greylady

I put cuttings in clear glass jars using distilled water in about 2" of water (changing daily) until the white "nubbies" appear. Make sure they get alot of light - but no sunlight. I then pot them up in 16 oz. plastic cups (with holes in the bottom). I use my own potting mixture - which consists of Schultz Perlite (8 qt. bag) mixed thoroughly with Schultz Peat Moss (8 qt. bag). This mixture seems to have good drainage. This works for me - but I'm sure others will "chime" in with their preferences. Hope this helps!

Mike
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Hi Mike, thanks for that info...I was wondering if it was best to pot up as soon as the nubbies appeared or wait until they had roots. I don't want to leave them in water any longer than I have to and risk losing another one. I think that I will go and pot up the ones that have the nice big nubbies on them.
Lois

If the cuttings are mature wood on the bottom few inches(not green) I'd put them in water to continue rooting. I use regular tap water and use an aerator in the container so the water remains clean. If you don't use an aerator change the water every couple days. I leave my cuttings in water until the spring because I don't have room but you can pot them up as soon as the roots are a few inches long. I root green cuttings directly in soil because they have a tendancy to rot in water for me. Any well draining potting soil will work. Personally I like Fafard 3B and hate Miracle Grow but that's just my preference. Make sure you don't over water your plants while they are inside. Too little water is better then too much. Good luck with your cuttings.
Karyn

Thanks for your input also Karyn. I don't have any system such as the bubbler. I am very new to brugs and am just starting on the path to "obsession".:) I just may have all the toys soon, but not yet. Right now the cuttings are in a couple of inches of water in glass jars.
So you put your smaller greener cuttings right into the soil and don't wait for the little nubbies to appear?
Lois

Lady Gardener: That's why I'm using a bubbler method. (What Karyn just described) Because I know that I would tend to "over water" while they're inside. Well, in the bubbler, they're IN water - not in a soil medium that will rot the stem on me. I kind of need "idiot proof" because I'm not too swift when it comes to that.

Karyn and everyone got me started on the "bubbler" method. It seems to be working well! I've only lost a couple - which now I understand is actually normal for green cuttings. (And they were very green tip cuttings.)

I'd rather not lose any more - but I know my loss would be much higher if I wasn't using the bubbler due to my propensity to . . .well. . . . I can screw up the COLOR of the HEARSE in the one car funeral. (grin)

I am going to use the bubbler method (my first winter)--But I am not clear if you set the cuttings right on the bottom or suspend them with stakes?
Sharon

Karyn has more experience - my larger ones I just whacked off mine are right on the bottom - same with those with roots.

The smaller ones - there's a wire basket rack - upside down - and the little ones have a toothpick through the green name tie holding them up off the bottom. I think Gloria is using bamboo sticks. (?) I can't remember now.

Hello Daisy12 & Dweeb: Yes, I'm still using Chopsticks ... you know those cheap free ones you get with take-out! But you can also buy a big bunch of wooden skewers (ka-bob type). I use a small band of masking tape to secure cutting to stick, because it is porous and doesn't seem to bother the cutting. I let the stick extend past the cutting's end so the end of the cutting doesn't "sit" on the bottom, but is suspended in the bubbles. I can't believe the difference using them along with the Bubbler method. My cuttings are healthy and even growing leaves w/o roots or nubbies!!! As mentioned previously, I have well washed fish tank gravel on the bottom and this allows me to "stake" slo-to-make-nubbies into the bubble stream and then reposition them when others need a turn! So far, only had to add water (due to evaporation) but have not had to change or clean BOB. For me, this has been the best method to water root, esp. as a newbie and one who has a tendency to screw-up!!LOLx3. Gloria

I just stick my woody cuttings in the bucket. Having them elevated would probably be a good idea but it's too much work for me. lol I'm not even bothering using an air stone now. I just put the end of the tube in the jar and make sure it stays under the water. As long as the water is being agitated it will remain clean. I put the green cuttings in a pot of lightly moistened soil. I've found that if it's as moist as I'd have it for most other varieties of cuttings they'll rot. I still don't have great results with green stems but so far that's what works best for me. I have too many other kinds of plants other then brugs so I don't really get to invest as much into any one particular variety of plant. If I only grew brugs I'd have more time and probably better results but as it is most do quite well. I think that brugs are one of the easier plants to grow and propagate. It would be nice if all my plants were that forgiving.
Karyn

Daisy:

Be careful about using a heater. I goofed using one when the BOB wasn't on the slab yet. It isn't necessary. I yanked it out so don't bother with it unless you're going to put it somewhere very cool.

