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!

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"meee" wrote:

PS Lavender is very easy to propagate from cuttings.
Keep it moist and it will grow. Now is a good time, going into winter
to
propagate this

Would Lavender do ok in the tropics?

No -- it doesn't like humidity. English lavender is marginal in Sydney.
There may be some ornamental lavenders that might grow, but they don't
smell
like the English and French types. See what's in your local nurseries
(proper
nurseries, not K-Mart or Bunnings. My Bunnings has *raspberry canes* for
sale
atm. In Sydney!)

Poo. What a pain. BTW, our local stanthorpewoolworths, in 0 deg and snow
that week, had lipstick cordylines for sale. Ummmm....ok!
--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"... if *I* was buying a baby I'd jolly well make sure it was at
least a two-tooth!"
Mary Grant Bruce, The Houses of the Eagle.

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.

Jonno writes:
"John Savage" wrote in message
news:060314000090459.14Mar06$rookswood@suburbian .com...
If you do buy a beehive, make sure you don't confine the bees to your
greenhouse, otherwise when you can't provide local pollen and nectar the
bees will starve. They need to be able to scour the neighbourhood to
collect water, too, at those times when you forget to replenish a source.

Would suggest a source of water too. Bees need water and if they find it, allow them to settle
amd drink.from a shallow bowl.

The bees will be perfectly happy to sip moisture off the wet plants and
drips off his watering system.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

John Savage wrote:

Jonno writes:


"John Savage" wrote in message
news:060314000090459.14Mar06$rookswood@suburbia n.com...
If you do buy a beehive, make sure you don't confine the bees to your
greenhouse, otherwise when you can't provide local pollen and nectar the
bees will starve. They need to be able to scour the neighbourhood to
collect water, too, at those times when you forget to replenish a source.


Would suggest a source of water too. Bees need water and if they find it, allow them to settle
amd drink.from a shallow bowl.



The bees will be perfectly happy to sip moisture off the wet plants and
drips off his watering system.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)



My bees use a saucer.. So much more refined than yours...(grin).

"Jonno" wrote in message ...
John Savage wrote:
Jonno writes:
"John Savage" wrote in message
om...
If you do buy a beehive, make sure you don't confine the bees to your
greenhouse, otherwise when you can't provide local pollen and nectar the
bees will starve. They need to be able to scour the neighbourhood to
collect water, too, at those times when you forget to replenish a source.
Would suggest a source of water too. Bees need water and if they find it, allow them to settle
amd drink.from a shallow bowl.

The bees will be perfectly happy to sip moisture off the wet plants and
drips off his watering system.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

My bees use a saucer.. So much more refined than yours...(grin).

Well, Larry just solved my pollination problems....half the greenhouse is gone!! So now to stop the dogs destroying stuff. Off to get some chicken wire....

"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!

Chookie writes:
My Bunnings has *raspberry canes* for sale atm. In Sydney!)

Is Sydney too warm for raspberry? I know it is ideal for blackberry;
I got rid of a lot of b/berry from the backyard 'garden' when I moved here
and I see plenty thriving on the suburban edges of bushland.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

meee wrote:



"Jonno"
wrote in message
...
John Savage wrote:

Jonno writes:


"John Savage" wrote in message
news:060314000090459.14Mar06$rookswood@suburbi an.com...
If you do buy a beehive, make sure you don't confine the bees to your
greenhouse, otherwise when you can't provide local pollen and nectar the
bees will starve. They need to be able to scour the neighbourhood to
collect water, too, at those times when you forget to replenish a source.


Would suggest a source of water too. Bees need water and if they find it, allow them to settle
amd drink.from a shallow bowl.



The bees will be perfectly happy to sip moisture off the wet plants and
drips off his watering system.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)



My bees use a saucer.. So much more refined than yours...(grin).
Well, Larry just solved my pollination problems....half the
greenhouse is gone!! So now to stop the dogs destroying stuff. Off
to get some chicken wire....

Well, at least you still have internet.
You could have let the dogs be taken care of by Larry.....He seems
usefull. Its an omen....(grin)
Hope the bees werent whizzed of to parts unknown!
Theyll be coming to your place now as theres not much left growing?

