Kamis, 09 Oktober 2008

How to root hydrangea













TWO METHODS FOR ROOTING HYDRANGEAS
Hydrangeas are fairly easy to root. Some people have rooted them in water, but many others (such as myself) have never been able to make this work.Susan Park Cole sent me the picture to the right demonstrating that it is possible to root hydrangeas in water. Occasionally roots form when one leaves an arrangement in water for a long time. In my experience, though, this method fails more often than it succeeds.

Below are two fail-proof methods for rooting hydrangeas:


ROOTING CUTTINGS IN FIVE EASY STEPS


Take a cutting from a branch of the hydrangea shrub about 5-6" long. Most experts say the cutting will work best if taken from a branch that did not flower this year.
Remove the lower leaves of the bottom two leaf nodes.(see pictures #3 and #4)
Cut largest leaves down to about half their size
Dip cuttings in rooting hormone (this is entirely optional) and insert into damp vermiculite, coarse sand or other sterile medium.
Water pot well and allow to drain. Make sure soil is moist but not soggy. Cover cuttings and pot with plastic. Try to keep plastic from touching leaves by adding stakes (see picture)O.K., I admit I stuck three steps in number 5, but this really is simple.TIPS: Place cuttings in bright light. NEVER PLACE NEW CUTTINGS IN THE SUN. They will cook in the plastic. And even if they are not in plastic, they should be placed in a bright shady area. Do not water again until top of soil begins to feel slightly dry. Overwatering will cause cuttings to rot.Expect cuttings to begin to form roots in 2-3 weeks depending on temperature (faster in warm weather) and humidity. Some cuttings root in as little as one week. If a tug on the cutting resists the pull, it is rooting.NOTE on overwintering cuttings: Getting cuttings through the first winter without a greenhouse is the hardest part of starting new hydrangeas from cuttings. Start new cuttings early in the summer to give them the best chance for surviving the winter. While some people manage to take cuttings through the winter indoors, in general, this does not work well. Hydrangeas do best if grown outdoors. Here are two suggestions for getting cuttings through the winter: (1) sink pots of cuttings into the ground and cover well with lightweight mulch, and (2) put smaller pots of cuttings next to a foundation and cover them with large clay pots for the winter.


ROOTING IN A CUP

Carl Brady, an Ohio visitor to this site, sent pictures of the easy way he roots hydrangea cuttings. He says, "I have good luck starting cuttings using regular Styrofoam cups for the medium and a larger clear plastic cup for the top. It works just like a small green house." (As most of you know, the word "medium" refers to the vermiculite, course sand, or other substance the cuttings are stuck into).
When cuttings are well rooted, Carl transplants them into a larger container (right). In this instance, the process was obviously very successful.Another visitor to this site reports using a three liter coke bottle: "Cut the top part (or funnel plus a couple of inches) off a two or three liter bottle of cola. You can then place the bottle (funnel part) over the pot with the wider opening down. It works like a little greenhouse."

Selasa, 07 Oktober 2008

growing and blooming




















Senangnya, verbena aktif berbunga.
















Before : bibit bunga matahari "Teddy Bear"

















After : Sudah membesar !!! Ga sabar buat ngeliat mereka berbunga....