Kerry1/1/04 1:22

Ten days ago I took some cuttings from a rosemary bush and put them in
a pint glass of water on my kitchen windowsill. I didn't add rooting
powder to the water as the pot I have says not to be used for edible
plants. According to the instructions (which I found on the web and
can no longer locate), in six weeks, the rosemary should have rooted
and be ready to put into soil.

It has since occurred to me that I don't really know what to look for
(spot the clueless newbie). I was vaguely expecting something that
looks like roots in a biology textbook. However, the ends of the
cuttings are becoming covered in a fine cotton wool-like substance. Is
this mould? Should I rinse it off? Should I give up on this batch and
take more cuttings?


You have nothing to lose by waiting a little longer. That white fuzz just
might - might - turn into roots. Don't do anything to them, don't change
the water etc. Just sit on your hands.
Until I married my nurseryman husband, the most successful cuttings I ever
took were taken in total ignorance and a surprising number worked!

Now - do you have any African Violets in the house? If so, cut off a leaf
or three. Cover a glass of water with cling film and pierce a slit (or
three) in the film. Insert the leaf so that it's in the water, place glass
on a window sill. Wait. And wait. ;-) I've lost count of the times I've
done this and the times I've been convinced (all of them) that this wasn't
going to work THIS time.........

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the 'x' to email me)