Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 40, 13 March 1930, Page 10

Gardening Notes

GROWING PLANTS FROM

CUTTINGS.

Almost any" plant can be grown from a cuttings, if treated in the right way. The general rule is that the cutting must be carefully cut; that the right portion of t3ie plant mu3t be taken; that it be firmly placed in damp soil, and that the portion above the ground be protected from undue evaporation, until roots are formed to supply the loss.

The pot or box for cuttings should be prepared as for seeds, with the same sort of soil, leaving room,,for an inch' of sand on the top, and sufficient height above the sand to allow a glass to be put over the box, without touching the cutting.

A .second plan ,is to prepare pots in the same way, and to plunge them in a box of peaty soil, that will hold plenty: of water; so that the pots may be covered with bell glasses, and' the neces saTy moisture> be absorbed from the ■saturated soil in the box, without wateTing the cutting pots at all, tmtil growth is'established. * ■■ - ■■

When "pots are used, cuttings grow better.if planted close to tie side of the pot, as the capillary- attraction^ of < the'pot keeps the water in,the soil moving, and-vprevents stagnation round the end of the cutting.' '

Another essential point in connection with the'earth is, that it. must be thoroughly completed -rotund- the* extremity of the* cutting; the -hole in which \t is placed should be made wit>h a blunt fiat-ended stick, which is pressed down into the sand; if it goes into the soil, -the sand will follow it. ' ;

The cutting is then-pressed as firmly as its nature, will allow into the hole made by t>he stick, and the soil is press- f ed by means of €he stick round the end of; the cutting by ramming at an angle of 45 deg; or so from each side. ■<■

In: taking a cutting it .should - Tie borne in mind that roots are underground 'branches y in fact, hardy trees may be planted with their branches in the ground,, and their roots in the air, and the branches -will develop fibres and feeding points, for collecting water and the chemical constituents of the soil, to supply tiie circulation; and the roots will 'bud and produce leaves to elaborate, tissue from the circulation. .

Where a branch springs from a, stem, it, as a'rule,4ssues from a slight swolling. This swelling- contains a great many embryo buds 7 .one* or more ofwhich will at once develop if tke first branch dies, or'is; % Temoved; it is Nature's prpdigal way of ensuring that tihere shall, be no failure.-'

The essential point to be remembered; is that as a riilej owing to the hardening of the tissues, thCse reserve buds do not start so readily^ in wood that is ov.er two years old. In fact, the. younger the wood x th§, more ready they are to staTt, As explained above, it is simply a matter of the conditions in which "they are placed, whether these bttds develop into branches and leaves or into roots.

[From tie above .we. get the general rule, of taking a cutting ; that it should; 'be of-the youngest wood that is sufficiently solidified,;, with a'section', or heel, of the previous growth from which it springs. T&ere is the same" supply of buds, though in a less degree, a% the joints or nodes of plants with jointed

'stems

It is- essential that;the cut should be made with a. sharp If the cutting is torn dfEi which is inadvisable, it should .be trimmed with a «harp knife to a clean surface. The leavesi> also that are removed as deep as the... cutting ; goes into the ground should never be stripped off downwards with the ihandj "but if the cutting is a^strong one, they may be cut off with a sharp knife near the. stem ; the cut being made from heel to tip, to prevent any danger of stripping/the heel of the leaf "stalk being intact upon t»he cutting. In small and tender cuttings the leaves must be removed a keen, sharppointed pair of scissors.

As a general rule, 1 the smaller the cutting the greater the chance, of success. In such a plant as the. willow and- some others, a large limb of a tree may. "be put in as a cutting, and if kept moist will soon grow and establish itself; but the general rule remains, that

a small tip of firm present growth, "with a heel of the previous growth, put in immediately it is cut, is most iikeljS^ to si».cceed.

It is well to have the general principles aibove enunciated in mmd, for guidance, t>liOTig!hrwhat folloiws may appear somewhat controdictory, because certain plants require a certain amount of elasticity in pur rules. The time to take a cutting is when the plant is in. a state of growth that the cuttings aie in a proper state to take. The temped ture that is best for i/he putting fortfr of roots is somewhesre about 60 deg., that is, an even temperature of 60 dog., day and night. *' *■

Bottom heat is very, useful for plants that will stand forcing, and for stove plants; but outdoor" evergreens' jantf greenhouse plants are generally better •without it.

... The rules above given apply especially to soft-iwooded, quick-growing plants, sue&' as 'Anagallis, Antirrfiinium, Calceolaria, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Dahlia, Dianthus, Double Wallflower,- Double Stock, Gorteria and GaillaTdia, Dwarf Lobelias, Fuchsia, Pelargonium, . Petunia, • Pentstemon, Pink, Salvia, and Verbena; also to hard-wooded greenhouse plants, such as Acacia, Aphelexis, Azalea,__ Boronia, Bossiaea, Ohironia, Co&rozeina, Crowea, Gorrea, Cytissus, Daviesia, Dillwynia, Epacris,*- Eriostemon (it is generally buxifolius that is struck, and other sorts are grated on, to the cutting), Erica, .Gastrolobium, Gomphoiobium, Hardenbergia, Lesehenaultia, Kennedyia, Mirbelia, Oxylpbium, Platylobium, Pleroma, PodQlobiuni, Pultenaea, Sty.phelia, Tacsqnia, and. all Australfan shuubs of similar habit. These especi-. ally require close covering with iglass.