From: T@invalid.invalid   
      
   On 8/15/19 8:08 PM, songbird wrote:   
   > T wrote:   
   >> songbird wrote:   
   >>> T wrote:   
   >>> ...   
   >>>> All the ones I tried sticking in the ground, the leaves   
   >>>> died with in a day.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> So a good sign, I guess.  But no sign of any roots   
   >>>> yet.   How long did yours take to develop roots?   
   >>>   
   >>>     were they mostly shaded and covered to prevent   
   >>> excessive evaporative loss?   
   >   
   >    ???   
   >   
   >    sounds like no to both if you have to water that   
   > often.   
   >   
   >    these are very important parts of this process.   
   > you don't want them in direct light and you   
   > do want them covered to keep moisture in   
   > especially in an arid climate.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >>>   
   >>>     did you take all but one or two leaves off?   
   >>   
   >> 1st attempt, about two leaves.  2nd attempt, about 10 leaves.   
   >> 3rd attempt, about three leaves   
   >>   
   >>>     how did you cut the clippings from what   
   >>> plant?   
   >>   
   >> Pruning shears.  Same ones I use to cut off my eggplant   
   >> fruit.   
   >>   
   >> I cut flat.  Should I have cut at an angle?   
   >>   
   >>>   
   >>>     what kind of soil did you put them in?   
   >>   
   >> Back fill, chicken poop fertilizer, peat moss.   
   >> Same as the other three holes where these plants   
   >> are going great guns   
   >>   
   >>>   
   >>>     did you keep them damp/moist but not sodden?   
   >>   
   >> Watered every other day.  They got soaked pretty good.   
   >> First time lightly so as not to wash off the rooting   
   >> compound   
   >>   
   >>>   
   >>>     anyways good luck with the other approach.  ;)   
   > ...   
   >>   
   >> I think maybe they need to be water every day.   
   >>   
   >> Frustrating.  The first attempt is still sticking   
   >> there.  If yo shine a bright white light on it,   
   >> you can see the green in the trunk.  Now you would   
   >> think that is a good sign, but it has been that way   
   >> since last fall!   
   >   
   >    no idea, if it is dead but perhaps that plant can   
   > still have some green in it when dead.  if it is   
   > flexible that is another check.  or a slight tug on   
   > the twig doesn't move it (so there are roots there).   
   > or you can actually moisten it well and then pop it   
   > out of the pot and check for root growth.   
   >   
   >    what you describe above is likely too rich a   
   > potting mix for rooting cuttings.  and yes, cut   
   > at an angle, but that isn't nearly as important   
   > as keeping the cuttings covered and in mostly   
   > shade.   
   >   
   >    a reasonable mix of starting soil for cuttings   
   > if you can't just buy some cheap potting soil   
   > and seed starting mix (i blend them to do cuttings   
   > if i'm doing a lot of cuttings) would be to mix   
   > peat moss and some of your subsoil with a little   
   > clay mixed in there too.  you want something that   
   > helps hold some water.  plain peat moss is ok, but   
   > i think some mineral content is useful and of course   
   > the clay.   
   >   
   >    nutrients you really only need to have when the   
   > plant is actively growing.  if you make the starting   
   > mix too rich the cuttings may not do well at all and   
   > they may rot or have odd fungal issues or other   
   > disease problems.   
   >   
   >   
   >    songbird   
   >   
      
   Thank you!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)