Late winter cuttings - what next
* Red Dahlia *
Posts: 694
in Plants
I took some cuttings in September and a few have overwintered with minimal growth. I have been taking the tips out of the long growing shoots when they appear. Some cuttings look better than others! What now though. I split them from the cutting pots and put in individual modules in about January I think, I did this using spent compost. Do I now take them up, knock off excess compost and pot on. How do I get them moving and in my horsey terms 'kicking on'???? I have........ Looking good.... Coreopsis sunrise Geyser x3 varieties Scabiosa Looking sick but hanging on.... Dahlia Lobelia Platycodon (balloon flower) Fuschia Verbena rigida Never done cuttings before, I have only about 2-5 of each so sounds like lots but in total only 30 cuttings of which 15 look ok but not looking bushy or anywhere near as big ad the garden centre versions. Call me a dreamer but I really want to pick them up and top up my perennial collection and be able to give some healthy bushy plants away.
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I took cuttings about same time as you RD and re-potted them about 4-6 weeks ago with fresh mpc and all seem to be producing new shoots and looking healthy, but still not really any bigger than original cutting, except my nemesia cuttings which I overwintered in an unheated covered walkway with a perspex roof along the side of my house. I have pinched them out a couple of times already. I think Hollie Hock is right about needing more warmth and light but also think some new compost would help. Hurry up spring?!
Good luck with the repotting - I don't have a vast knowledge of gardening but have done a lot a cuttings - I'm guessing I'm on the right lines as nobody as said otherwise. Sorry for dalayed reply bloomin' internet went awol for a few days.
Have you ever taken cuttings from cineraria silver moondust? Mine overwintered and I'm wondering if I should take cuttings? Have you tried??
No I havent RD. Like you I overwintered mine in order to take cuttings but I read somewhere that they dont root well from cuttings - apparently they have a tendancy to go 'mushy'. Maybe we should have an experiment and see how we get on? I get really dispondant if my plants fail that's why I havent done any of these cuttings yet, but it's probably worth a go. What do you think?
PS: good roots on your cuttings looks like a good sign!
Just reading your posts on htis subject girls! I've mainly done cuttings later in year etc but I wonder if the problem is the compost you've used Red? I would tend to use fresh compost and I wonder if there's not been enough nourishment there and possibly some virus or infection in the spent compost, hence the no leaf/brown leaf problem. Now that you've 'kicked on' (know the term well!) they should be ok. If you have decent root systems you should get plenty of plants. Fingers crossed!
I think the weather conditions this year aren't helping either as we're all having to try and create what should be happening naturally.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Think I will try a cineraria when I work out what to take as cuttings!
Red Dahlia, unless you looking forward to experimenting with taking cineraria cutting, I saw in Morrisons today (after a tip off on another thread about fuschias which were £1 each
) they also had various other plants including a tray of 6 cineraria for £2. Could get some as 'an insurance policy'.
As for the cuttings I was going to cut the top leafy bit of the stems, take some of the lower leaves off and pot these. Will bring them inside too - my plants overwintered in a sheltered outside corner. Also when I have got my cuttings I will cut back the plant to some of the lower new shoots, that are starting to appear and repot it in fresh compost.