A few weeks ago, I would have looked at this mess and suggested we get the rake. Today, I see a gold mine of succulent leaves perfect for propagation. The greenhouse experience is leading me towards hobbies I’ve never considered until now.
Amazon makes our lives so much easier. From the comfort of home, I’ve ordered all my peat pots, fertilizers, and even a book on Propagation. “The Plant Propagator’s Bible — A Step-by-Step guide to propagating every plant in your garden by Miranda Smith” has been an interesting addition to our garden library.
A great thing about living in 2024 is that it’s no longer necessary to possess a hard copy of a book. It’s easy to GOOGLE anything at all, even plant propagation. I’m still old school when it comes to preferring a hard copy to a screen version.
Loving succulents of all types, I’ve always wondered if it’s difficult to reproduce them. After reading a section on propagating plants from leaves, a tray of leaves from some old succulents are growing roots in my study, along with leaves from my African violets. Reading the new book, the methods and steps were clearly written. Just trim off some leaves, stick them in the ground, treat with rooting hormone and wait for the magic to happen. So far, the succulents aren’t doing much, but gardening has taught me to be patient with experiments.
If you’ve been to the garden center lately, the insanity goes on and on. For one 2″ potted succulent, you can easily pay $5. I’m beginning to see a gold mine growing right under my greenhouse roof. Probably much more profitable than a basket full of Wooklets once a year.
Last week, we purchased a beautiful lilac plant that is now planted by a table and chairs. After doing research, I discovered it can be propagated by burying a low hanging branch. Leave the branch connected to the plant and burying the middle of the stem, leaving the leaves on the end of the branch to continue growing. By the end of the year, check the stem for a root ball. If present, cut the stem from the plant and you will then have two plants!!! That process is called layering.
As I’m learning all these things, I remember my dad doing these same things with the vines on the ranch. Throughout the year, he’d make two vines out of one. Back then, you couldn’t just run to the store to buy replacement vines. You needed to make your own. Real farmers new these things. Maybe I missed a few lessons along the way.
HHH has been working every day to keep our garden growing. For the rest of the growing season, we’ll observe Bee Monitoring and Miracle Grow and Bee Monitoring Monday’s and SUPERthrive Saturday’s. These two additives have taken nearly dead plants and revived them with his green thumb.
I’ve long been a fan of Miracle Grow. Just spray it on any plant and huge growth will result. Be careful with vegetables. Too much and you might end up with a vigorous plant and no veggies. Just follow the directions closely and watch for beautiful results every time.
SUPERthrive was a new one to me. Last summer, while still dating HHH, he would come over with his quart bottle of liquid gold, asking if he could rejuvinate the roses and other plants. Well, no sane woman would turn down that offer. The plants here at Winterpast started to grow in ways they hadn’t before. Just a capful in a 2-gallon watering can provided amazing results. Again, HHH is my hero!!!
When visiting the hardware store the other day, we saw a rare deal on SUPERthrive. $10 a quart. Now, this is six times lower than the regular price, so we bought some. Don’t. It was a thick, fishy smelling liquid that is nothing like the expensive version. We returned ours to the store for a refund and ordered the real stuff online. It’a available in four ounce, quart or gallon size. Unless you have gardens the size of Winterpast, four ounces will last a season or two.
With the winds still chilly, today is a day to work around the house and keep an eye on the Wooklets. Growing like weeds, they excel at crying when anything is not exactly to their liking. And I mean anything. One of them was just crying as she was nursing. Not an easy thing to do.
Adorable doesn’t even begin to tell you how cute they are. Although we’ve promised ourselves we’d not fall in love with them, of course, we are. Who could resist six little dogs emitting the most intoxicating puppy breath? Impossible.
Propagation is really fun! One Wookie = 6 Wooklets. 10,000 bees in a NUC = 50,000 bees in a working hive. Violets. Succulents. Seedlings. New hobbies keep life interesting!
Whatever you do today, think about propagating a favorite houseplant. Almost every plant can produce more of their own kind in one way or another. Just Google it. Then, you’ll know.
More tomorrow.