Hi jaybizzle:

Welcome to the garden web.

Your picture looks like it could be a perennial called Astilbe

Here is how you grow plants from cuttings

Taking cuttings is the same for most plants. First you must make sure everything you use is very clean. In a clean pail mix your soil with the water so you make sure the soil is damp right through. Use a soilless mix like pro mix or one that is formulated for seeds and cuttings. Just make sure it has no fertilizer in it. You want the soil wet but not too wet. Squeeze a handful and some moisture should come out but not a lot. Fill your pots and make a little hole in the center with your finger or something else that will make a small hole.

Take your cuttings: With a sharp knife or razor blade cut a 5 or 6 inch piece from the growing tip, cutting just below a leaf. All roots and branches come from a leaf joint. Remove all but the top 5 or 6 leaves. Dip about 1/2 inch of the cut end in rooting hormone. It comes in powder or gel, either is OK as long as it's for soft wood cuttings. I use Stim-root NO. 1. After it's dipped put it in the hole and cover it in, and you're done.

Keep the soil moist but not overly wet. They will look wilted at first but that will change as it starts to grow roots. You will know it's rooted when it starts to show new growth. Wait until it is rooted well before you set it out.

That makes sense. I grow succulents from cuttings all the time, they just don't ever need root hormone so I'll look into that.

{{gwi:14048}}
I hear that the flower buds need to be removed as well. Should I cut them off to just above the top-most set of leaves?

-Jay

P.S. Oil painter, eh? Good stuff. =)

Is it me, or does this plant look more like Celosia?

The first pic is Celosia plumosa 'Pink Glow', as the leaves are different from from Astilbe and more similar to Celosia.

I root my all cuttings in Coir and fresh soil mixture in 3:1 ratio (no fertilizer added), and cover the pot with a plastic bag for a week. I keep them in bright shade until new growth signs appear. It works every time for me. Flower buds must be removed as they drain energy from already starving cuttings.

I have used this for Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Salvias, Cestrum noctumum, Roses, Impatiens, Hibiscus, Coleus, Cosmos, Marigolds, Corotons e.t.c.

I take my cuttings in March and April usually.

Izhar

Yes You are all right it does look more like Celosia. The Astilbe was a guess on my part.

And Yes Jay --you must remove the flower too. You want the good to go to making roots not flowers. That's why you remove the bottom leaves too.

a lot of stuff.. doesnt even need the rooting hormone..

but i used rootone because it had what.. i am blanking.. an antifungal ... or was it bacterial ???

anyway.. the sanitary aspect was suggested to be more important than the actual need for the hormone.. on a lot.. not all .. annuals ... though i truly appreciate.. as a pro.. maine does things on a much higher level than a lot of do ...

it sure wouldnt hurt to use sterilized potting media either ... link below ... it is not helpful on any level.. if you have weird things going on in your media ...

good luck

ken

ps: i thought i was having a failure of the trifocals with the cleosia.. lol ...

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Wow, I've never considered cooking my soil in the oven. =]
And I've never used Coir before, I'll have to look for it next time I visit the store.

Thanks for the help everyone!
-Jay

yes......remove the blooms. LOL.