Volfie \"WackoURaSmallKnob\" Jackson wrote:

"David Ross" wrote
Instead of trimming them, take cuttings. Cut right at a joint,
taking cuttings that contain at least two segments. You should
take 3-4 cuttings from each plant.
[..]
If you get rooted cuttings, discard the
parent plant
[..]

ARGH!!! WHY??

What's the reasoning behind throwing away the parent plant? I have a Xmas
cactus that started from a cutting my Grandfather gave me in the early 70s.
It's about 3' in diameter right now and it blooms for four or four and a
half months out of the year. I can't imagine throwing away the parent
plant.

Giselle (about every four years I move it to a slightly larger pot and
change the soil, that's it)

The original message in this thread was about an overgrown plant
that the owner wanted to cut back. Replacing it with newly rooted
cuttings will result in a more vigorous plant.

I have several potted plants that originated with gifts (especially
from my mother). Although I cherish the plants, they are cuttings
from cuttings from cuttings . . . I cherish them more because they
grow so nicely. And my mother had been doing the same before she
gave them to me.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/

I use Mozilla as my Web browser because I want a browser that
complies with Web standards. See http://www.mozilla.org/.