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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

August 25, 2020 cuttings and color

Hello gardeners

 Once again, I am sitting here wishing for rain. It’s been 10 days since we had any and its been hot for the last 5. I don’t like hot and humid weather.  We are supposed to get a cool down over the next weekend and I hope it’s the last of this heat wave stuff. But its 2020 so who knows?

If you have lived in the same area for many years, I’m sure you have recognized a change in weather patterns over the years.  I have lived here for over 25 years and I know it’s hotter and drier in summer than it was when we first moved here.

When we first moved here summer storms were frequent and they often featured intense lightning and heavy downpours. I would see lightning strikes in the farm fields across from us and lightning struck 2 trees on our property and a power pole in the first few years we were here.  Now it seems the storm track has moved about 100 miles north.

I don’t miss the lightning, but I do miss the rain and the coolness a storm brings. Our storms are milder, which is fine, and the last few winters have been milder too, which is great. I also keep written weather records and I know the weather has changed. What I worry about is that it will keep changing in this direction- hotter and drier.

This is the second year in a row our sweet corn has failed to impress. I know weather has something to do with it. I planted a variety I had success with in the past and it started growing well this spring.  Then the weather got hot and dry. I watered, but in raised beds the hot weather quickly dries out the soil.

I harvested some corn yesterday and while tasty, the ears were small, about 6 inches long. Many of them didn’t fill to the top, a pollination problem. I also know the garden area is shadier than it used to be. A mulberry tree grew up on the north side of the fence. It impacts the growing area only a little, slightly less sun in early am and late pm but it’s a factor. I think it’s my last year for planting corn.

My cucumbers are gone- dead from fungal disease. But the tomatoes soldier on. I am planting lettuce this week for fall.

The hardy hibiscus are blooming now.  I love those big gaudy flowers. And all of my tropical hibiscus are in bloom too. The ligularia is blooming and toad lilies will be blooming soon, as well as the snakeroot. In the fields, goldenrod is now blooming, a boon for the bees. I leave some here and there in my gardens for color and as bee pleasers.

It takes a lot right now to be friendly to bees. I had to remove one hummingbird feeder that was too close to a walk because they attacked anyone near it. I see them chasing hummers away from the feeders. While yellow jackets are the most aggressive and are technically hornets, they are also part of the ecology. Yellow jackets eat aphids and fly maggots along with other harmful insects. Bald faced hornets are also plentiful now.

The populations of all bees and hornets are higher now and they are all very busy and protective of their food sources as they prepare for winter. Bumblebees are nesting under the back ramp and while they don’t bother me- or so far my husband, they are bothering my dog.  He is jumping off the side rather than going over them.

So far, I am holding off on chemical control, although the yellowjacket nest under the front porch roof just may have to be treated. I have been soaking their nest area with a hard spray of water every night. They come out and attack the water! I wish they would just relocate. It’s hard to tolerate yellow jackets.

 

Making cut flowers last longer in a vase

 

In late summer everything seems to be abundantly in bloom and many gardeners cut flowers for inside the home. You may want to give big bougets of summer flowers to friends and relatives.  Here’s some tips to make the bougets last longer.

First start with a very clean vase, scrubbed with hot water and soap.  Bacteria are the biggest cause of early flower wilt and that awful smelling vase water. Don’t inoculate the water of a new batch of flowers by using a dirty vase. Don’t combine some older flowers that have been in a vase with new ones because you will bring bacteria clinging to the stems.

Always remove all foliage that will be beneath the water in a vase.  If you bought the flowers make a fresh cut on each stem before putting them in the vase.  Make stem cuts on a slant instead of straight across to expose more xylem tubes which take up water. Some people suggest cutting flower stems under water so no air bubbles get in the stem but this hasn’t be shown to be very effective in most research.

Fill vases with cold, clean water.  If you have “city water” its fine to use.  If you use a water softener at home, you should use bottled water.  Well water that isn’t softened is fine - but if it has its own smell or looks bad you may want to use bottled water. If you use well water put a drop or two of unscented chlorine bleach in the vase.

