Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Rooting Power........


The broken off stem from the jade plant has been sitting in water for quite some time. Monday was the day to cut it up and put the sprouts into soil.  I really have never done this before but I am assuming the exposed roots means they have to be in the soil and all other things can be cut away from the source plant.

I am sort of the experimental gardener.  I don't know sometimes what I really should do but this seemed like a good way to go. I don't need more jade plants but at the same time I didn't want to throw away a perfect good stem of the plant.



Tuesday's project was to take a bunch of small violet starts and separate them.  I found that there were four of them growing all in one pot.  I hope I can keep them all going now.  They each had good root systems. It is hard to believe that they were all crowded in the one container.

While working with violets I always have loose leaves from the project.  The above four came from this kind of starting system.  I will place this in an open plastic bag to keep it from drying out quickly.  It has to be kept damp but not so wet that it rots the leaves. I really don't need more violets either but I didn't want to toss them in the garbage. I also cut a leaf from one of my newer violets to see if I could get another start of it.




This is one of the violets that I bought and replanted in better soil right away.  Replanting it shut the blooms down but now they are coming back.  The leaf shape of this violet is so different in shape and color than any of the other violets.


 When you don't get all the leaves cleared in the fall, this is what you get to do in the spring.  I had these on top of the peonies and it was time for them to be removed.  I have six inch sprouts coming up and I had to try and  keep from damaging those starts. The temperatures were not really too bad but I had to have a coat on to keep from chilling.



My wife and I were both out shooting photos.  I am getting more photos than I can share.  The dandelions and wild  violets are starting to bloom. Tulips are looking better but most of them have returned to yellow rather than be their original color. The iris is looking really good growth wise and I think a little more rain would help them along.

I am in the "at risk" room today, called the Success Center.  I assist and nag to get students to get their work done.  The morning has gone well and students do seem to be cooperating well.  I appreciate your stopping by today.

3 comments:

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

I hope all your starts take root. Gardening is always an experiment for me too.

Anonymous said...

I think all of us are happy to have warmer days and something colorful outdoors to photograph! You know I love your violets and I'm not familiar with the jade plant. I know in the past we would "root" sedum plants this way. I hope you both have an enjoyable evening.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

This was a timely post, Larry, as I nearly bought a small transplanted jade plant at a local animal rescue thrift store this week. Apparently someone had done the same as you did and the thrift store was selling the small plants. And, like you, I have done rootings but not always successfully.