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Winter cuttings of tender perrenials

jonmorris12jonmorris12 Posts: 16
in The potting shed
Advice wanted please on when/if to feed rooted cuttings of pelargonium, ivy geranium and new guinea impatiens. Cuttings were taken september - october . Now rooted they are all in individual pots of cutting compost. My question is ; whether I should add some liquid feed to their watering regime? 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Not yet, they have no use for it.
    When you see the first signs of growth, then a little fertilizer will be ok.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • jonmorris12jonmorris12 Posts: 16
    There is growth. Some growing buds.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Do you mean flower buds?  If so you should nip them out. The plant needs to grow on before it’s ready to produce flowers. Flowering now will set the growth back. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • jonmorris12jonmorris12 Posts: 16
    Yes on some and I've nipped them out. Back to my original question, at what point should I start to feed them?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited January 2023
    They should start to show signs of new leafy growth in the spring. At that time I would pot them on into a good multi-purpose compost. This should contain sufficient fertilizer to promote leafy growth for six weeks. 

    Given favourable conditions by they they will need potting on again, and as before the MPC should  contain feed for 6 weeks. 

    By then hopefully the temperatures will be ok🤞and they should be ready to be planted out into their final positions for the summer … it is then that I would start to feed them with a high potassium feed to promote flowering … a tomato feed is as good as anything. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    As @Pete.8 said - it's too early for food. It just produces soft growth, which isn't needed as it's the root systems that need time to develop first. Too much top growth only makes that process harder  :)
    @Dovefromabove has indicated the sort  of process to follow until conditions are suitable for potting on and hardening off for outdoors.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jonmorris12jonmorris12 Posts: 16
    Thanks to all for your advice. I'll wait till spring.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    As Dove said, the compost you will be potting on into contains all the nutrients they will need, so no need to worry about fertiliser until they have been bedded out!
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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