Share The Seeds
Gardening Area => Growing questions and answers => Topic started by: gnosis on February 21, 2014, 12:19:13 AM
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I planted two sets of leaf cuttings,
psychotria carthagenensis
psychotria nexus
I put them into a burpee seed starting set up
and am not sure if that is the best way, also
when I place the dome over it the top of the leaves are
crushed a little.
Here's a couple of pics.
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Looks ok to me?
Most folks are using a little vermiculite in the mix to keep them nice and moist.
Where the leaves are touching the lid could be an issue as it might get bruised and rot?
Only time will tell.
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Maybe I can improvise the dome with something, give it a little more height.
What do you think?
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I've been using plastic "Roller boxes" with pretty good success for a lot of stuff.
Big clear plastic box you get from "$2 shops". 36lt, 52lt, 96lt, all about $9-$12 each
You can fit a heap of pots in them, and they trap the heat and moisture pretty good.
You can stack them if space is limited which is handy too.
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You could cut the top half of the leafs off and root them up too. Double the plants, no chance for rot.
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I don't know if its just me, but I seem to get more success striking them whole leaves straight up and down VS cracked and planted at an angle VS whole planted at an angle VS cut in two.
Maybe because I'm doing it outdoors in the green house without the humidity dome, instead in a clean glass box under lights indoors like most you guys are?
Maybe because I'm not doing it in sterile enough conditions?
Maybe because I am a bit crap at it and need a bit more practice? :P
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My improvision 8)
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Sunshine, you think I can still cut them?
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The tops to those are usually generic. You can find one that is a lot taller than that probably if you look around at garden specialty stores.
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It is ok do this way, but is better if start in water.
Put the leaf in a glass of water. Cover 3/4 of the leaf with water. Change the water once a week.
The process in both cases is slow (in water is faster) maybe 6 month to get a 5 cm seedling.
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I have a slight white film developing on top of the soil where I have my leaf cuttings planted and
was wondering what that was. Here is a pic of it.
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Could be a mold of some kind, it'll happen when there's not a lot of fresh air exchange and the soil wet, usually it's not much to worry about, I've seen mold on the surface of the soil in my pots that was white and even green, it never really seemed to affect my plants. If you're really worried about it just increase your fresh air exchange by opening up your terrarium more often and fanning it, or you could simply cut a few holes in your clear plastic lid so it'll have some exchange naturally all day.
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I actually took them out of the terrarium and just planted them in the container you see in the pic.
I assumed they were ready to transfer because I saw the roots growing on them.
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I do this way
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That looks beautiful! :)