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gctba

FIT - How long?

GCTBA
11 years ago

I put down a couple of leaves of Frozen in Time but there is nothing showing even after 14 weeks.


Is this normal for this plant or should I cut my losses?

There seems to be slight root formation but this was present after 8 weeks and still no top growth.

The stems showing look healthy enough.

Andrew

Comments (15)

  • irina_co
    11 years ago

    Andrew -

    if there are roots, eventually they will give up and grow you the babies. Trim the tips of the leaves. Like top 20%.

    I.

  • GCTBA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks I'll do that.
    Cant wait much longer I'm on the age pension now...

    Andrew

  • irina_co
    11 years ago

    Andrew -

    aha - I was thinking - why it is so slow - usually it is either an old leaf, or too much variegation or too cold in a grow room, or too dry, or too heavy of a mix, yesterday a friend of mine came from a lecture about growing with the Moon - so I thought - may you put it on the waning mooon instead of waxing...

    BUT NOW I KNOW -

    WATCHED POT NEVER BOILS !!!

    I.

  • aegis1000
    11 years ago

    As long as the leaves are healthy, they will eventually start babies.

  • GCTBA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Irina I researched this just for you (seeing as you have an interest in Moon growing)
    I have no idea what it means but I do like the last line...

    The Moon continues on its way, meeting Vesta in exact conjunction in late Aries April 20 with both bodies in exact opposition to Saturn Rx in Libra. The themes continue.
    Saturn retrograde in Libra reminds us that, when it comes to relationships, a watched pot never boils. The worry and heaviness and sense of arduous delay brought to the topic of relationship by Saturn dissipates only when we're too busy doing our own thing to concern ourselves with it.

    And all this Aries opposing gives us the perfect opportunity to stop watching. Stop waiting. Just go.

  • irina_co
    11 years ago

    Andrew -

    my interest regarding the Moon growing is quite shallow - my Granny who was born in a respectable 1890, lived a long life and had green fingers extraordinare - was always saying - weed on old moon, seed on the young.

    But - it is the same issue - when is the best time to trim your fence? - when you have time and when your tools are sharp.

    Retired person can plan his activity so the seeding and weeding can be done at the appropriate conjunction :-)

    People who still work in their corporate salt mines.. you got it.

    Anyway - in my experience - the leaf starting likes company. If you have the whole tray of leaves planted and covered with the dome - they probably do it together as a team. Less losses, faster babies.

    There are stimulators of growth - I would think that something kelp based works just right - SuperThrive for example. You dip your leaves - and it fastens the process.

    But - if you just start the whole tray - and stick it on the shelf - and forget about them besides adding water every so often - they usually do great on their own. Time is different now - when we were kids - you wake up - and the whole day seems huge... now it is morning - evening - New Year, morning evening - New year...

    Good luck

    Irina

  • aviolet6
    11 years ago

    I'm just wondering if you need more light. Some need more light than others. Or if you buried the stem too deep in the soil.

  • GCTBA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Aviolet - I think there is enough light, they are about 5 inches from the tubes and theyre planted at the same depth as others which are producing.

    Irina - to be honest I hadn't considered the group sex idea, but you could be right as they are on an isolated tray.

    One of our older members swears by music and has recommended Gershwin for propagating.
    She, incidentally, adds cow manure to her mix and grows show quality everything.
    (She does nuke the cow stuff in the microwave first.)

    So when theres the next new moon I'll move them to a shared tray, put on a few CDs and check back weekly rather than daily.

    Andrew

  • irina_co
    11 years ago

    I use worm castings instead of an old cow Sh*t. Works the same - plus adds lots of useful bacteria to the soil.
    2 negatives though. Minis grow as semis, semis grow as standards. And since I do not nuke my castings - to preserve the soil bacteria from the worms guts - it always comes with fungus gnat eggs. So I end chasing them darn gnats every so often.

    Recipes for home-made grow stimulants - you start your leaves in water - and as soon as they start showing roots, you plant them in a soil and water the starter pots with the water leaves were sitting. Second option - if you have your plant wicked on the container - the container water develops algae - and algae is full of stimulants as well. Use this water for propagation tray.

    I.

  • larry_b
    11 years ago

    (She does nuke the cow stuff in the microwave first.)

    Not sure I would want to eat anything heated up in that microwave after nuking the BS. ;-)

    Seriously, I would just be patient. I have had leaves take that long before. It should sprout mouse ears eventually.

    Larry

  • GCTBA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Its Still on life support...

  • korina
    11 years ago

    Don't forget that other trick of shocking the roots. Just squeeze the sides of the pot to smoosh the soil around a bit and give the leaves a wake-up call.

  • GCTBA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Finally its showing.
    korina I took your advice and shocked it. Actually more than shocked it - I repotted it. (I calculate that at the present rate of growth it will be full size in approximately 27 years)
    As a consequence of the repotting I've changed my propagation methods.
    I'm now using 1 inch of perlite with 1 inch of vermiculte on top. Sort of Texas style I guess and getting good results. Plus I can sit the containers in water without worrying about them. I'm getting more plants using this method and in much quicker time.

    Andrew

  • aviolet6
    11 years ago

    I am wanting a long (4-8 ft) single shelf to put along one wall and set plants on. Any ideas where I can find one that long?

  • irina_co
    11 years ago

    I use one like that - it is called a pool table. My hubby bought it for cheap - and the surface went wavy in a year. It is sitting in a middle of my basement with Hydrofarm 4 T5 fixture hanging from a ceiling 25" above it. So the middle is high light - I grow gessies there - and edges are right for AVs and Episcias.

    Anyway - if you plan to lean it to the wall - you cannot go much wider than 2feet. Otherwise you won't reach the back. I would think that some combination of folding tables will work and the shopights can be hung from the ceiling.

    I.

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