Another choice for filling vases is one part 7-Up or another lemon-lime soda to 3 parts water. Use regular, not diet soda. Clear soda looks best. The citric acid in the soda acidifies the water and inhibits bacterial growth. The sugar in the soda feeds the flowers just a bit.  Research has shown that this soda treatment does extend the vase life of flowers.

If you bought the flowers and you got a little package of “flower food” use it.  It’s a combination of a number of things that lower the bacteria count and feed flowers and really does extend vase life.

Every few days dump the water in the vase and refill with clean water or water- pop solution.  Keep the vase full to the top with water.

Things not to add to flower vases are aspirin tablets or vitamin tablets, (didn’t work in research tests), pennies, (the copper isn’t water soluble in our pennies) plain sugar (increases bacteria), vinegar, ( no results in research)or alcohol like vodka or gin, which don’t have any benefit according to research.

Putting your flower arrangement in the refrigerator at night will prolong its life. Misting flowers once a day seems to help. Keep arrangements out of the sun and away from heat sources. Remove wilted or dead flowers or foliage frequently.

Remember that some flowers just don’t last long in the vase.  An open daylily will be gone the next day regardless of what you do, (but daylily buds on a stem may continue to open). Some flowers require special treatment to remain pretty for even a few days. 

Long lasting cut flowers are roses, Asiatic and oriental lilies, glads, dahlias, Peruvian lilies, daisies, zinnias, mums, carnations, sunflowers, liatris, coreopsis, lavender, salvias, yarrow, phlox, asters, Echinacea, iris, bellflowers, daffodils, strawflowers, coral bells, obedient plant, gaillardia, and veronica.

If you are inside because it’s just too hot outside, at least make sure you surround yourself with flowers.

 

Plants for color in the late summer and fall shade garden

 

Color in late summer and fall is fairly easy to come by for a sunny garden.  But what about the shaded garden? How do you keep the color and interest going in your shady garden? Hosta are often the backbone of shady gardens but by late summer they often look tattered or start to die back.  Other foliage plants like heurchera may also look bedraggled by fall.

Some perennial plants though, are just beginning to reach peak and bloom by late summer even in the shade. Gardeners with shady spots may want to consider them. Here’s some of my favorites.

Ligularia dentata sometimes called Leopard plant is a large, impressive plant that has yellow daisy-like flowers in late summer. The plants are around 3 feet tall and wide at maturity, with large rounded leaves of deep green with a touch of bronze or maroon.  The golden yellow flowers appear in clusters above the foliage in late summer.  Hardy to zone 3.


Black Snakeroot – Cimicifuga racemosa- has lacy looking foliage, which in the most popular varieties is chocolate or purplish colored. Plants can get 4-foot-tall and 3 foot wide. In late summer they have wands of pretty pink or white, lightly fragrant flowers waving over the foliage. Its a native plant. Hardy to zone 4.

Toad lilies, (Tricyrtis hirta) have become popular as shade plants. They have stalks of tiny orchid -like flowers in shades of pink, purple, and yellow in late summer. Plants are about 30 inches high and 12 inches wide, with oval shaped, ribbed leaves. They form clumps which slowly enlarge each year. Hardy to zone 5.

Japanese anemones (Anemone hupehensis or Anemone tomentosa ), will bloom well in partial or light shade. Once established, which can take a year or two, they form a clump of foliage covered with branching clusters of pretty pink or white flowers. The flowers are 2-3 inches wide and seem to flutter in the breeze. They can bloom for 6 weeks in late summer, or until a hard frost. Plants can get 3 feet tall in favorable conditions.  Hardy to zone 5.

And don’t forget the annual shade lovers. Impatiens are popular, but wax begonias, fuchsia, pansies,(you can sometimes get them in fall) violas, tuberous begonias, torenia, lobelia, browallia, and coleus, polka dot plant, and caladium (foliage), can provide color in shade right up to frost.

