The daylight hours are slowly increasing for every day, and the plants can sense it. After a long period of decreasing light for every day, this makes a big difference already. Now is the energy returning to activate the creative juices; thus, this is an excellent time to take cuttings on your favorite plants: anything grows!
The cold days might not be over yet, and it is too early for planting; but an all-new plant need to start building up a tight and well-developed root system first in a smaller pot. If you are taking the top piece of a branch, or if you are taking advantage of clippings when you are spring trimming your plants: make sure you have at least 2-3 nodes (the place where the leaves comes out) to go into the soil, and between 3-7 leaves on the cutting. More leaves then that are not recommended, to ensure the plants survival without any roots.
If you have a piece of a vine, you look for where the leaves are growing upwards, and then you’ll know what side is going down into the soil. Most plants and plant-cuttings can survive in a glass of water for a week or two, and some plants can thrive in a glass of water for two years or more; in a semi-dark kitchen.
If you have many cuttings, or if you are planning for a new hedge, you can make a sand-bed with a thin layer of soil at the bottom. Stick in the cuttings in the sand in rows, with an equal space in-between them; and keep it moist with daily misting until it is time to plant them each in a small pot.
This is a great way to extend your plant-inventory, but also to make new plants to friends, perhaps as a birthday present. The Nature is always willing to share its abundance, and is often making it easy for us to do it too. For question and more tips on what you can do with plants: read my earlier articles or e-mail to RitaGlantz@yahoo.com, or check out www.FloridaYards.org
Comments