This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Polka Dot Plants

At 08:58 AM 10/10/97 EDT, you wrote:
>Pinching out the
>growing tips will make it branch so new growth fills out the bottom.
>=============================================
>What tips do I pinch? The new ones at the bottom whey they're close to the 
>soil?  Sorry for the confusion.  Now do I literally "pinch" or can I use 
>shears?
>Any tips on rooting?
>....Lysette

If you have new growth at the bottom I would take out the old stems
completely.  The new shoots will soon hide the stubs.

For pinching, just take out the growing point of any shoot you want to
branch.  New branches will grow in the lower leaf axils.  If the branch is
too long you can cut it back as far as you like, cutting just above a leaf
node.  You can pinch or prune anywhere on the plant.

I like to root cuttings in a half & half mix of damp vermiculite and
perlite.  If you can set the pot where it is warm (over a light ballast or
top of the frig as long as there is light) the cuttings will root more
quickly.  Covering the cutting with clear plastic will help keep the
humidity up.  Soft stemmed plants like polka dot and impatiens root very
quickly (a couple of weeks or less).

Hope this is clearer.
Ruth Zavitz                                     
rzavitz@execulink.com                            
Freelance Writer & Gardening Consultant, zone 6 Southern Ontario
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index