"Jonno" wrote in message u...
meee wrote:
Thanks Jonno! That bag trick is a good one, but how do you achieve 'bottom heat?' (aside from a strategically placed hot water bottle)
"Jonno" wrote in message ...
meee wrote:Taking Cuttings
From the ABC

Prepare a cutting survival kit (collapsible cooler bag, plastic bag, secateurs, spray bottle). Select good quality propagation material. Cutting material should be pliable, but not too soft. Some leaves should be left attached, but no buds or flowers should remain. Store cutting material in the refrigerator until you find time to propagate it. Always make the base cut of your cutting below a node or leaf joint.

Hygiene is important! Wash all pots and tools in hot, soapy water before use. Use hormone powder for a greater strike rate, quicker root formation and more roots formed on individual cuttings. Spray cuttings with anti-transpirant spray and water with seaweed. Bottom heat will increase your success rate with cuttings that are difficult or slow to form roots.

Use commercial propagating mix or prepare your own by combining equal parts of either coarse washed river sand or perlite with coir peat.


Go Forth and Multiply!
I could be funny. But I wont be this time...!!!
A special heater for cuttings or if youre able to fashion a stand to fit over your hot water service..At some distance.
Thats asking a bit much, as one moment theyre cool and next moment theyre fried.
If youre in the tropics, a warm bottom heater, thats something you neednt worry about...
Have alook here http://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds...sing_info.html
It may be helpful.
You can get a mini hothouse for around $50/60 which can include a bottom heating element for just such a purpose. I got two (one for a present)
last year and theyre quite functional. I did without the heating element and have just started growing some seedlings for the winter.
As an electronics hobbyist I see the possibilities of using an old electric blanket and 12 volts and a bit of calculations to make something to do this.
It would need to be thermostatically controlled of course. An old aquarium filled with water and an heating element set for 32 C? Insulated sides? (I'm inventive)

In some areas a large Coke type bottle with the bottom cut out will suffice for a mini hothouse, and keep the seedlings quite snug from cold and chilling wind while it sits
in front of a northernly facing brick wall. This is enough to keep it from freezing.


Thanks Jonno. I have used the coke bottle trick before to good effect (provided they are not in direct sunlight as it cooked some arrrgh!!) I shoved some prunings in the ground and most of the hard ones took, but the soft ones died, so I think the coke bottle would be good for them. Thanks for reminding me of that one!