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Wretched mess question

15 years ago

Okay I started it in water and I noticed the outer shell was getting mushy. I cut it off and still had nubs. I decided to go ahead and try the soil method. How long should it be until I see growth? I have never tried using soil. How wet do I keep the soil? Thank You for the help. Barb

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Comments (6)

technodweeb
15 years ago
Ok, here is where Karyn helped me.

The ABSOLUTE WORST thing you can do is keep cuttings TOO wet. I was destroying all the cuttings I had by keeping them too wet in soil. (But they root in water, how is THAT for screwy?)

I used a spray bottle to control how much water I used.

I think she told me to watch, just because the TOP of the soil was dry, doesn't mean the lower part is dry. She said ALWAYS err on the side of too dry rather than too wet.

And she was right. Even some that I thought were goners? She said watch at the soil line, you may have new sprouts (that's how bad MINE got.)

She was right also. I had sprouts at the soil line.
funinthesunincl
15 years ago
Do you have a potting soil moisture probe? It can REALLY help! I have had the same one for 27 years!!! It is cheap and can save you alot of heartache where soil moisture issues are concerned. Many, many times over the years, I would have thought a particular plant in soil was dry, but lo and behold it had alot of moisture further down the container. Also...if possible, when rooting something in soil (and ALOT of perlite...) try to use sometype of clear container that you can drill holes in. That way you can see roots forming and the extra water can drain out the bottom. After the 1st watering (which includes Super Thrive & seaweed extract) don't water again for a while. A little plumeria trick...when potting up your cutting, slope the soil mixture down away from the cutting. That way when you do give your cutting a little drink of water (or spray...) the moisture will roll down the sides of the rooting container away from the base of the cutting where it could rot. The newly formed roots will then reach out to find the moisture. :)

Make sure you scrape off all mushy parts off your cutting and then after rinsing in clear water to clean it off, dip it in rooting hormone powder (try to get one with a fungicide in it) prior to planting.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Mary Jane
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ladylotus
15 years ago
ah Mary Jane, I use the moisture meter too and LOVE it. I agree that there have been times I would have watered my plants several times before they really needed it and killed them off.

I LOVE your idea about mounding the soil up and sloping it away from the plant. I will do that. Thank you for the awesome tip.

~Tj~
rosepedal
Original Author
15 years ago
I am so glad I asked. Wonderful tips. I am gonna buy a moisture meter. That is also neat about the sloping soil and the clear containers. Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I cannot wait for this brug. I would hate to lose it.

Hey Dweeb here are your wonderful cuttings and your baby adendium I am sending you in spring. I hope you dont have one....Barb
ladylotus
15 years ago
Barb,

Oohhh everything looks so nice and neat. Love your little desert rose. Where did you get the seed from?

~Tj~
funinthesunincl
15 years ago
Barb,

I am also trying to root a Wretched Mess--we can compare plants next summer.

Here's hoping for early blooms!

Mary Jane

{{gwi:577211}}

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