Having taken a lot of cuttings how do I know if they have rooted? Early
failures are obvious when the cutting is obviously dead, but how to know
when they have taken and when to pot them on?
--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

On Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:21:54 +0100, Moonraker
wrote:

Having taken a lot of cuttings how do I know if they have rooted? Early
failures are obvious when the cutting is obviously dead, but how to know
when they have taken and when to pot them on?

A lot depends on what the cuttings are but I'll guess you're talking
herbaceous plants. In general, I wait about a month to six weeks by
which time those cuttings that have taken will start to show signs of
growing - maybe new leaves forming or the cutting becoming higher. The
fact that the cuttings are still alive after that time is indication
enough that they are doing ok but it's just a case of letting the
roots develop enough to take the disturbance of potting on.

I grow a lot of cuttings in cell trays rather than pots and it's
usually easy to see that roots have developed by looking through the
holes in the bottom.

If all else fails, a* very* gentle pull of the cutting will tell you
whether or not it has rooted well. If there's any resistance then it's
ready for potting on.


Cheers
Jake
==============================================
Gardening at the dry end (east) of Swansea Bay
in between reading anything by JRR Tolkien.

www.rivendell.org.uk

In message , Jake
writes
On Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:21:54 +0100, Moonraker
wrote:

Having taken a lot of cuttings how do I know if they have rooted? Early
failures are obvious when the cutting is obviously dead, but how to know
when they have taken and when to pot them on?

A lot depends on what the cuttings are but I'll guess you're talking
herbaceous plants. In general, I wait about a month to six weeks by
which time those cuttings that have taken will start to show signs of
growing - maybe new leaves forming or the cutting becoming higher. The
fact that the cuttings are still alive after that time is indication
enough that they are doing ok but it's just a case of letting the
roots develop enough to take the disturbance of potting on.

I grow a lot of cuttings in cell trays rather than pots and it's
usually easy to see that roots have developed by looking through the
holes in the bottom.

I often use the little net pots that they sell Fuchsias and bedding
plants in. You can then see the roots growing out through the net.

(Does anyone know where one can buy such pots?)

If all else fails, a* very* gentle pull of the cutting will tell you
whether or not it has rooted well. If there's any resistance then it's
ready for potting on.


Cheers
Jake
==============================================
Gardening at the dry end (east) of Swansea Bay
in between reading anything by JRR Tolkien.

www.rivendell.org.uk

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

On Mon, 1 Aug 2011 13:39:03 +0100, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:



I often use the little net pots that they sell Fuchsias and bedding
plants in. You can then see the roots growing out through the net.

(Does anyone know where one can buy such pots?)



I get all my propagation stuff from the Garden Superstore. Link to the
net pots is:

http://www.thegardensuperstore.co.uk.../Net_Pots.html

Cheers
Jake
==============================================
Gardening at the dry end (east) of Swansea Bay
in between reading anything by JRR Tolkien.

www.rivendell.org.uk

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , Nospam@invalid
says...

On Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:21:54 +0100, Moonraker
wrote:

Having taken a lot of cuttings how do I know if they have rooted? Early
failures are obvious when the cutting is obviously dead, but how to know
when they have taken and when to pot them on?

A lot depends on what the cuttings are but I'll guess you're talking
herbaceous plants. In general, I wait about a month to six weeks by
which time those cuttings that have taken will start to show signs of
growing - maybe new leaves forming or the cutting becoming higher. The
fact that the cuttings are still alive after that time is indication
enough that they are doing ok but it's just a case of letting the
roots develop enough to take the disturbance of potting on.

I grow a lot of cuttings in cell trays rather than pots and it's
usually easy to see that roots have developed by looking through the
holes in the bottom.

Or if they are in a pot, *very gently* slide/slip the pot off the
compost, like a fragile sandpie, looking for roots down the sides of the
compost. I usually arrange cuttings round the outer edge of the pot to
make that easier.
Then slide it back on, of course :-)

Janet.

Or use a transparent fruit punnet instead of a pot, the small ones are ideal
for the job, used to use them for all my clematis cuttings until I
discovered Fertis plugs!


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 01/08/2011 16:25, Charlie Pridham wrote:

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , Nospam@invalid
says...

On Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:21:54 +0100, Moonraker
wrote:

Having taken a lot of cuttings how do I know if they have rooted? Early
failures are obvious when the cutting is obviously dead, but how to
know
when they have taken and when to pot them on?

A lot depends on what the cuttings are but I'll guess you're talking
herbaceous plants. In general, I wait about a month to six weeks by
which time those cuttings that have taken will start to show signs of
growing - maybe new leaves forming or the cutting becoming higher. The
fact that the cuttings are still alive after that time is indication
enough that they are doing ok but it's just a case of letting the
roots develop enough to take the disturbance of potting on.

I grow a lot of cuttings in cell trays rather than pots and it's
usually easy to see that roots have developed by looking through the
holes in the bottom.

Or if they are in a pot, *very gently* slide/slip the pot off the
compost, like a fragile sandpie, looking for roots down the sides of the
compost. I usually arrange cuttings round the outer edge of the pot to
make that easier.
Then slide it back on, of course :-)

Janet.

Or use a transparent fruit punnet instead of a pot, the small ones are
ideal for the job, used to use them for all my clematis cuttings until I
discovered Fertis plugs!


The problem with Janet's and Stewart's ideas is as I use a 50/50 mixture
of perlite and gravel the "compost" would not hold together many thanks
for all the help, I'll try to get hold of transparent pots.

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire