I have an old Black Knight that is sited in my front garden near the driveway and street growing under pretty challenging conditions - full sun, dry sandy-ish soil, exposed to severe northwest winter winds. The thing is doing great! I am very pleased with how this particular cultivar performs as we are close to the borderline of hardiness for Buddleia in our zone and this is not a sheltered location at all. The Black Knight grows about 7 feet tall each season, which is tall enough as it is - can't imagine how large it would grow if it wasn't cut back. I cut it down sometime in April when the new shoots appear from the old wood. Just above the green buds so it's about 12-16" high. I also thin out some of the weaker or dead stems and maybe even remove some of the shoots. Btw, I also have a Pink Delight which is not as vigorous so I don't usually cut that one down as low as the Black Knight. Here's what it looks like this Spring after it got its pruning -

In my greenhouse, I use only the mist system. The mist system provides a focally humid environment for the cuttings, but it does not substantially increase the overall humidity of the GH, especially with the fans and exhaust on. You can use the tent pots with plastic bags method in the greenhouse. Using this method, I successfully rooted a nice fiddle leaf fig cutting that I grabbed out of the garbage at the nursery. The pots must be kept in the shade. My anecdotal experience is that the mist bench roots faster than the tent pot method, but I have no firm data on that. BuyorSell, how reliably hardy are Buddleia davidii in zone 5? They regularly die off here in 5b/6a, but I can't say whether it is cold, moisture, or what. Personally, I wouldn't take a chance with 300 rooted cuttings, even in 7b; I'd put them in a cold frame. Just my $0.02. SB

I have both âÂÂPeacockâ and 'Adonis Blue' since 2006. They're both definitely dwarf. Very impressed with âÂÂPeacockâÂÂ. The flower pinnacle rivals that of 'Pink DelightâÂÂ. Yet the plant size is 1 foot shorter than 'Pink DelightâÂÂ. I cut all my butterfly bushes to ground each spring. âÂÂPeacockâ grows to about 3 feet (or less). As far as flower size concerned, there's nothing write home about 'Adonis Blue' (similar to 'Nanho Blue'). 'Adonis Blue' is also a week grower for me. 'EllenâÂÂs Blue' is a better grower (full plant habit), but of course it's twice of the plant size.

How coincidental this thread has been revived...I picked up my first bag of "rocks" just this afternoon to try...Professor Al, if you are out there I am not *trash-talking* hehe...My new mix of the month is gonna be Turface MVP, bark and some perlite...will decide on the proportions when I actually run my paws thru the stuff, which is ETA approximately 2 hours from now...I am after NOT having to re-do this cr** for a long-a** time..having a bad day... Anyway, I think you gotta use what you gotta use...I still think that bagged potting soil is not the best thing for you to use in the long run, but your goals and my lazy goals may not be the same....thus I would amend heavily with perlite, which I like a lot. Some people hate it, ok fine; I like pistachio ice cream and some people hate that too, ok fine...However, I don't know where you are, but I can sorta suggest a brand of potting mix that I've seen hold up rather well for maybe a year or two: Last year my sister switched her pot-grown tomatoes (she is one of those people who can grow anything, anywhere without any trouble or thought) to a brand called Bandini that I actually liked b/c it isn't dirt and compost--it is mostly redwood bark fines/soil conditioner; she bought it at Home Depot. Great drainage, she has some filled pots left from last year, dumped it out, and it still is very light. I am starting to see what uses as a medium will be affected a good deal by climate, reference another post where Toni and I have had a little chitchat. I am beginning to hypothesize that perhaps you get quicker breakdown of potting mixes in areas where there is more exposure to the elements and higher average temperatures...yeah I know, that it is prolly obvious to most of you out there in TV land butI never really thought about it for potted plants (I know--->DUH! I think Sir Isaac Newton's apple just bonked me on the head)...which may be why some who do the potted thing in cooler climes may have a little more leeway...or maybe not, I've got no randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies in the pipeline...which is why I am going largely *inorganic*...I expect my upcoming battles will be delivery of enough moisture and nutrients, espceially the micros...And when I really have my act together I am going with an automated drip system for the containers...but my act may never actually *be* together...Next stop, pending this failure (though I have complete faith in my mentor's advice :), is intermittent flood hydroponics...isn't it Friday yet??! HTH. I'm goin' to happy hour...