Another trick for fall color in shade is to add potted plants like mums, asters, or dahlias. Although these prefer full sun, once they are in bloom, shade won’t harm them or stop them from continuing to bloom.  I usually have some pots of tuberous begonias that were slow to start blooming sitting around that I stick in the shade for fall color.

 

Reproducing plants from cuttings

In social media I am constantly seeing people ask about sticking a broken piece of a plant in water – or even a leaf- to start a new plant. People urge other people to cut up dying plants and root them in water. Every fallen leaf or broken stem is seen as the start to a new plant.

Plants have the remarkable ability to reproduce asexually, that is to grow a new plant from a piece of a plant. One of the advantages of producing plants through cuttings is that the new plant started from a cutting will be exactly like the parent plant, (with a few odd exceptions). Many greenhouses reproduce hundreds of types of plants from cuttings.

But starting plants from a cutting- which is a piece of a plant- isn’t always easy, especially if you are just sticking a piece of plant in water. Some plants simply can’t be started this way. And only a few types of plants can be successfully started from just a leaf.

Many gardeners seem so sad at having to discard broken pieces of plants. Some feel they can’t afford certain plants, so they want to steal or beg a piece of plant and start their own. And there’s a superstition that plants started from a sneaky “pinch” grow better. So, this article discusses starting plants from cuttings.

 

                                        Quick Points to remember

 

Not all plants can be easily started from cuttings, some are almost impossible to start this way.

Every plant species has different requirements for when and how to take a cutting and root it for the best results.

Rooting cuttings in water is not recommended for most plants.

Unhealthy or yellowing plant parts are not suitable for cuttings

Rose and other cuttings should not be started in potatoes.

 

 Now for more information

It’s probably possible to start any plant from a properly taken cutting but in many cases, it can be very difficult and unlikely. Even having a chance at getting a cutting to root of some species requires a tedious and exacting procedure. In fact, most species of plants require knowledge of when and how to take a cutting from that species and what rooting conditions they prefer if you want to be successful at starting them.

If you are interested in propagating garden perennials or woody plants, you should consult a reference on propagation. It’s impossible to provide information on a vast number of species here. A reference means a book, or an online site from a scientific source like Extension, a horticultural college, or an experienced specialty site for a species, like the Rose Society or Hosta Society.

It’s simply unrealistic to think you can plop a piece of any plant in water and it will root.  While there are some plants that will easily root in water (mostly tropical house plants) or from a piece of plant of leaf falling on the soil (sedums and other succulents do this well) most species require more planning and better rooting techniques.

Plants with a crown system of growth, think hosta and daylilies, may be difficult to start from cuttings. They are generally propagated by division, or tissue culture. Putting a leaf or stem in water will not result in a new plant.

Many plants with a woody stem or semi-woody stem, (trees, shrubs, some garden perennials and houseplants), can be started from cuttings only if you select the cuttings at the right time and start them with bottom heat and a misting system. The average perennial or woody plant in your garden cannot be started simply by putting a piece of it in water.

Some plants put out aerial stems with “babies” on them.  Spider plants and “hens and chicks” are examples. Other plants produce “pups” or suckers at the base. Those baby plants can be easily rooted, and some will root in water.  

 What to start cuttings in

If you are going to try starting plants from cuttings remember this.  Almost all plant cuttings start better in potting medium or another solid medium, like sand or peat, than they do in water. And plants you want to eventually grow in soil should be started in some sort of solid medium.  Reserve those water started cuttings for a few select species, or plants you want to keep growing in water. (Note: I’m not considering hydroponic growing here, which is a whole other subject and is not the same as starting cuttings in water.)

For rooting all cuttings, the medium – or “soil” should be a soilless mixture or milled peat or vermiculite for best results.  Don’t use garden soil or compost as these will often contain bacteria or fungi that will start rotting the cutting. Some people use clean sand for rooting cuttings, especially hardwood cuttings.

 Basics for all cuttings

All cuttings should have at least two nodes on them. Nodes are points along a stem where a growth bud is, usually where leaves are found or will grow. Some people refer to nodes as “joints”. Nodes may look like swollen or like wider areas on a plant stem.  In some plants there are many nodes close together and in others there are fewer nodes farther apart. 


