I want to make something to mount in a south facing window to root cuttings (coleus, ivy etc).
I want to use some small bottles and was wondering if a colored bottle (amber etc) would be better than clear? Perhaps less light would be better for roots?
Thanks.
I doubt it makes much difference, so go with what is attractive and convenient for you. You could even make an experiment of it by comparing your success rate with clear vs. colored bottles.
Some pointers:
- keep the water clean
- some plants will do better if allowed to 'callous' a bit before putting them in water (put them in an inflated plastic bag overnight), others need to be plunged immediately.
- when transitioning the cuttings to pots you might want to put them (temporarily) in a shadier spot, and it is recommended you transition to a pot at least temporarily before setting water-rooted cuttings into the ground.
Most of the rooting I've done recently was with cutting set into sterile potting media directly. These are bagged in clear plastic and set in an area out of direct sunlight until the cuttings start to grow.
Plants rooted in water often fail to do well when moved to pots. The root hairs are severely damaged when suddenly packed into soil. Certain plants will survive and even thrive if left growing in water; philodendron is an example. Those that should be in soil or potting mix should be rooted in a nutrient-free mix; I use a home-made mix of half coarse sand and half peat moss.
Even plants that prefer direct sunlight should not be placed indoors in a window where sunshine will fall on them. There is insufficient air circulation to dissipate the heat. I have a greenhouse window in my breakfast room; the window faces north. Some of my plants in the window would do quite well outdoors (except in the winter) in full sun. Since my house is not square on the compass, the greenhouse window gets about
3 hours of morning sun in the summer. I hang shade cloth over it from late April until the beginning of October.
What's with the plastic bag, Pat? I callous potential transplants by just leaving them on a saucer or paper towel out of direct sun. I should think that putting them in a plastic bag would get just the OPPOSITE of desired effect -- callousing. Moisture from transplant would condense inside the p lastic bag.
HB
For any that need to callous, I usually just drop them somewhere and leave then for a while. At the moment I've got about 60 geranium cuttings sitting in the sun room exposed to the air and not covered by anything.
I must try using plastic and see if it makes a difference.
Your reply make me think about this. You are quite right about failure to move from a liquid to a solid growth medium. I wondered if it was possible to have the best of both worlds - effectively root the plant in waterlogged compost, and once rooted, allow the water to drain away. Little if any root disturbance takes place, and the gentle transition from wet to normal compost might allow the plant to adapt. Have you ever tried anything like this?
With non-succulent plants, I suggest an *inflated* plastic bag as you are less likely to get serious wilting but still get some drying at the stump end. Plenty of air = less condensation. In fact, you can even leave the cut end sticking out of the bag!
I'd agree that you'd never want the plastic draped over the foliage.
The cutting is likely to rot if the medium is waterlogged. A 50%-50% mix of coarse sand and peat moss drains very well and will remain quite moist without becoming soggy. The moisture will remain available to the cutting until the mix is almost bone dry. In the meantime, air can enter the mix; and roots -- new or old -- do need air in the soil.
I never add any nutrients to the rooting mix because they can promote mold and other forms of rot.
HB
No, not based on experience. Based on gardening books, including several editions of Sunset's "Western Garden Book".
I'll have to read up on "callous" -- never heard of that. I really just wan t to get some coleus going to keep inside over the winter for now. I have m ixed results when I try to root coleus in water. Maybe 1/3rd do well and th e rest just wilt (some almost immediately). I always take the fresh top par ts, pull off the bottom leaves. Some of the varieties stay pretty robust an d root well, yet some almost immediately go limp (especially the deep red o nes).
Another question -- is the "quick start" rooting liquid of any value? I kno w you use the powder when trying to root in pots.
ant to get some coleus going to keep inside over the winter for now. I have mixed results when I try to root coleus in water. Maybe 1/3rd do well and the rest just wilt (some almost immediately). I always take the fresh top p arts, pull off the bottom leaves. Some of the varieties stay pretty robust and root well, yet some almost immediately go limp (especially the deep red ones).
now you use the powder when trying to root in pots.
That "quick start" I mentioned -- I wonder if adding a bit of that to the w ater would help? (And I know keeping the water changed is important.
On 8/5/2014 7:12 AM, mkr5000 wrote [in part]:
Keeping the water changed is important for cut flowers. For rooting plants, I never change the water.
I have a Philodendron growing in water in a decorative glass bottle. I rooted it in a drinking glass well over a year ago. Occasionally, I added water to the glass but never changed it. When it had roots, I discarded the parent plant and placed the rooted cutting into the bottle with the water from the glass. Since then, I have never changed the water. I just keep topping up the existing water.
Once or twice a year, I add a few drops of the liquid fertilizer that I use on my orchids but only after I dilute the fertilizer to 1/4 the strength I use for the orchids.
It's also referred to as "hardening off".
HB
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