Put down by my 4 year old son

I showed the lad some cuttings I've had a go at doing. They're in a pot with a clear freezer bag over their head to keep the moisture in. The conversation went something like this:

Me: See that pot in the bag there?
Lad: Yes
Me: That's got cuttings in it. I'm trying to make lots of new plants out of one plant.
Lad: And the bag is like a little greenhouse?
Me: Yes, that's right.
Lad: Like Mr Bloom. Mr Bloom does that. Why not use a bottle?
Me: Dunno? Why?
Lad: Mr Bloom uses a bottle. He cuts up a bottle, and puts it on the pot, like a little greenhouse.

So there we go. All my best efforts, shot down by a 4 year old who's clearly learned more than I gave him credit for off a CBeebies TV program.

 

hehe!! it proves that mr bloom does teach kids through the tv programme. nice 1 junior clue!!

 

And we thought our licence fees were wasted,,,

 

The most important thing is that he watched his dad do it and showing him what to do. He'll probably remember it for the rest of his life.

 

My success rate with cuttings is close to 0%, so he's probably better off listening to what Mr Bloom says

That said, if he learns one thing by watching me do it, it will be that most valuable lesson of persistence. If at first, or next time, or the time after that you don't succeed, try, try and try again, then when it still doesn't work, have another go

 

Ermm, have you tried sitting down to watch Mr Bloom together?

 

I am glad I don't have children (and therefore no grandchildren) because my cats agree with everything I say ...

 

Today I have taken about 80 cuttings off two Geum plants (Geum, Blazing Sunset).

I suspect my success rate will be the usual close to 0%, because I've looked in my RHS propagation book for Geum, and it says it should be raised from seed or divided in spring. No mention of any kind of cutting. Searching on the internet suggests the same. Does this mean this plant just doesn't bother rooting from cuttings and therefore I've wasted my time?

 

I've just checked a gardening book Clueless and that says the same. Perhaps the cuttings are difficult to root. Give them a go anyway and see if you can prove otherwise. Meanwhile have you got any seeds you can try?

 

Got no seeds for it. To be honest I'm not that bothered about this particular plant. Its nice but I wouldn't have gone out of my way to find it. I bought them because they were £2 each for very healthy, well established plants in casualty corner at B&Q. As far as I can tell, all that was wrong with them is that nobody had dead headed them so there was no flowers on them. I bought them to practice taking different types of cuttings.

 

I have today acquired a few cuttings of an orange geum. I'm not wild about it either but they were free. They don't look difficult - similar to a heuchera and they are easy enough. We'll see.

If you want a go at something really easy why not try a coleus or a salvia? Or penstemons?

 

Mr Bloom and my son are both right.

I've just checked on my cuttings. Most are in cells in propagators, but some are in pots with a bag over their heads. The propagator ones so far, touch wood, seem happy.

The other ones though, well what's happened is this. The moisture has tried to evaporate away, as I knew it would, but has been caught by the bags, as I knew would happen. What I didn't bargain on was that the weight of the water condensing inside the bag is enough to collapse the little bag tent onto the cuttings. They still look fine, but I don't think they'll like being in direct contact with the bags for very long. A cut up bottle wouldn't have collapsed like that.

 

A cut up bottle wouldn't have collapsed like that.
Clue, I try and put a few cocktail sticks around the edge to prop up the bag tent and keep it away from the leaves as much as possible.
A bottle is OK but unless you can ensure a 100% tight fit, it will not be as effective as a bag tent- secured by an elastic band.
Jenny

 

When will I know if my cuttings have been successful or not? I checked them today and they still look the same as when I did them, ie they haven't shrivelled up yet or gone yellow or anything. That must be a good sign? I'm guessing that even if they are doing well, there'll be no roots yet. Is that a reasonable assumption?