One node on a cutting will form the upper part of the new plant or the shoots, and the other will form the root system. You must be careful not to damage the nodes when you cut pieces off the parent plant. Longer cuttings with many nodes are not necessarily better. Cuttings with more than 4 nodes may not root well.

Flower stems do not have nodes, that’s why cut flowers like zinnias do not root in a vase of water. Most leaf stems do not have nodes either. A leaf from an oak tree or a rhubarb leaf stem will not grow roots. In a few plants though, a leaf that lands on soil or is inserted into a medium, can start a new plant. Succulents like jade plants, burro’s tails and others have leaves like this. An African violet or rex begonia leaf can start a new plant.  But for the vast majority of plants a leaf cannot grow a new plant.

If cuttings are from the tip of the plant stem, they are called terminal cuttings.  Terminal cuttings usually grow faster than other stem cuttings.  The new growth will come at the end of the cutting, at the tip and you only need one additional node. If a piece of stem is cut into several smaller pieces, one piece at the end is the terminal cutting and the other pieces are just called stem cuttings. These stem cuttings will produce new growth from the side of the node.

Plant cuttings will root best if the end inserted in the soil or water to form roots is the end which would have been closest to the main stem of the parent plant (or bottom). This is especially true when making hardwood cuttings.  When making hardwood cuttings that will be stored for a while it’s a good idea to mark the “bottoms” of the cuttings with paint or marker above the cut end so you don’t forget which end is to be inserted into the rooting medium.

When dividing a stem into several pieces for cuttings make it’s a good idea to leave a small “handle “of stem above the top node of the section. This is generally cut on a slant. Pick up the cutting by the handle so you don’t damage the node which will become the upper parts of the plant. Beneath the bottom node of the cutting cut the stem straight across as close to the node as you can without damaging it. This part will go into the rooting medium.

 

Tips for different types of cuttings

 

Softwood cuttings are taken when the plant is growing and has leaves.  The stems are generally green and soft, without bark. These are the cuttings generally taken from houseplants all year round and tender herbaceous perennials in early spring or fall if you want to carry certain plants through winter.  The best softwood cuttings or stem cuttings come from growth the plant put out in the last few months.  By the way, softwood cuttings are the ones most likely to root in water.

Plants that start well from softwood are pothos, philodendron,  Tradescantia  or Zebrina,  bridal veil, purple passion plant, setcreasea, Swedish ivy, hoya, peperomia,  petunias, snapdragons, tomatoes, coleus, cane type begonias, wax begonias, impatiens, geraniums ( Pelargonium), sedum, creeping phlox, chrysanthemum, Cuphea, Dipladenia, fuchsia, Hedera ivies (Boston ivy and others),heliotrope, poinsettia, plus many more.

Softwood cuttings can be rooted at any time.  Prepare the cuttings by removing all but one or two leaves at each above ground node and all the leaves from the nodes that will be underground.  If the plant has very large leaves cut the leaves in half. Dip the bottom of the cutting in rooting hormone, which can be purchased at most garden stores. All plants won’t need rooting medium, but for the more difficult plants you’ll get better results using it.   

Make a hole in the moistened planting medium; do not push the cutting into the medium because this can damage the node that will make the roots.  Firm the medium around the cutting.  You can bury half the nodes in the medium and leave half above the “ground”. 

Some wilting of leaves left on cuttings is normal, sometimes the leaves even fall off, but the stem will remain firm and green and new leaves should grow if the cutting is “taking.”

Semi-hardwood cuttings are an intermediate stage between a young green steam and an older woody one. They may be from tropical plants which don’t have a dormant period or taken from plants outside of a dormancy period but before the stems have heavy bark.  Jade plants are an example, as are roses, grapes, ficus, jasmine, artemesia, buddleia (butterfly bush), lavender, caryopteris and brugmansia. Willows will start from semi-woody cuttings, hardwood or softwood. Rosemary can be started from soft or semi-hardwood cuttings.

