Rooting in a gel
 

I have used this rooting gel for awhile now and have successfully rooted
geranium, fushia, I should think any softwood stem would work. Its so easy
to use and theres the added bonus of watching the roots form. Only one draw
back its not cheap stuff :-(
"martin" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:11:43 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:20:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:

About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest
amongst
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden
centre,
you
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.

I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful,
achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a
neat
way
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and
it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to
upset
the cuttings in any way.

Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?

What was the gel which was used?
plant gel

see http://www.plantgel.com/ ignore the God Bless America
stuff..........

Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a
good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root",
and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and
a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I
have
some results.

Most kids put it on their hair nowadays :-(
--
Martin

Rooting in a gel
 

Kay Easton wrote in message ...
In article , Michael
Berridge writes

Chris Hogg wrote in message
...
Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?

And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?

I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Mark

Rooting in a gel
 

"Mark Fawcett" wrote in message
om...
: Kay Easton wrote in message
...
: In article , Michael
: Berridge writes
:
: Chris Hogg wrote in message
: ...
: Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
: using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
: they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
: ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
: spaces between.
:
: You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
: need to be in contact with moisture all the time.
:
: Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
: contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
: the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
: the same hold true for cuttings?
:
: And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
: water, but to give air spaces?
:
: I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.
:
: Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
: moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
: they seem to be ok, I will post any results.
:
: Mark

Is it a special gel for this purpose - if so what is the brand name - or is
it just the gel that is used for pots, hanging baskets, etc for water
retention?

Sorry if this has been mentioned earlier, but I have just come into this
thread.

K

Rooting in a gel
 

In article , tracey
writes
I have used this rooting gel for awhile now and have successfully rooted
geranium, fushia,

Though that isn't a great test of its efficacy - geraniums and fuchsias
will root in anything. Even I can get them to go ;-)

I should think any softwood stem would work. Its so easy
to use and theres the added bonus of watching the roots form. Only one draw
back its not cheap stuff :-(

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Rooting in a gel
 

"Mark Fawcett" wrote in message
om...
Kay Easton wrote in message
...
In article , Michael
Berridge writes

Chris Hogg wrote in message
...
Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?

And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?

I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Franz

Mark

Rooting in a gel
 

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?

And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?

I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Franz

Mark

K - these are just the ordinary water retaining granules used in
baskets, tubs etc.

Franz - didnt use anything else this time so its a bit like just
sticking cuttings in water to root them except hopefully if they do
root, the roots wil grow into the granules and so protect them when it
comes to potting them up.
However I will be trying out more cuttings of the same plants in the
gel but with a little bit of liquid rooting agent this weekend, not
exactly a scientific trial but it might prove interesting.

Mark

Rooting in a gel
 

"Mark Fawcett" wrote in message
om...
Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium
(after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots.
they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water
from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might
not
the same hold true for cuttings?

And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?

I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on
the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Franz

Mark

K - these are just the ordinary water retaining granules used in
baskets, tubs etc.

Franz - didnt use anything else this time so its a bit like just
sticking cuttings in water to root them except hopefully if they do
root, the roots wil grow into the granules and so protect them when it
comes to potting them up.
However I will be trying out more cuttings of the same plants in the
gel but with a little bit of liquid rooting agent this weekend, not
exactly a scientific trial but it might prove interesting.

Please continue to report.

Franz

Rooting in a gel
 

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ...
"Mark Fawcett" wrote in message
om...
Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium
(after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.
snip
Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on
the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Franz
K - these are just the ordinary water retaining granules used in
baskets, tubs etc.

Franz - didnt use anything else this time so its a bit like just
sticking cuttings in water to root them except hopefully if they do
root, the roots wil grow into the granules and so protect them when it
comes to potting them up.
However I will be trying out more cuttings of the same plants in the
gel but with a little bit of liquid rooting agent this weekend, not
exactly a scientific trial but it might prove interesting.

Please continue to report.

Franz

No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
One thing that did surprise me though was just how much water the
granules could absorb so I may try again but with less granules and
more water. I could however, if I carry along with this track, end up
with the situation of more water than granule thus making the trial a
bit pointless!-)

Mark

Rooting in a gel
 

"Mark Fawcett" wrote in message
om...
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
"Mark Fawcett" wrote in message
om...
Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone
tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium
(after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might
be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in
the
spaces between.
snip
Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5
days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising
agent on
the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Franz
K - these are just the ordinary water retaining granules used in
baskets, tubs etc.

Franz - didnt use anything else this time so its a bit like just
sticking cuttings in water to root them except hopefully if they do
root, the roots wil grow into the granules and so protect them when it
comes to potting them up.
However I will be trying out more cuttings of the same plants in the
gel but with a little bit of liquid rooting agent this weekend, not
exactly a scientific trial but it might prove interesting.

Please continue to report.

Franz

No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
One thing that did surprise me though was just how much water the
granules could absorb so I may try again but with less granules and
more water. I could however, if I carry along with this track, end up
with the situation of more water than granule thus making the trial a
bit pointless!-)

I have tried a number of cuttings from different plants in the "Gel2Root"
stuff. It was a near total disaster. They cuttings have been in for seven
weeks now and the strike rate is abysmally low.
I'll go back to old fashioned pure sand next year.

Franz

Rooting in a gel
 

No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
I had the same result, the cuttings did not actually die but I could
see that they were not very happy and put them into water where they
started to grow shoots very quickly.
kate

Rooting in a gel
 

In article , Mark
Fawcett writes

No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.

Forget granules, forget hormones - just use a halfandhalf mixture of
sand and peat and make sure you do it at the right time of year for the
type of cutting and for the plant in question.

--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

Rooting in a gel
 

In article , Kate Morgan
writes

No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
I had the same result, the cuttings did not actually die but I could
see that they were not very happy and put them into water where they
started to grow shoots very quickly.

Apparently the roots in water are not the type of root that will sustain
a plant in soil :(

--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

Rooting in a gel
 

On 25 Sep 2003 00:42:06 -0700, (Mark Fawcett)
wrote:



No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
One thing that did surprise me though was just how much water the
granules could absorb so I may try again but with less granules and
more water. I could however, if I carry along with this track, end up
with the situation of more water than granule thus making the trial a
bit pointless!-)

Mark

How did you prepare the granules? Did you pre-soak them and then put
the lumps of swelled gel into a pot, followed by the cuttings, or did
you put dry granules into a pot, then dibbled in the cuttings,
followed by water (or yet another route)?


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net