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By Barbara Elmore, HCMG
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Don't Toss Those
Cuttings!
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If your plants are
getting leggy and you
want to trim them back,
don't toss those
cuttings. Think of
propagating plants
through stems or tips as
one more way to recycle,
with the added benefit
of sharing your favorite
plants with friends or
enlarging your own
garden. |
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There are several easy
ways to propagate
plants, but one of the
easiest is the pillow
garden. It will require
mostly things you have
in your household, and a
few things you don't.
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You will need:
Cuttings of your
favorite plant
Rooting hormone
A plastic bag
Good quality potting
soil
Scissors or clippers
Plant labels
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First, prepare the stem
by cutting it just below
the leaf node, the spot
where the leaf is
located. Remove lower
leaves and blooms. The
cutting will need only a
few leaves to root. |
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Next, dip the end of the
stem in a rooting
hormone to stimulate
growth. Its best to put
a small amount of the
hormone in a separate
container, like a jar
lid, and dip the tip end
of each plant into that.
This will avoid
spreading plant disease
throughout the jar of
hormone. |
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Now, fill your plastic
bag with damp potting
soil, and seal the open
ends. Really stuff it
full so that the medium
is deep. The soil also
should be moist enough
to support the plant
stems, but not dripping. |
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Poke small drainage
holes in the bottom of
the bag to allow water
to drip out in case the
soil is too wet. Insert
a dibble stick or some
other pointed tool
through the plastic in
the top of the bag where
you want to insert
cuttings. |
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Dip the dampened tip of
each prepared cutting
into the rooting
hormone. You can crowd
the cuttings in. This
ensures that if some
fail, you will still
have a healthy crop.
Insert the cuttings into
the bag and watch for
roots. On some plants,
roots will appear as
quickly as a couple of
weeks. |
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When you see roots,
carefully cut the bag
apart from hole to hole,
and repot your new
plants. |
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Tips:
You can use any type
of plastic bag, but
those with zippered tops
are great at holding in
the moisture. Also,
clear bags allow you to
see the roots.
The pillow garden
usually requires little
to no additional water
if you used damp potting
medium from the first.
If you decide your
plants need more
moisture, fill a syringe
with water and stick it
into the soil through
the plastic.
Some plant cuttings
are easier to propagate
than others. For the
greatest success, try
begonias, impatiens,
coleus, several ivy
varieties, jade plant
and geraniums.
Experiment to determine
which plants work the
best for you.
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