Garden Thoughts...
Oct. 8th, 2011 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
endlessraritiesI've taken copious cuttings from my penstemmon plants over the last couple of months. I used to manage to overwinter penstemmon with no trouble at all, but the last few winters have been so hard that my plants have suffered total wipeout.
The only problem is that I'm having real problems with them developing roots. I usually just stick the little things in water, and sooner or later, the roots develop. This year, I've raised (so far!) two Heavenly Blues, but the rest are proving difficult. I fear that the actual parent plants are just not sufficiently developed to produce viable cuttings - most of my penstemmon are in their second year, while the Heavenly Blue is in its third. It has flowered better than its younger relations, and is just a better plant all round.
If I remember right, the side shoots are the ones that should be harvested for cuttings, and I can't help wondering if the problem is that none of my penstemmon (with the exception of Heavenly Blue) are producing good robust side shoots as yet. No matter. I shall keep on trying, and winter isn't upon us just yet.
As for the Heavenly Blue? They're not established just yet, so there's still the possibility of them keeling through damping off or whatever. I've potted them up in John Innes #1, which is much more gritty and free-draining than peat-free, so hopefully they'll get through this fragile stage and make it through to maturity.
The only problem is that I'm having real problems with them developing roots. I usually just stick the little things in water, and sooner or later, the roots develop. This year, I've raised (so far!) two Heavenly Blues, but the rest are proving difficult. I fear that the actual parent plants are just not sufficiently developed to produce viable cuttings - most of my penstemmon are in their second year, while the Heavenly Blue is in its third. It has flowered better than its younger relations, and is just a better plant all round.
If I remember right, the side shoots are the ones that should be harvested for cuttings, and I can't help wondering if the problem is that none of my penstemmon (with the exception of Heavenly Blue) are producing good robust side shoots as yet. No matter. I shall keep on trying, and winter isn't upon us just yet.
As for the Heavenly Blue? They're not established just yet, so there's still the possibility of them keeling through damping off or whatever. I've potted them up in John Innes #1, which is much more gritty and free-draining than peat-free, so hopefully they'll get through this fragile stage and make it through to maturity.
