8 months and still no roots--water medium

17 years ago

Eight months, eight long months of having my Plumeria cutting in water, trying to get it to put out roots. It does have three leaves, the longest, about 1 1/2 inches, but no roots.

I followed the instructions on another forum dedicated to Plumerias--where some were touting water rooting as the way to go. Obviously, it hasn't worked for me.

I've had the cutting, suspended above the bottom of a qt. jar of water that has a drop of Spray-n-gro in it. I change the water. The jar is on a heating pad, set at low. There is a light, set for 16 hours on, then off.

I've started all kinds of cuttings before--water (which I don't really like to do, because the roots have a different structure than in a mix), soilless mix. all my water started veggies and flowers have taken off in no more than a week--but this thing--what in the world is going on?

The entire cutting is now beginning to feel a bit mushy--not totally but apply a little pressure and it gives easily--it's not like it was when I got it. Of course I'd be mushy too, if I've been standing in water for 8 months.

Tonight, I took it out of the water and decided to try a mix: 2 pts. Perlite + 1 pt peat (I suppose that is by volume and not weight?). I read that instead of the peat, I can use top-soil. I have some of that, but hesitate to use anything that isn't at least close to sterile. I also, have some agricultural vermiculite. any preferences as to the mix?

I'm going to pot the bottom 4" of it in a 1 gal. container. Put rooting hormone on the bottom, water it in and see what happens.

with the mushyness, I cut away 1/2 " of the bottom to see if there was any rot. No--the inside is beautiful, white. So, maybe, it still has a chance.

Should I wait to let the bottom callous, as in a soft-wood cutting (rose) or use the fresh cut and dip that in the rooting compound?

People have stay with the water but use superthrive. A few people said they got great results with the spray-n-gro, obviously, the latter has not worked.

What do you think? Stick with water and get superthrive for it or go ahead with a Soilless mix or one that has a bit of topsoil in it--I could use sand too, as well as vermiculite.

I sure am envious of the people who say their water starting gave roots in a week.

I hope this won't be my 1st and last Plumeria. But unless I can get roots going before it goes totally mushy and/or the top leaves fall off, it may well be.

Your ideas on anything that will help: stay with water; use superthrive; callous; soilles or mix with topsoil, heat, light--anything that may help will really be appreciated.

And here, I thought I knew how to root cuttings!

Let's get this living, if we can--and one final thought, while waiting for roots should I mist the leaves on top?

Thanks,

Bob

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Comments (3)

kbauman
17 years ago
Hi Bob,
I read on here how do the water rooting some have had success. For me, after a couple weeks pulled the stem up in the water and saw it had started to rot, cut it off and let it callous with root tone and planted it in soil, now is growing. It was a pink red cutting, was said the pinks/red do not do well, some varities make it, some don't. Eight months is a long time. If you have white clean inside the stem, no rot on the bottom. Dip it into super thrive, and then into root tone and let it dry a couple weeks, callous on the bottom dry, put it in a mix, cactus soil and mostly vermicilite, not super soil, it holds too much water and leave it alone. Its full of water..you can mist the leaves and hope it will root. Some may suggest you cut off the leaves..I don't know about them.
Karen B.
0
sunslight
Original Author
17 years ago
thanks Karen.

I'll give your instructions a try.
eight months is a long time, for sure.

I was really surprised to see all white when I cut the stem. Maybe would have been better if I just left it with the callous so I could pot it right away?

Anyway, it's cut. Just have to find a good place to order Superthrive from, that won't kill me on shipping. don't know if you are allowed to make suggestion or not, but if so, please do.
Hadn't thought about cactus soil--was going by Plumeria 101 with the advice there of 2 to 1 perlite/peat.
Glad to know that I'm not the only one whose had a problem getting a cutting to root. --hope I can save the leaves.

I just couldn't figure out what I have been doing wrong: clean water, spray-n-gro, heating pad, lots of light--and nothing at all.

It seems like water-rooting would get things going the quickest. But for some plants it must be the other way around.

I gave up on diffenbachia--every cutting rooted. I had over 20 plants. I couldn't stop the things--water root, soil root, soilless medium--(I confess, I do have 1 left, but it's sort of in cold storage), all for plants that did nothing.
Oh, I did get some of them to bloom.
You do not want to do that.
Unless you want rotten meat (fragrance) that attracts lots of insects.

Thought a Plumeria, will be more than worth the trouble. Much nicer match for the little Orange tree I have in the living room.

I just don't seem to have much luck with the exotics though.

I have a Madagascar Jasmine, which I've grown from seed. It took six months for it to germinate.

It's still going strong after seven years, but narry a blossom. I wonder if there are male/female jasmines? Some don't have flowers? --All this long, long vine and not even one, tiny white flower. --Being originally from the South, I miss the sweet flowers, esp. the Jasmine.

Anyway, thanks for telling me what you did to save your Plumi.

If you know of a good source for the Superthrive as well as to get cuttings, please let me know.
Bob T.
0
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kbauman
17 years ago
Hi Bob,
I was wrong, you are right it is perlite, went outside and looked at the bag..man is cold out there. ha..You don't have to use superthrive to root a plumie. Its a jumpstart..you can just put some water on the bottom of the cutting and stick it into rootone, makes it stick. I like the cactus soil, but its a little heavy so putting the perlite into it makes it lighter, more pearlite than soil. putting roottone on keeps it from getting any problems, diseases, etc. and aids in letting roots grow. 101 is ok, you can do it with the perlite, but peat can hold water. I like to put it in that cactus soil mixture so I can leave alone and let it grow and become a plant with roots. no gurantee on your leaves..don't know. Everyone has their idea on how to grow the cutting, this is how I do it.

on 101.. the heavy watering they show, depends on how hot it is, real warm you can water, but now, its chilly don't water like that, will rot. Yours has absorbed a lot of water in the trunk, leave it be.. a tiny bit of water in the soil, away from the stem is enough,depending on how warm you are.

On the water rooting you gave it a try, seems did not hurt your plant, so ok..On the other plants, jasmine, have it growing, but bought the plant. On superthrive, if you do keep growing plumeria is a good one to add in watering, a very good one giving minerals and vitamins needed. Usually larger garden centers do carry it. Good luck, plumies are complicated and very rewarding. Starting my second year to grow them, always learning. I have learned a lot from this board. Other may come in with some great ideas.. do listen. Definbaccia..probably spelled wrong, have never grown it.
Karen B.
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8 months and still no roots--water medium

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kbauman

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8 months and still no roots--water medium

Comments (3)

kbauman

sunslightOriginal Author

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kbauman

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sunslight
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