Most garden plants propagated by semi-hardwood do best when cuttings are taken in late spring.  For some tropical plants the season is not important. These cuttings take longer than softwood cuttings to root.  Don’t let the soil get too wet or they will rot.  You may need to experiment to see if some semi-hardwood cuttings need to be enclosed in glass or plastic to start well. 

Many semi-hardwood rose cuttings are started under a jar right in the soil of the garden. The jars must be in a shaded area or it will be too hot inside.  That’s an old method of rose propagation and starting them in containers of soilless medium is better. Remember that only roses grown on their own roots should be propagated by rooting cuttings. Grafted roses are propagated by grafting cuttings on hardy root stock.

There’s a “trick” floating around online that you can start rose cuttings by sticking them in a potato. This does not work. All you will grow is potatoes.

Several cuttings can be placed in one container. Most people enclose the container in a plastic bag to increase the humidity. Make sure that the cuttings do not touch the sides of any covering as the pieces may rot at that spot.  If the enclosed area gets extremely wet remove the covering for a few hours.  Place these covered containers in bright light but not in direct sunlight.  Most of these cuttings do best in warm conditions.

Don’t tug at cuttings to see if they have rooted.  If several new leaves have developed the root system probably has too.  Carefully dig up the cuttings and pot them individually, if desired.  Fertilize the new plants lightly and move into the lighting situation the plant requires.

One special note- cuttings of succulents and cacti should be given a day or two for the cuts to heal and form a callus before being inserted into rooting medium.  I have found that cuttings of pelargoniums (common geranium) also respond well to a day or two of drying before they are put in rooting medium.

Hardwood cuttings are from woody ornamentals and a few indoor plants.  They are usually taken from wood about the size of a pencil and they are taken while the plant is dormant, held in cold storage and rooted just before the parent plant would break dormancy. These cuttings may have bark on the stems. Plants to try include willows, junipers, arborvitae, forsythia, euonymus, camellia, privet, gardenia, citrus, cypress, dogwood, blueberries, weigela, mockorange, mulberry, and rose of Sharon.

Hardwood cuttings are taken after the plants have gone dormant and they are then stored in a cold- below freezing - dark place for several months.  Hardwood cuttings are generally 8-12 inches long and should have several nodes. They should be kept moist- many people store them in a can of damp sand.

If the cutting is from an evergreen plant, remove most of the needles/leaves from the upper part of the cutting and all the needles from the nodes that will be inserted into the rooting medium.

About 6 weeks before the parent plants would normally come out of dormancy, bring the cuttings into a moderately warm 40-60-degree place for a week. Prepare moistened planting medium as for softwood cuttings, make holes in the medium for the cuttings, dip in rooting hormones and insert. I find that hardwood cuttings generally need rooting hormone to get started. Keep the cuttings in a cool – below 70-degree place in indirect light. Do not enclose these cuttings in plastic or glass but keep the humidity up in the room if possible. 

Alternately some people put hardwood cuttings in pots soon after taking them and store the pots in a cold area – even outside in trenches- allowing the cuttings to begin to grow when the parent plant does, or they bring the pots inside earlier and treat as above.

When you see new growth, you can carefully transplant the cuttings into individual containers, fertilize lightly and place gradually into brighter light.  It can take a long time for some hardwood cuttings to get growing well. I suggest growing them in containers for one season (to the next spring) before transplanting into the ground.

 

Problems and more tips

If you are having trouble getting a plant to root from a cutting, try adding gentle bottom heat. Seed starting mats or waterproof heating mats on low heat can work. Many professional propagators use a misting system on cuttings.  I find that starting cuttings outside in a protected area in early spring works well because misty, drizzly weather is common here in spring.  If a cold spell comes move the cuttings inside.  Make sure heavy rainstorms don’t beat the cuttings down or flood containers.

If you are having trouble propagating a certain type of plant, try taking cuttings at a different time of the year or using softwood instead of hardwood or vice versa.  Some plants are just very difficult to start from cuttings.

