GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Propagating Cuttings in Water -- Pineapple Mint Difficult

David E. Ross · 23-10-2006, 07:17 AM posted to rec.gardens

wrote:
Hi,

Unlike other mints, the Pineapple Mint I bought did
not spread, but instead stayed in one area. It came back
for three years, but on the fourth way it split in two stems.
One I planted in water and was successful, but I only had
it left. It's about 16 inches long and is not branching. I'm
wondering if I cut
the top 8 inches off and put it in water if the very well rooted
other part will continue to live.

Plants rooted in water are very difficult to pot up. The rootlets are
too easily damaged when put into soil.

On the other hand, some plants rooted in water will survive a very long
time that way. I have a philodendron in water that my mother started
possibly 15 years ago. Since mint likes lots of water (sometimes
growing in bogs) and doesn't need much nutrients, it could indeed be
successful.

If a plant grows with a single stem and no branches, just pinch the tip
(remove the terminal bud) to make it branch. Or you can cut it further
down but above the bottom-most leaves.

Some plants, including lavender (a mint relative) die back if a stem is
cut below the bottom-most leaves. If such a plant has only one stem,
that will kill the plant.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/