Publication: Garden Guides
Taking Cuttings | |
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GardenGuides Newsletter
July 4, 2006
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Advice on Shade Gardening
Types of shade
Dappled - This is shade produced by open trees or by lathe
structures. There are a wide range of shade loving plants
that will thrive under these conditions.
Open - Lots of good light available but no direct sunlight.
This would be in the shadow of a building or fence.
Medium - Light is further obscured by trees or branches.
Typical of shade that would be found under a deck or
stairwell.
Dense - Very deep shade, such as in a tunnel entrance or
northfacing side yard with minimal reflected light. Plant
selections are fairly limited.
Types of plants
Rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, hostas, coleus, fuchsia,
impatiens and caladiums are some of the most popular, color-
ful and easiest to grow shade loving plants. Visit local
nurseries to see what other types of shade plants they offer
in your area, or check online merchants for more ideas for
your shady spots.
and remember...
Make sure that the ground has a chance to dry out a bit
between waterings in your shady areas. Since the sun doesn't
have a chance to dry the soil out, roots can sometimes
become waterlogged which will encourage root rot.
As well, make sure your plants are spaced out well. Some-
times in the sun we can crowd our plants a little without
damage, but in shade gardens, air circulation is vital to
keep your plants in top health.
Finally, the cool damp condition in your shade garden can
encourages mildew, blight and other problems, so be sure
to keep plant and leaf debris picked up which will help
reduce the spread of disease between plants.
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Taking Cuttings (How to take a tip cutting.)
By Terry L. Yockey
Professional growers regularly use cuttings to mass produce
their plants. The same technique can be used by you, the
home gardener, to increase your stock of a favorite perennial
which doesn't lend itself easily to division. Compared to
sowing seed, cuttings will produce a garden-ready plant in
less than half the time.
Cuttings taken from plants that are growing steadily
(generally from spring through fall) have the best chance
of rooting. It is best done from mid-May to mid-June when
the new growth has firmed up and will snap when bent in
half.
For this article I will only discuss tip cutting which is
using the end of a stem with a growing point at it's tip.
There are also sectional, basal and heel cuttings, using
other parts of the stem.
Before starting, clean all your tools well and then steril-
ize them by dipping them in alcohol. Pruning shears tend to
bruise the stem tissue so if you do use shears, recut the
stems with a sterilized sharp knife or razor blade.
The lower cut should be made at an angle to maximize the
amount of cambial tissue exposed to the soil. Roots will
form readily wherever the cambial tissue comes in contact
with moist soil.
Continued...
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At least 12 hours before you take the cuttings, water the
parent plant well. The newer growth toward the tips should
be a lighter color than farther down the stem. This new
growth is the easiest and most likely to root. Take cuttings
from two to five inches long. Gather them in the early
morning and then immediantly drop them in a plastic bag to
retain their moisture. If you aren't planning to stick them
right away, put the bag in the frig until you are ready.
Remove all leaves and side shoots from the lower two-thirds
of the stem. This helps prevent stem rot and creates a small
wound at each node which will encourage rooting. If the stem
has hardened, lightly scrape it on two sides with a sharp
blade where it will be buried.
Rooting compound encourages the development of roots plus it
contains a fungicide which will deter disease during rooting.
Do not dip the stem directly into the container, but instead
put a small amount onto a piece of paper and then dip the
stem and blow off the excess (caution: don't inhale the
powder!).
Cuttings can be rooted in almost any container provided that
it has good drainage. The rooting medium must maintain
adequate moisture and air around the stem. Fill the container
with the rooting medium then set it in a pan of water until
the top of the mix appears moist. Let the container drain for
ten minutes before sticking the cuttings in.
Continued...
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Stem cuttings should be inserted so that they are in firm
contact with the planting medium. Poke a hole slightly
larger than the stem, insert the slip (covered with rooting
powder) and then firm the medium around it.
Cuttings need a constant supply of moisture and should be
protected from drafts. One way to do this is to make a
plastic tent being careful not to let it touch any of the
leaves. The ideal soil temperature should be above 65º. The
best way to keep a constant temperature is to use a heating
mat made for propagation underneath your flat.
Cuttings also need bright light for photosynthesis, but
direct sunlight will overheat and dry the foliage. A north
window or under artificial lighting is the ideal location.
As soon as roots have formed (two to six weeks), the cuttings
will begin to produce new leaves. Now is the time to fertil-
ize the plants lightly--at one quarter the recommended
dilution for house plants.
A good way to check whether the cuttings are ready to be
transplanted is to lift them gently from the stem. If the
soil comes up with the roots--it's time to transplant them
to a larger container.
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