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Mexican Cigar Plants

KitMillerKitMiller Posts: 42
edited April 2019 in Plants
Anyone any good with Mexican Cigar Plants and growing from seed? The packet said 'easy'. 
I started these off some months ago, in houseplant compost and I now know I should have turned the seedlings around regularly, but for some time they don't seem to have been doing much. I'm wondering if I should persevere with them, or give up?  They seem very leggy. I have about 20+ seedlings. Anyone with  any advice please?
Thanks
 

Posts

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,237
    What type are they? I have Cuphea cyanea in my garden but I grew it from cuttings, not seed. It might be an idea to start such plants off later so they can go outside before they have chance to go lanky. 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,237
    They look ok to me though, they'd bush up a lot if you pinched them out and placed them somewhere brighter. Maybe pop them in a cold frame during the day? (I use a plastic storage box as a cold frame).
  • KitMillerKitMiller Posts: 42
    Hi
    The packet just says 'cuphea'. When you say pinch them out - that just means take out a couple of the top layers leaves?   I read somewhere as well that if I plant them deeper up the stalk, that bit of the stalk turns to roots? 

    Thanks
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,237
    edited April 2019
    Yep snip off the tops just above the second pair of leaves. You could actually go to the pair of leaves below that here, as there's plenty of growth already appearing at the bottom - then you could use the bits you cut off as cuttings to make more plants. They root easily in a glass of water! 

  • KitMillerKitMiller Posts: 42
    Thank you so much, I will give this a go. I was at a loss as to know what to try with them.
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