Re: Bleach water

Thank you, Claire.  That was very helpful
Judy
 =20
----- Original Message -----
From: Claire Peplowski
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:46 AM
To: IGSROBIN@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject: Re: Bleach water
 =20
In a message dated 11/14/02 9:14:25 AM Eastern Standard Time,
JudithCidy@MSN.COM writes:


> A question re:bleach water........
> Do you water all plants with the solution or just cuttings?    How ofte=
n?
> I just lost4 of 5 cuttings after two weeks...
> Judy Cassidy

You don't say where you are located. In the northern half of the country,
especially the cold, damp, grey states as in the Northeast my experience =
with
cuttings is that you lose more than half of them in Nov-Dec-Jan.  Success
doubles in late Feb-Mar-Apr.  There are probably many technical reasons b=
ut
that is what happens here as a practical matter of experience.

Methods that give success will differ from grower to grower and in variou=
s
parts of the country.  For me in northern New York, to get cuttings to ro=
ot
in the short day months I need to use a mix of sand and peat.  I use a gl=
ass
fish bowl with the cutting against the glass side so it can be watched fo=
r
roots and/or rotting.  I keep the glass bowl, no cover, under a kitchen
cabinet under cabinet light where it is warm removing all failures
immediately.  In the short day months, I use a rooting hormone. Air
circulation is necessary.  In a tall glass fishbowl you keep the mix just
barely damp and leave space between the cuttings.

I have seen this done commercially in quite a different manner but as abo=
ve
works for the home grower.  Winter rooting takes longer than spring or
summer.

Taking the same cuttings outdoors in June, you will have nearly 100% succ=
ess
with no hormones needed and no special mix required.  Just a semi shaded
location and good air circulation.

Bleach water may help but accepting that rooting in short day months is m=
uch
more difficult than May/June is also to be considered.  With clear blue s=
kies
and no need for artificial light, the process may be quite different.

C. Peplowski
NYS z4
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