When we moved into our present house some 18 months ago, we had a wonderful
display of penstemons which lasted almost to Christmas. Last year they were
very poor. This year we have had a reasonable flush of flowers but they are
certainly not going to continue flowering for much longer.


I tried (the first year) to take cuttings but they weren't successful. Does
anyone know the best way to take cuttings from Pestemons.

Also how should I look after the existing plants - each Spring I have cut
them down to a couple of inches - is that the right thing to do?

Jeanne Stockdale

'Jeanne',

Penstemons do very well for a few years. Then their performance tends to
decline and you are likely to lose a few of them, particularly if you
have severe winters and they are not in a well-drained soil and sunny
position.

It is best to take cuttings in anticipation of losses. The cuttings root
quite quickly and the success rate is about 100% provided that you
follow a few simple rules.

Take 3"-4" long tip cuttings in September or October (I do mine mid
October) and reduce the leaf tips by about a third of their length.

Insert the prepared cuttings in a moist mixture of 50% compost and 50%
perlite and place in a cold frame. Do not expose to direct sunlight and
moisten the leaves twice a day with a fine spray for a few weeks to get
them established.

In very cold weather I place my cuttings in the porch where I can
maintain a temperature of 35-40 degrees F.

Plant out the rooted cuttings in their permanent position the following
April or May.

PS: The art of taking most cuttings is to replace the moisture loss
which they experience when severed from the mother plant. In such
circumstances humans are given a drip.

This how Bob Davies (no relationship) does his penstemon cuttings. An
interesting site.

http://www.penstemania.co.uk/#Whats%20New

Regards,
Emrys Davies.






" Jeanne Stockdale" wrote in message
...
When we moved into our present house some 18 months ago, we had a
wonderful
display of penstemons which lasted almost to Christmas. Last year they
were
very poor. This year we have had a reasonable flush of flowers but
they are
certainly not going to continue flowering for much longer.


I tried (the first year) to take cuttings but they weren't successful.
Does
anyone know the best way to take cuttings from Pestemons.

Also how should I look after the existing plants - each Spring I have
cut
them down to a couple of inches - is that the right thing to do?

Jeanne Stockdale

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 13:25:10 +0100, Emrys Davies wrote:

PS: The art of taking most cuttings is to replace the moisture loss
which they experience when severed from the mother plant. In such
circumstances humans are given a drip.

Thin transparent plastic bags are a great way of preventing
desiccation of cuttings *but* you must open them and air them if
excessive condensation forms inside the bag. Cuttings should be
humid not wet.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote
in message ...
On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 13:25:10 +0100, Emrys Davies wrote:

PS: The art of taking most cuttings is to replace the moisture
loss
which they experience when severed from the mother plant. In such
circumstances humans are given a drip.

Thin transparent plastic bags are a great way of preventing
desiccation of cuttings *but* you must open them and air them if
excessive condensation forms inside the bag. Cuttings should be
humid not wet.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Rodger,

That's exactly how I treat my penstemon cuttings (and all others).
Once the cutting is set in a mixture of compost and vermiculite (or
perlite) I spray it well, cover with a thin plastic bag, and then
virtually no more water at all. Too much water is a killer. No
danger of rot this way and a very high success rate. Penstemons root
very quickly like this and I take them at any time from early summer
to late autumn. There is no one way to achieve success. I think we
each find a way that works for us, but for me the plastic bag is
essential.

Regards
Iris McCanna

"Barry & Iris McCanna" wrote in message ...
That's exactly how I treat my penstemon cuttings (and all others).
Once the cutting is set in a mixture of compost and vermiculite (or
perlite) I spray it well, cover with a thin plastic bag, and then
virtually no more water at all. Too much water is a killer. No
danger of rot this way and a very high success rate. Penstemons root
very quickly like this and I take them at any time from early summer
to late autumn. There is no one way to achieve success. I think we
each find a way that works for us, but for me the plastic bag is
essential.

Me too. Penstemons done this way hold the world speed record for rooting and near enough 100%.

Rod