"Jonno" wrote in message ...
meee wrote:

"Jonno" wrote in message ...
John Savage wrote:
Jonno writes:
"John Savage" wrote in message
om...
If you do buy a beehive, make sure you don't confine the bees to your
greenhouse, otherwise when you can't provide local pollen and nectar the
bees will starve. They need to be able to scour the neighbourhood to
collect water, too, at those times when you forget to replenish a source.
Would suggest a source of water too. Bees need water and if they find it, allow them to settle
amd drink.from a shallow bowl.

The bees will be perfectly happy to sip moisture off the wet plants and
drips off his watering system.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

My bees use a saucer.. So much more refined than yours...(grin).

Well, Larry just solved my pollination problems....half the greenhouse is gone!! So now to stop the dogs destroying stuff. Off to get some chicken wire....
Well, at least you still have internet.
You could have let the dogs be taken care of by Larry.....He seems usefull. Its an omen....(grin)
Hope the bees werent whizzed of to parts unknown!
Theyll be coming to your place now as theres not much left growing?


Grin not much is moving....and I'm tempted to feed the dogs to Wati if they keep the digging up. Can't see many bees around, and my only bee attracting tree (bottlebrush) is gone. Our power's been a bit on and off today, but we're extremely greatful to have power (and a house) at all.

John Savage wrote:

Chookie writes:


My Bunnings has *raspberry canes* for sale atm. In Sydney!)



Is Sydney too warm for raspberry? I know it is ideal for blackberry;
I got rid of a lot of b/berry from the backyard 'garden' when I moved here
and I see plenty thriving on the suburban edges of bushland.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)



Day Mr Savage...
Raspberries? Related to blackberries, only not as vicious.
Shell be right mate. Otherwise report on "my raspberries wont grow"
section of subject heading...
Keep them wet and morning Sun only perhaps for your area.
(Got it right. Found this for you after typing this in. Intuition? YEP
How tinny is that! )
Watch out for fungus / blight...


http://www.bigw.com.au/Pages/DEPARTM...ening_July.ASP

*Berry, berry nice
*
There's a very good reason for growing your own berries. Berry fruits
are so soft when they're ripe that they are easily damaged. It's much
better to grow your own and enjoy them when they're yummily fresh and
fully ripe.

*Growing Raspberries
*Winter is a good season to think about planting raspberries because
packaged raspberry canes appear in the shops at this time of year.
Raspberries do best in areas with cool winters, where they'll grow
happily in full sun.* In warmer places raspberry plants prefer a little
bit of protection in the afternoon.
*
The first thing to do before planting is to clear away weeds because
their competition will really slow the growth of the raspberries. Do
this by spraying weeds with Zero (fortunately Zero breaks down rapidly
in the soil so won't leave any harmful residues). After the weeds have
died they can be dug into the soil. At the same time mix in some Dynamic
Lifter, which will encourage good root growth. Before planting, place
some supportive stakes at the end of each row.
Prune raspberries in mid winter by removing old canes that have already
fruited. After pruning, feed with Yates Gro-Plus Citrus Food.


PS I faked my Gardening knowledge certificate.
But my plants grew anyway.

In article ,
John Savage wrote:

Chookie writes:
My Bunnings has *raspberry canes* for sale atm. In Sydney!)

Is Sydney too warm for raspberry? I know it is ideal for blackberry;
I got rid of a lot of b/berry from the backyard 'garden' when I moved here
and I see plenty thriving on the suburban edges of bushland.

Ooh yes, blackberries do well here... on any bare patch of ground!

Raspberries don't fruit well here because it doesn't get cold enough. The
summer humidity gives them fungal problems, too. Might be OK on the
outskirts, like Richmond, but not where I am.

I've heard there is a thornless blackberry around and would like to grow it,
but I've never seen it for sale.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"... if *I* was buying a baby I'd jolly well make sure it was at
least a two-tooth!"
Mary Grant Bruce, The Houses of the Eagle.