I have this beautiful ceanothus tree -
it is very large, and seems to be full of blossom
for most of the year.
(It is already starting to flower.)

But I've been trying to get cuttings from it for several years,
with complete lack of success.
I tried a month or so ago, with small cuttings in a 50% sand-peat mixture,
in covered pots on an electric warming tray from Lidl.
But they have already started to lose their few leaves.

Can anyone offer me advice in my predicament?

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail: gayleard /at/ eircom.net
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
I have this beautiful ceanothus tree -
it is very large, and seems to be full of blossom
for most of the year.
(It is already starting to flower.)

But I've been trying to get cuttings from it for several years,
with complete lack of success.
I tried a month or so ago, with small cuttings in a 50% sand-peat mixture,
in covered pots on an electric warming tray from Lidl.
But they have already started to lose their few leaves.

Can anyone offer me advice in my predicament?


Have you tried layering?

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

David WE Roberts wrote:

...
I have this beautiful ceanothus tree -
it is very large, and seems to be full of blossom
for most of the year.
(It is already starting to flower.)

But I've been trying to get cuttings from it for several years,
with complete lack of success.
I tried a month or so ago, with small cuttings in a 50% sand-peat
mixture, in covered pots on an electric warming tray from Lidl.
But they have already started to lose their few leaves.

Can anyone offer me advice in my predicament?

Have you tried layering?


Thanks for the suggestion.
I had thought about this,
but unfortunately there are only short branches in the lower 6ft,
and none of these are long enough to get down to the ground.

I was wondering if there is a standard way of putting soil
(or something like that) around a branch high up in the tree?


--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail: gayleard /at/ eircom.net
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin

Yes. Its called "air layering". Google it and you will find detailed explanations of how to do it.

Remember that Ceanothus is often a bit like leyland cypress in that it doesn't tend to grow back if you cut it back to beyond where it is currently in leaf, so make sure you are carrying out operations with wood in the region where it is currently in leaf.

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:36:39 +0000, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

David WE Roberts wrote:

...
I have this beautiful ceanothus tree -
it is very large, and seems to be full of blossom
for most of the year.
(It is already starting to flower.)

But I've been trying to get cuttings from it for several years,
with complete lack of success.
I tried a month or so ago, with small cuttings in a 50% sand-peat
mixture, in covered pots on an electric warming tray from Lidl.
But they have already started to lose their few leaves.

Can anyone offer me advice in my predicament?

Have you tried layering?


Thanks for the suggestion.
I had thought about this,
but unfortunately there are only short branches in the lower 6ft,
and none of these are long enough to get down to the ground.

I was wondering if there is a standard way of putting soil
(or something like that) around a branch high up in the tree?

Air-layering. Google for it; lots of info.

--

Chris


Not been following the whole thread so sorry if this has already been said!

Best time for evergreen ceanothus cuttings is October, done in a cold frame,
no extra plastic covers, no bottom heat, Cuttings need to be about 8-10
inches long with the bottom leaves removed without tearing (To allow
insertion) make sure you pot them up in the spring as their roots dislike
disturbance. should be ready for garden planting in mid summer as they grow
on very quickly.

You can do them at any time of year under mist if not in flower but the
above requires no special equipment


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