For the ultimate in geekiness for propagating from cuttings, the cutting edge (no pun intended) is tissue culture, growing plants out from meristem cuttings in sterile laboratory conditions. Because you're taking the cutting from the tip of the plant growth, any virus or disease has not had time to travel to that part of the plant yet, and you get a clean start. It used to be the domain of laboratories only, requiring laminar flow hoods and autoclaves, meaning growers had to send out their mother plants for propagation. But guess the one industry that doesn't want to send out their mother plants? That's right, the pot industry! So industrious (and stoned) minds spurred on the development of plant preservatives that help make up for the non-laboratory conditions and now home tissue culture kits are widely available. The plantlets are started in a gelatin-type medium with plant food,hormones, and sugars. Since this medium grows bacteria and fungus much better than it does plants, everything still has to be sterile with lots of alcohol and bunsen burners; a pressure cooker sterilizes your tools. A rubbermaid tub serves as your clean hood and baby food jars holds the medium. Since the sugar is feeding the plants, low light is needed as opposed to the high light needed for hydroponics. It is a way to propagate clean plants quickly, especially on difficult to propagate plants like blueberry and orchids. WSU has been investigating tissue culture of the G series rootstocks since they do not root well in the layer bed. You'd still have to graft to appropriate rootstock, but it would be a way to cheaply clean up viruses in both. Kits run about $250. Here is a link that might be useful: Home Tissue Culture Group

I planted a couple of Mexican plum trees. Small trees that produce lots of small sized plums that are delicious. It took, I think, about 2 years to get a decent sized crop on each tree. They don't need to be sprayed with poison, and they don't need pollination. They do great in the Dallas area, with the heat. Pretty small white flowers in the spring. But the trees don't live a long time. I did everything to make the fig trees live. I planted them in various places in my yard (which faces south), up against a building, behind a huge shrub, on one side of the yard and on the other. I carefully watered, dug the holes properly as far as I can tell. Several died separately at different times, then the last 4 or so all died at the same time. I think they may have gotten the one disease that fig trees get....I forget what it is. The leaves shrivel up and turn brown and die suddenly. I don't have much soil, and the soil is awful hard clay that doesn't drain well. I added some amendments when I planted, but you're not supposed to add a lot, or the roots will go into shock when the reach the real soil. They lasted long enough to produce a few figs (a couple of years). It's just too hot, and the soil is too bad, and the winter too cold. This is really not an area conducive to subtropical plants, which is what a fig is. You are lucky. You may have unusual soil in your area. There are a few areas with better soil. I also had a dwarf magnolia tree die, as well as several Foster Stevens shrubs, gardenia, roses (I even used an axe to dig out the rock to create an 8X8 rose bed, to no avail). Bear in mind that I'm no idiot. I've successfully grown many trees, some citrus, vegetables, watermelon. I guess it's my yard.

The best late apple I've grown here is probably GoldRush. The fruit has all been small but I think that's a rootstock and watering issue. Pink Lady was spectacular in Amarillo but so far not here in Alpine. I do like Golden Delicious both here and Amarillo. Have heard good things about Mollies Delicious but that's a summer apple, late July to mid August according to Womack's Nursery in De Leon, Texas. I like my Olympic, aka Korean Giant pear a lot. Also just ordered all 9 persimmon offered by Womacks. My Eureka has been very good both fresh and dried. Also just tasted a Fuyu grown in Leaky TX, good enough that I decided to try them all. They are about as free of pests and spring freeze damage as anything I've grown. Basically my Eureka has required no spraying, pruning, thinning, or much of anything else besides watering and harvest. I dried some his year and they are very good. That's a good way to hold the fruit all winter. PS: Womack's persimmon trees in the past have been wonderful size and quality for the money. And I wanted to try my first edit;-) This post was edited by fruitnut on Fri, Dec 7, 12 at 16:42

Hi Amazin , sorry I'm new at this web stuff ( mostly just a lurker) and couldn't find were I wrote to you the 1st time ... me feel so dumb with this puter stuff... but yes I have 9 begonias and 6 are from Logee's, some are named and other are ( pass a along's ) ..... Named ones= Begonia " Richardsiana" B." Snow Capped " B. "Tea Rose" B. "Hot Tamale" B. "Good and Plenty " B, "Tiny Gem " B. " Silver Queen " The Richardsiana has in pass week took a big flop , and so not sure whats up with it , taken it back into house , hope it was just heat stroking from 100 + daze we have been in for pass couple of weeks here in nastyville , so not sure about it. Two other's unknown named ones but pretty just the same and last one I think mite be B. " Sophia Cecile " not sure. I see you have " My Special Angel " have been looking at it in the catalogs . sorry I'm so long winded.... but sure there must be something in your long list that we can work with . P.s. I wont make it to any plant swap so..... not sure how we would do this if we've a mind to ???? But thanks for your time and effort if thats the only way .