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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

"If he sat down long enough his butt would root"

I have heard Mrs. Brown say 100 time "If he sat down long enough his butt would root", referring to her husband who can root anything. It's not hard to root plants. Some are much easier than others. Some plant you can stick around your air conditioner, and they will take root because it is damp from the condensation of the air conditioner.
Emily @ http://garden-week-by-week.blogspot.com/wanted to know how to root roses and hydrangeas, so I hope this helps
You can buy rooting compound at most garden centers
Next take a cutting of the plant you want to root Now everyone does things different, I mix sand and potting soil together
Take the plant and strip it of every leaf and bud, the stem needs to be cut at an angle. It is important to remove the leaves/buds because they take up energy as the plant is trying to root. By removing them, you are helping the plant save energy. The plant shown is a hydrangea
Next I take a stick and poke it into the soil create a hole. This is so you will not knock of any of the rooting compound when you stick the plant inHere is the rose...you can see the angled end of the stem
Take and dip the angled stem into the water to get it wetthen dip into your rooting compound
Place the stem into your hole. You can see why it is good to make a hole....the compound stays on
Hydrangea
Rose
Now that part is done....
Water them
Once they are done, set them in a cool shady place. That way the soil will be cool and they will root more easily.
You can root almost any plant. Some plants root in soil and some plants root in water.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

I do this too and love it! I rooted a hydrangea in water last year and now it's in the ground growing! I love posts like this.

David in Kansas said...

My mother-in-law has a super-hardy hibiscus that I want to take cuttings from; would this method work for it you think?

Dirt Princess said...

Darla - Mr. Brown puts his cuttings in the soil where the roof run off is and around the a/c

David - This will work...you can root anything that doesn't have a bulb

Cathy S. said...

It's fun to take cuttings and root them, I also have tried taking the bottom branch of a hydrangea without cutting the branch off, cut a slit into the center part of the stem and dip it in the rooting hormone and pinned it to the soil and it took root after a week or so, then I cut the main branch off to have a separate plant. I have done this several times already.

Dirt Princess said...

Outside In - I will admit that sometimes I "root" my own way. I have broken off hydrangea stems from neighbors and stuck them in the ground, water them and let them grow. I have 4 hydrangeas from doing this

Gail said...

Excellent instructions! I love the music and sound effects Here! DP, I am looking at your temps/real feel in Alabama and can see that summer is here! The humidity is off the charts already~~Have a sweet day! gail

tina said...

Very good post. I live by this rooting hormone and root my own cuttings. I love it!! In fact, I am need of a new jar.

Unknown said...

Great post DP. Think I'll try that brand even though I've good luck with the one I've got. Maybe it's faster. ;-) I just told Bob yesterday how great the hydrangeas look that I did last year. Bushy and green! Just been teaching myself all this stuff!

Linda said...

I've done cuttings before but never roses. I'm going to give those a try next.

Ginger said...

great tips - thanks! I recently rooted some christmas cactus in this manner and it's thriving! rooted some begonias in water at the same time, and they are too. you can't beat free plants!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I've never tried, but this does look like it's pretty easy. Great post!

Kara said...

I'm so glad you had a step by step- I have some sunshine blueberries my boyfriend ordered for me, and I need to propogate them! I understand they root really well- I'll have to try it out!

EB said...

Brilliant post, thank you! Now having been shown both this and also cuttings - which is basically the same but for smaller plants - I'm just going to have to try it.

And I love your Mrs Brownism!

Frances said...

Hi Princess, such a helpful and timely post, thanks! I have not had much luck with cuttings other than sticking them in the ground and hoping for the best. Now I see shade and damp is very important. You have inspired me to keep trying, there is a rose I really want to propagate! :-)
Frances

Randy said...

Excellent instructions DP. I love to learn new things!

Susie said...

Mrs. Brown's comment about her husband is funny! I reckon some people just have such a green thumb.

You know I have never rooted anything like this before. It makes me want to go out, get rooting powder and try it.

Thanks for the lesson. I enjoyed it much!

Dirt Princess said...

Gail - It has been summer here for well over a month....and will be until October!!!!

Tina - Isn't it easy! Go out and get another jar and start rooting

RG - you use whatever works best for you. My grandma used another brand that I cannot find

Crafty Gardener - Try all different types of plants...have fun with it

Ginger - My mom rooted me a morning glory tree in water, it is doing great.

Catherine - Expreiment with a few plants a try it. It is a good, inexpensive way to get plants. You can take cuttings from other gardeners and root it...if you want something...root it!!! I also root plants that I already have to put them in other place.

Kara - give it a shot and let me know how it does

EB - Glad you found it helpful. Mrs. Brown roots EVERYTHING!! She has well over 100 Justicia plants in her garden, and 99 of them were probably rooted from the 1.

Frances - Goodluck

J&R - Thanks...glad you learned something...that makes me happy

Susie - I gave The Browns a cutting from my white Justicia (they only had pink). He rooted it, and then fell on it a few weeks later, actually he sat on it when he tripped. It broke off and began to die. Well a week later he saw TWO of them coming up in the pot! So there you have...if he sits down for a second his butt will take root!!!LOL! My white justicia didn't come back, so good thing that 2 of them came up for him

My Mother's Garden said...

What a great tutorial! Very helpful!

Debbie's Garden said...

Years ago I had flown to visit my Mother in Law. I wanted a clipping of a very old rose from her mothers house. My mother in laws friend had this stuff and fixed me up. Then she gave me a half a cup or so in a ziploc back to take back with me. ON THE AIRPLANE. A white ziploc back with white powder!!!!. Stuck it in my suitcase and they never stopped me. The roses rooted, but didnt survive. They were just meant for the hot deep south, not Chicago.

Rusty in Miami said...

I am new at this, of my first three attempts two took. The only thing I did different is that I left the top leaves on, but I can see where it stressed the plant, thanks for the info

Erin @ The Impatient Gardener said...

Excellent tutorial! May I link to it on my blog?

Dirt Princess said...

Rusty - snipping those leaves really helps it to take off

Impatient Gardener - Please feel free! I hope it helps to get the rooting craze going ....LOL!

Erin @ The Impatient Gardener said...

Thank you much ... I've added it to my "helpful links" area.

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