compost, shaded but not covered
In the sticks near Peterborough
There's a guide here Pierre http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-take-lavender-cuttings2/
I don't think you'l have much luck with RR cubes for lavender, they need really good drainage, the cubes hold much too much water which will rot them
PS - if they're in your covered (but ventilated) propagator they won't need a bag on the pot
Last edited: 24 August 2017 20:41:11
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
The lavender aren't in the root riot cubes - just in pots of gritty compost in the propagator - no plastic bags. I'd already followed the guide on here.
I've removed the dead ones and picked off any black leaves on others though not sure it's the end of it yet as a few seem to have wilted.
I hadn't thought about the cubes holding water - does that mean I only need to mist the leaves daily and not the cubes as Well?
Thanks all
Last edited: 26 August 2017 01:09:57
Is the propagator indoors somewhere? Too much heat and too much moisture isn't a good combination for lavender.
I'd have the cuttings covered but outside, or inside and uncovered. I think they're getting too much protection. They need very little watering too, and avoid getting it on the foliage if it's in any sun at all.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Do you mean keep the lavender cuttings inside and uncovered, or all cuttings in general?
I had to remove yet more white wispy bits again today and one Buddleia cutting has simply wilted.
Silly question, but some of the cuttings have lost the pair of leaves that I left - does that mean they are doomed and should be thrown (but maybe I can re-use the root riot cubes, I don't know)?
In the root riot tray I have Viburnum, Buddleia, Verbena bon., Camellia, Rhododendron (I thought I'd try even though they can take a long time I gather), Acer.
I also have a few pots with gritty compost housing some Spirea and Berberis cuttings. The latter don't look too healthy, I've already had the deciduous types lose their leaves and the evergreen ones have some brown patches on them now.
The whole thing feels somewhat hopeless, but it's an initial experiment.
Any advice would be much appreciated as to where to go next or what to do next time in terms of what could grow alongside what in the Vitopod.
Thank you.