I'll put the heater back in when the BOB gets put on the slab floor and the heater has to compete with the cold concrete.

I have to finish whackin' on mine. 59 high today - high 50s, low 60s - 40s at nite the rest of the week. Summer is over, it's "whackin' " season now in Illinois.

Thanks for this information----I have another question--are you still gluing the air stone or do you have another method for holding them down?
Thanks again for the help.

I'm using bubble rods or something called a "wall of water" thingies. They were 3.57.

I haven't glued mine down.

They're suction cupped down. One has two suction cups - it's fine. The other is on the "U" shape corner on the way up. So it's slightly higher in the water.

I'm putting my "crabby" cuttings right over that one like Gloria said - to encourage those to root.

I was so concerned about the cuttings rotting and turning to mush that I am potting them up as soon as the white nubbies look swollen enough, and not waiting until they have actual roots. Is this okay? I just don't want to have another one turn to mush. I still have some in water as they either haven't developed nubbies or the nubbies aren't big enough yet. I am changing the water daily and keeping an eye on them. One cutting is fairly green and although it looks nice and healthy, it isn't even developing any white nubs. Would you pot this up in soil right away or wait to see nubs? Is it okay that even though the potted ones don't have actual roots right now, I shouldn't water too much and should keep them fairly dry? I potted the first ones on Saturday and haven't watered them since. I did give them a good soak when I first potted them and haven't let them stand with water in the container underneath the pots, so they are well drained.
I am not a new gardener, just new to brugs and I feel like a nervous new mother. :) I hope one day to have enough cuttings that I will be making up a bubbler too. It sure seems like a better way to hold over cuttings especially if you don't have much room inside to have them all potted up.
Thanks again for your help so far,
Lois

Lady Gardener: Bubbler is definately a plus for me. I was SO excited when someone said you can do that.

I would over water, etc. This is the "idiot proof" way for me. Plus - lack of room. Another added bonus is the little buggies that seem to plague the soil in everything I bring in.

Well, no soil, no pots, no bugs in the soil, no over watering! It's like a no brainer for someone like me.

Re: new mommy - LOL - yea, that's how I feel also. Never had over winter Brugs before - and I'm concerned, too.

Karyn will probably chime in soon to answer your questions about the soil thing.

Sounds like you're doing really well! Congrats!

"dweeb"

Lois the ones you planted should do fine. Woody stemmed cuttings will usually root even if you just stick them in a pot of dirt. What you do with your green cutting is up to you. I usually root those in soil because i have problems with them rotting in water. if yours still looks healthy and is firm you might want to wait and see if it will get roots. I keep my plants more on the dry side when they are indoors. If you stick your finger in the soil and it's still moist below the surface I'd wait to water. You could buy a cheap water meter. I've never used one and really don't know how reliable they are.
Karyn

Hi Lois. Which one rotted on you? I find the Candida, which is usually the easiest to get to root, also sometimes tends to be the one that rots the first. I give it a big glass or jar, and try to change the water every day. This helps a bit. Also, sometimes the bottom part gets mushy, but above that, the roots are shooting out, so I tend to leave it, and cut off the mush before I plant it. Anyway, if there are any other failures, I can send more rooted cuttings in the spring. The way things look, I'll have plenty.

Hi Sam,
You're right, it was one of the nice big peach candida ones that rotted. I tried to cut off the mushy part by cutting off about an inch at a time, but the by the time I got to the part that was firm, there was only about an inch of the stem left. The other two are potted up and are doing fine right now. I have potted up all but five of them so far and I think that a couple more will go in pots tomorrow. The white nubbies on the NOID white are getting huge.
Thanks for the offer! I will keep it in mind and keep you posted on their progress and thank you again for your generosity.
I appreciate all the other help/comments.
thanks everyone!
Lois

I usually just leave mine in water until they get a few 1/4 inch roots coming out. Then they go into a pot. I just did 6 new different double varieties ( about 30 cuttings total) this way and they are already putting out new leaves! Some were even thin and green. I put them outside in the shade during the day (its still in the 80's here), at night they go under lights and on a heat mat. They grow really fast this way.