If the cutting doesn’t put out any new growth after a few weeks, or the bottom of the stem blackens, shrivels or turns mushy it isn’t “taking”.  Discard those and start over. 

Most plants are not hurt from trimming off pieces for cuttings and it even stimulates some plants to grow better. Start several cuttings if you can, it increases the odds you’ll get a new plant.  If you get all of them to grow you can share them with your friends.

 

Should you have a fall vegetable garden?

It’s late August and in the northern states it’s time to decide if you want a fall vegetable garden. Yes- a vegetable garden that you plant in the fall, some people do that. You need to decide soon because there isn’t that many days left in our growing season.  But do you really want and need a fall vegetable garden?

 Let’s take some time to discuss the pros and cons of fall vegetable gardens so you can make informed decisions.

The cons of fall vegetable gardens

For a lot of gardeners August is a miserable time to work in the garden.  It’s hot and full of mosquitoes and the beach is calling your name.  If you have a hard time keeping the garden weeded or even collecting your gardens harvest, you probably aren’t keen to start a new garden. Many people are going nuts trying to preserve the harvest they are reaping from their spring garden.  And that’s all right; you don’t need to feel guilty. 

You’ll need space for your fall vegetable garden.  If you have empty beds you are all set. But waiting for a crop to be finished so that you can use the space for a fall garden may take longer than you planned. And tilling up new areas probably is more work than you want to do in August.

Fall vegetable gardens are always a gamble anyway.  An early hard frost hits and you have done a lot of work for nothing.  Cool and rainy fall weather won’t make some crops happy. It’s often hard to find seeds this time of year to sow fall crops and starter plants are even scarcer. If it all seems like too much work to you then it probably is.  Just wrap it up for the season and rest with your garden soil.

The pros of fall vegetable gardens

Some people however may not have had time to plant a garden in the spring or for some reason their spring garden was ruined. These people may feel that their gardening urges are unfulfilled and are ready and eager to plant a vegetable garden in the fall. Or you may be worried that you don’t have enough fresh produce for the winter and want to add to your stores.  And you may just be bored and want to escape from household duties or your spouse for a few more weeks.  For you folks a fall vegetable garden makes sense.

Not every vegetable crop is suitable for a fall crop.  Some won’t produce fruit if the daylight is getting shorter as it does in the fall.  Some crops won’t have time to mature before a hard frost kills them.  A good tip to keep in mind is to use day neutral varieties, (which means the length of daylight doesn’t affect them) and use varieties that have the shortest days to maturity.

In planting zones 5 and 6 you may have 6-8 weeks before a hard frost if you plant in late August.  Some crops don’t mind a light frost, and some can be protected with row covers from a light frost. Crops that can be planted with a reasonable expectation of success include leafy greens of many types, kale, cabbage (early maturing varieties and started as plants), beets, turnips, radishes, carrots, green onions, peas, bush beans ( early maturing varieties and you may need row cover), broccoli and cauliflower- (early varieties). 

Remember that seeds sown in hot August weather may need daily watering to get them to germinate. Before you plant you should add some vegetable garden fertilizer to the bed, especially if it was already used this spring.  Don’t plant a crop in a bed that the same crop grew in in the spring or you are asking for disease and insect problems.

An alternative to a fall vegetable garden in the ground might be a few containers of things like salad greens and scallions. Then you can get the regular garden cleaned up and covered in compost and manure, while still munching fresh produce.  And containers are easier to cover when frost threatens, or you may be able to move them inside a garage or shed for the night.

So, the decision rests on you. You can harvest your crops, add manure and compost and head off to the family cabin. Or you can get out there and start a whole new garden. Which will it be?

 

 

August is ripening grain in the fields blowing hot and sunny, the scent of tree-ripened peaches, of hot buttered sweet corn on the cob. Vivid dahlias fling huge tousled blossoms through gardens and joe-pye-weed dusts the meadow purple.     

-Jean Hersey



Kim Willis

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