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Taber, Alberta

Does anyone have a sure fire way of starting geraniums from cuttings? I have a few plants that I kept from last year under grow lights, but I end up losing about 50% of the cuttings I take. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Alan

1/25/2004 2:37:24 PM

Montoursville, PA

Cuttings taken from newly grown terminal growth will root in damp potting soil on a window sill. You don't even need starting hormones or high humidty. The success rate for fifth grade kids was near 100%. We always made a few extra so a knock down or accidental loss could be replaced.

We always took the cuttings from actively growing plants, in September, so the kids could take a Christmas gift home to mom. Occasionly we had a bloomer or two by Christmas while nearly all had first buds showing on decent pinched once rooted cuttings.

Maybe you are not planting that plant out and starting with healthy new growth?????? Cutting hormones and setting the pot in a baggie tied shut until new growth begins gets the process moving a week or two faster.

1/25/2004 6:29:37 PM

Greencastle, PA

if you leave the cutting out overnight it triggers rooting horomones. Definetly use young healthy parts of the plant, and you may consider pinching off any buds that may be on the cutting so it focuses on root developement.
Tom

1/25/2004 8:16:44 PM

Taber, Alberta

Thanks for the suggestions. This geranium holds a lot of sentimental value. My grandmother always had amazing gardens, and when she moved from her home into the nursing home in 89, she took a cutting. She had that plant until she died in 2000. At that time, I took a cutting of that, and it managed to survive a plane ride home in the dead of winter and I've been using the genetics to make 20-30 plants a year ever since.

Anyways, I've tried the rooting hormones, tried potting soil, soil starting mix, vermiculite, leaving the cutting out for a number of hours before planting, and a heating pad under the pots, but never get more than 50% of them to survive. I'll try the bag idea a try (it's really dry here, especially in the winter) Do you think the bottom heat from the pad would help in getting them started? Also, most of the cuttings that don't make it have their stems go really thin (about 1/4 of the original thickness) at the base where it goes into the soil, then it eventually dies. Any ideas what is causing this? Soil too wet?
Thanks, Alan

1/25/2004 10:53:44 PM

porterville, calif.

When i was a kid we had them by the hundreds growing in my parents flower beds. They used to grow out onto the lawn. I hated them cause they grew like a weed here. I used to mow them down. When I wanted to start one all i did was break it off and stick it in the ground. I think maybe keeping them to wet is not good for them. The soil was kind of sandy and drained really well. They never was watered much.

1/26/2004 3:50:25 AM

Norton, MA

Saxomaphone there is a condition that is caused from ill- drained soil in which the part in the dirt shrivels and turns blackish. This eventually causes the plant to fall over and die. I can't find my book right now so I'll get back to you with the name.

1/26/2004 6:16:53 AM

Taber, Alberta

That is EXACTLY what's happening!!!!! I'm using seed starting mix right now. Maybe I should mix some vermiculite in it to increase the air in the soil? Or am I way off base?
Thank you very much for the help.
Alan

1/26/2004 12:02:18 PM

Montoursville, PA

Allan, Maybe just to wet a mix. Potting medium should only be modestly damp. I'm more inclined to think you are starting with light supported growth that may be providing poor cuttings. I would plant it in good garden soil and take the cuttings from new stronger terminal growth.

1/26/2004 5:14:48 PM

what I do......take a cutting, make a clean cut on the end. rip the bottom leaves off so there's a few nodes empty to be planted underground. leave a few leaves on. i dip mine in a rooting hormone, then stick them in a premade hole in moist dirt. i make a concoction of vermiculite, perlite, potting soil...whatever i have on hand. then cover it all with plastic (sandwich baggies with a rubberband holding them on work nice) and don't disturb ( i'm bad at that part, i always peek) and put in a sunny window until new growth forms. then take the plastic off. i like to spritz mine every so often with a spray bottle to get them acclimated slowly to the lower humidity outside the plastic(unless you're doing it in a greenhouse or some other humid environment). anywho...that's my "two cents". nothing special, it's just what i do. probably treat soil with fungicide before planting cutting, if you have problems with rotting cuttings before they root.

1/26/2004 6:32:45 PM

hmmm reading the replies...sounds like too wet of soil to me... i don't know how much water geraniums like, because i've never been too fond of them...but a little fungicide treatment and a little less water, and more porous rooting medium sounds like the answer here. cacti and other succulents root best if you let the cutting dry a little before planting it, so it doesn't rot.

1/26/2004 6:37:47 PM