My Vitex

Also known as Chaste Tree, the vitex (Shoal's Creek) was planted several weeks ago in the shrub island in the back yard. I took cuttings on Monday, stuck them in the cloner, and hope to have three new ones in a couple weeks. Any that root will be used as screens around the edge of whatever lawn remains out back.

Here's the mother plant as seen during my second cup of coffee stroll.







Based on the moisture already visible in the air, the humidity today will make being outside miserable. Forecast calls for mid 90s this weekend.



Sometimes, I take cuttings of plants with the intention of forcing them to root. This variegated hydrangea cutting was nonchalantly stuck in a coke can full of water several weeks back. It sat there in the basement for another week before I finally moved it to soil. Barely watered and ignored under lights in the basement, it managed to root despite my failures as a gardener. I put it outside with the other hydrangea cuttings last week. It's putting out new growth now and has rooted itself firmly in the cheap Top Soil purchased from Lowe's. Broken bags are still half price.