This year I have been very busy so my propagating frenzy has been small. That does not mean that I do not have any rooting right now though! In fact, last week I took several cuttings of Lemon Verbena, Lavender, Rosa Rugosa, and Buddleia.
The above picture shows how I like to go about rooting my cuttings. I just use a mix of perlite and potting soil and plunge the little cuttings into this. The pots are recycled nursery pots. Everyday I check to see if they need water (they usually do) as it is important for them to say damp but not soaked or they will rot. It usually takes my cuttings about 3 weeks to root so I have about another 2 more weeks to wait before I pot these up into their own individual pots.
In the top left of the picture you can see my Rugosa cuttings. I am trying something different with them. I have placed an empty 2 liter bottle on top of the pot to act as a makeshift greenhouse. (The pot is actually an empty yogurt container- I reuse everything.) So far it seems to be working great as the rose cuttings have not once wilted.
The other day I went out to check on my cuttings to see if they needed any water. When I began to water the Lemon Verbena something started jumping around in the little rose cutting greenhouse. I thought it was a grasshopper as they are EVERYWHERE out here right now (gross!). When I got a closer look this is what I found:
I guess this little guy climbed in through the opening of the bottle. Notice how he matches the color of the rose leaves just perfectly. I am really baffled by the tree frogs this year. I keep finding them all over the garden. In fact, when getting my pictures for yesterday’s post on worm tea I came upon one on top of my worm bin. I am really stumped as to why they are all over my garden as I have never seen one before this year.
After getting his picture taken I tipped the bottle onto its side so the little tree frog could hop out which he did. I guess he approved of my rose cuttings!
Looks like you have a nice little proprogating area in the garden. It must of been a shock to find the tree frog in your rugosa cuttings pot.
I have some cuttings from a sedum my hubbie’s co-worker sent home for me. (variety unknown)
Hi PGL, It was a shock to find the frog. In fact they keep shocking me as they keep ending up in the strangest places! My son found one on/in the lawnmower over the weekend right before he fired it up. Hope your sedum cuttings do well. I love sedums!
-Cynthia
Propagating plants is, as you said, one of the most economical ways to expand your garden. And it’s fun to watch for the new plants as well. Kudos! Your little frog is sweet.
Hi Nancy, isn’t he sweet! They are about the size of a nickel. So cute. -Cynthia
I find it funny that you are having the rain of frogs this year too. You live on the other coast from me. Why would we both have tree frogs where tree frogs never were before?
I usually don’t take cutting of my plants to root. But you might have me convinced. I want to keep my Hill Hardy rosemary alive and though it is supposed to be hardy here (ha!), I want insurance. I also brought in some basil branches to use in the kitchen. I always keep them on the counter in water. They have rooted without me trying. I won’t keep those ones, since I’ve been stripping their leaves off regularly, but I might try some others. I haven’t had houseplants in years, except my trusty aloe for burns. I can not water that plant all winter and it still will live. It is hard to keep houseplants alive if you travel. I used to, but it got to be such a bother. Heck I used to grow tomatoes on my windowsill in the winter. Hmm maybe.
Hi Daphne, I was thinking about your tree frogs as well when I typed this up. It is a little strange to me and really makes me ponder things. Is it a coincidence or something else?
One of the reasons I take cuttings every year is to ensure I will still have some of my favorite plants for next year. Case in point with my lemon verbena cuttings. Plus I can never have too much lemon verbena! -Cynthia
The pot is actually an empty yogurt container- I reuse everything.
Me too! I also save the water bottles my husband insists on buying and cut them in half with an exacto knife. I use the bottom as a seed starting pot or for cuttings, and I use the top as a cloche.
Hi Fern, it’s nice to know that I am not the only one that looks at something and wonders what else it could be used for.
Your idea for using the water bottles is a great one and I’m going to remember it! I bet it would be great for starting cuttings in too. Especially cuttings that root well in a more humid environment. Thanks for sharing this tip! -Cynthia
That is the cutest frog I have ever seen, hands down! Looks like it belongs in a rain forest. It must have been quite surprised to end up in your mini cuttings greenhouse! Nice of you to come along and set it free. I have never tried cuttings but you are inspiring me. That and dividing could probably double my plantings in a few years!
- Karen
Hi Karen, isn’t he cute! When I came out to check my cuttings he started jumping around like crazy in there. Like he was saying “let me out, let me out!” Of course my nine year old is wanting to keep all these frogs I am finding but I insisted on letting this little guy go. I know some people keep tree frogs for pets but I could never feel good about keeping one from the garden. I am enjoying finding them though as I have never seen them before.
The one great thing about cuttings is you can grow garden for pennies. Oh, and don’t get me started on dividing. I’m overzealous with that too! In fact do you know anyone that might like some mint….
-Cynthia
I was so grateful that your cuttings post didn’t mention “rooting hormone” which I’ve never worked with and the fact that it’s there has always intimidated me and kept me from trying to propogate. Your post makes its seem much more managable. Now I just need the gift of patience to wait 3 weeks;-)
Worm tea is also on my list of things to try someday.
Hi jgh, when I worked for a certain nursery we never used rooting hormone. You don’t really need to use it. It just helps insure you have more cuttings actually take root. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don’t. I have found that tender cuttings, take my lemon verbena and lavender for example, root just fine without rooting hormone as long as I take cuttings from the green tips and not the more woody-like lower stems.
Worm tea is amazing stuff in my opinion!
-Cynthia
MMM, I LOVE lemon verbena, I’ve been trying to get by grubby hands on a plant. I’m trying air layering right now, on a lilac, crepe myrtle, and an oak. My cutting always wilt and shrivel up. I guess it ’s because i wasn’t using perlite. Next time I will try a lighter soil mixture with a cloche. Thanks for the tips, nice post!
Hi lzyjo, wow, I’m impressed that you are propagating by air layering! That is not the easiest way to propagate in my book. It is real easy to overwater cuttings so maybe that is why yours wilted in the past. Lavender is especially suspectible to rotting if you are not careful.
I wish I could trade you a lemon verbena for a lilac!
-Cynthia
Did you have a wet spring like we did? I’ve been finding them all over too. The most unusual spot was in the birdhouse the bluebirds ended up living in. I have also have a few on the glass of my front door. Lots of baby toads too, the ground seemed to be crawling with them a little earlier this year. I think they’re heading for good hibernation spots now, I haven’t seen too many lately.
Hi Cinj-
You know I never thought about the wet spring before now that you mention it. We DID have a very wet (insanely wet if you ask me!) spring. Even the beginning of summer was rather wet. Maybe that does have something to do with all the tree frogs. It still makes me scratch my head. They are cute though and they keep turning up in the strangest places surprising the heck out of me! -Cynthia