Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Testing.

In the fridge, I have four 8" cuttings of Marseilles fig sent to me by a GardenWeb member. Shortly after receiving them, I washed them with antibacterial dish soap, dipped them in a 10% bleach solution, and allowed them to air dry. Then I wrapped them in damp newspaper and placed them in a ziplock bag. I tried rooting this fig last year, but lost all 6 of my cuttings to mold and rot shortly after the first roots formed. I'm doing a couple of tests to determine the best method for rooting them this year.

In a ziplock bag, I have Black Mission cuttings from Carla. They were cleaned in the same manner and wrapped in moist paper. From what I've read, it should take 2-6 weeks to see the first roots develop. Nothing so far, not even a bump. It's only been a few days though.



I also stuck a cutting in the cloner. I've never had success rooting dormant, hardwood cuttings with this thing. So I'm hoping that figs will be the first successful attempt. If it works, I'll use the baggie method on two of the Marseilles and stick the other two is a very clean cloner. I've been told they will also root in water. That's something else I've never had luck with. The one cutting has developed a single white initial root. I'm waiting to see if it creates others before I call it a success.



I also have cuttings in soil in the hoophouse. I doubt I will use that method for the Marseilles. Too many things can go wrong and I tend not to pay a lot of attention to the innards of the hoophouse for days on end.

I picked up a few new seeds yesterday from the store. The Four O'clocks will be planted on the north side of the house where they can reseed with abandon. The others, I'm not sure about. I love the Pink Pop agastache. I wonder if Cameron has grown this one.



This morning, it's 25 degrees. The wind died down overnight so a heavy frost settled on everything. It should be a sunny day with a mid 50s high. I'm off tomorrow, so the new coffee maker will get a work out. I've got firewood to cut and split and a few other things to get done from my weekly to-do list. I'd like to get enough stone to finish the edging around the shrub border. I just have to uncover it and move it.

8 comments:

Samantha in NC said...

I picked up that Agastache Pink Pop at Lowe's too...can't wait to see how it turns out!

Jean Campbell said...

I looked at that same Agastache at Lowe's in T'ville on Monday! I couldn't think of a place where I needed pink agastache. I have purple seeds. I bought Sundance Bicolor Gaillardia seeds instead.

Anonymous said...

Just seeing those seed packs instantly gives me a lift. :) Good luck with those cuttings.

scottweberpdx said...

Love that seed selection...I've never actually grown achillea or agastache from seed...are they pretty easy?

L. D. said...

My achillea are tough up here and survive the winter well. It will be interesting to see how they do in the warmer climate. They have such a lacey folige, almost weed-like at first, but they are really strong with their color. I photograph my pink one in so many stages as it is so neat.

Darla said...

I grow those same 4 o'clocks last year along with some others..the things bloomed at night! Do you know that if you plant them around your roses it's supposed to deter Japanese Beetles?

Betty819 said...

Are you going to WS those seeds now? I bought some pink coneflower seeds down at KM yesterday. I can WS those today, or do you think that it's too early?

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Samantha, I hope it does well for us.

Nell, you can always use more pink flowers. The bees and butterflies love my other agastaches.

Thanks Nancy. I can't wait until planting out time. It's been a long winter so far.

Scott, I grew yarrow from seed last year. Only one plant survived and it's still green out in the garden. The trick, I think, is to give them good drainage and some shade in our heat and humidity.

LD, they like to turn black in the middle of summer here, but the foliage begins to regrow as soon as it cools down. I'm going to try planting these in a better spot with lots more drainage, but a little shade in the afternoon.

Darla, I have other four o'clocks and i love the smell. I hope these are as nice as the picture on the package. I've got a bed on the North side of the house that needs something. These will go there. It's shaded most of the year and day during the summer, but our heat will keep these growing without a lot of wilting, I hope.

Betty, I won't sow any of these until much later except the achillea. It will be done in my next batch, as soon as I get more containers.