While checking the weather last night, I noticed something odd.
Snow. Yep. If it happens, it'll be the earliest snowfall I can remember in 36 years. Last year, we had an early January snowfall that got all the meteorologists in a tizzy around here. It's too early! they all screamed. Global warming! they said. Weather patterns are changing for sure. Anyone that reads the Farmer's Almanac already knew that snow was being forecast for us in early December. We'll see if it holds true. Today's high should reach the mid 60s.
My to-do list today is short. My back, better yesterday, is bothering me a little this morning. I've got some things that need to be potted in the cloner. The first roots have appeared overnight on the Honeycomb buddleia cuttings. I'm very happy about that. More should appear over the next week. Lavender, cotoneaster, and other buddleia are ready to be potted and placed under lights.
In water for more than a month, the Confederate Rose is rooting nicely too. Top growth has been dramatic over the past week. The wood heater warms the basement to the mid 80s when the fire is really roaring. I'm sure that has something to do with it.
I've also got a few seed packs to sort and label. I need to take a quick trip to the Post Office. And there's coffee to drink. Lots of coffee. It's cloudy and 43 degrees.
6 comments:
Hey Tom, your cuttings in the cloner are doing just great! Is that a leaf bud I see staring on one of the cuts? Nice job!
Have you ever tried rooting a cut from a crabapple tree? I have one odd branch (see my blog) that is still green and trying to bloom. Thought it might be interesting to remove that and try growing a tree from it....
Kris, I tried rooting some green cuttings from a plum tree of my sister's last year. It didn't work out too well for me. I think, but I could be wrong, that many flowering trees are grafted rather than rooted on their own. It depends on the variety. You could give it a shot.
The one with a leaf bud is the Honeycomb cutting that is also rooting. I stuck 7 cuttings in the cloner and that's the first one to root. The ones in soil haven't faired as well. I really have a hard time with cuttings in the fall in soil. Last year and this year they seem to rot rather than root. The cloner is the way to go. I can root things almost any time of the year. Pyracantha was rooted last winter while it was snowing outside.
I was surprised to see how similar your 10 day forecast is to mine here in southeastern PA. All but three of our night temps are within a few degrees of each other. Are these temps typical for your area this time of the year?
Elee, our normal December weather is 50s during the day, 30s at night. Rain usually brings warmer temperatures like today. That forecast is typical for early January. Late January and February are our coldest months. Sometimes it spills over into early March. By the end of March, we're back in the 70s during the day.
Cloner, hey? I'll be back and read more about it. Meanwhile you're inspiring to (a) be more scientific about my cuttings and (b) write about them. Pleased I chanced on your blog, Tom! Jack
Thanks Jack. Your photos are magnificent. There's a link on the right hand side for a recent post on the cloner. It's homemade and simple to build. Just ask if you have any questions. Thanks for visiting.
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