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Planting Begonia Rex leaf cuttings
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Posted by libby_rocks (My Page) on Thu, Nov 23, 06 at 12:45
| I've had a Begonia Rex that cuttings of which have been in my family for generations, so it is extremely important to me that I keep it alive and happy. My cat seems to think otherwise. So after he knocked off one particularly nice leaf, I decided to try propagating it as I had been reading about, slicing across the veins and laying it in soil in a little covered seed tray. It worked beautifully, tons of little wonderful new plants, but I can't seems to keep them alive transplanting them. I've tried replanting three promising little plants, and each have rotted and died. I can find a million instructions on how to propagate this way, but no advice on what I might be doing wrong. I've been waiting until they look healthy and the leaves are getting close to the top of the clear plastic cover, then just digging them out and putting them in well-drained potting soil. Any advice? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Planting Begonia Rex leaf cuttings
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Libby, if they are truly "rotting" it may be that you have them too wet. Alternatively, they may just need some protection from the dryness of the heated air in the house. Try covering one loosely, maybe with a clear plastic bag, for a couple weeks until the plantlet gets a chance to set some more roots.I use the foil cake trays with clear plastic lids as nurseries and have pretty good luck.
Congratulations on getting lots of new babies. That takes patience.
BB |
RE: Planting Begonia Rex leaf cuttings
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| BB is correct. If you can get plantlets then you are doing good, now you need to nurse them along in a controlled environment until the leaves are bigger and tougher. Start weaning them out of a high humidity environment until they can stand on their own. A pebble tray may help in this endeavor. Do not keep them soaking wet but don't let them dry out either. |
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