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Propagating on soil or gritty mix?

_sbgibbons_
9 years ago

Which do you prefer? I've been using soil, but I'm wondering how using gritty mix would make a difference. Any opinions?

If you propagate on dirt, but use a gritty mix with your mature plants, when do you switch them over? I just had a jelly bean plant that finally dropped it's "moma" leaf so I switched it over to a gritty mix. I was wondering if that's when y'all do it too.. Thanks in advance. - Sam :)

Comments (13)

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    9 years ago

    Either one works. Many also root with no soil at all. Bright, full shade.

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    9 years ago

    Sam,

    Where you are, they'll root if thrown onto the soil, but they stand a better chance of developing a stronger root system if they root into soil.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    9 years ago

    I do very limited propagation, but I typically root into Gritty mixes....which makes it exceptionally easy to re-pot / pot up, since the mix falls away from the roots without trauma.

    Josh

  • oks2n2_Siberia1
    9 years ago

    Josh (greenman28)
    tell me, please, how do you propagate Arborescens with orbicular leaves? Either my conditions are not suitable, or I do improperly. I root into Gritty mixes with a few amount of the pine-ground. Other Jades are rooted easily.
    Oksana.

  • _sbgibbons_
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the responses y'all. I was just curious. I don't really have a problem with propagation, but I was wondering how everyone else did it . But one thing I have noticed is if I buy a plant that already has a leaf that has fallen and has begun to self propagate, it usually has a much better root system than the ones that I do myself. And I'm curious as to why. I've had a pretty high success rate with propagation, but I'd like my root systems to be stronger. I wonder if it's because nurseries and big box stores tend to over water? I have no idea..

  • oks2n2_Siberia1
    9 years ago

    Sbgibbons, nurseries and big box stores always treat their plants by auxin. Therefore they have better root system.

  • _sbgibbons_
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh okay, that makes sense. Maybe I should look into buying some rooting hormone. Thanks Osk2n2.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    9 years ago

    Hello!
    Oksana, I just take a cutting, let it form a callus on the cut end, and then insert into a gritty mix. After a week or two, I usually dribble some water around the cutting. I've started several cuttings of C. arborescens and they have all rooted within three weeks.

    Josh

  • oks2n2_Siberia1
    9 years ago

    Josh,
    thank you!
    I, too, so do. But.... they do not survive ((
    Do you have different day and night temperatures? and by how much?

    Sbgibbons
    rooting hormones - it's like to live on anabolics all your life.
    It you want?
    Oksana.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    9 years ago

    Oksana,
    I live in northern California, and I have started cuttings in all seasons. Our temperatures range from 20F in the Winter to 110F in the Summer. Spring and Fall are usually quite warm, 80F's - 90F's. When I start cuttings, I always keep them in bright shade. In the picture above, I had the cutting on a sunny windowsill because I was propagating during the Winter when the sun is weak.

    Josh

  • _sbgibbons_
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The wording of your sentence kinda confused me. Lol. I'm sorry. Are you saying rooting hormones are bad? I've seen A few people on here say that they use it, so I wasn't aware that it was a bad thing..

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    9 years ago

    There are several different types of rooting aids that have different chemical make-ups. These compounds vary in their ability to encourage root formation on a plant to plant or species to species basis, and when used inappropriately they can actually be counter-productive.

    Cuttings need to metabolize stored carbohydrates in order to produce new roots. For that, they need to breathe - just like established roots. It's important to use a well-aerated rooting medium that provides the plant with either water vapor between the soil particles or a microscopic film of water on the surfaces of soil particles. That's how plants take up water - a molecule at a time. They don't 'drink' water by the drop, so the less free water in the substrate, the better your plants will like it - as long as there is enough water to support the cutting w/o stress. One thing you DON'T want to do is try to root in a medium that supports significant amounts of perched water and stick your cutting so deep the proximal end is submerged in the excess (perched) water held in the soil.

    I use the gritty mix because it doesn't hold perched water and I always have it on hand. I usually propagate under lights or outdoors in open shade and in a wind-protected area.

    Al

  • oks2n2_Siberia1
    9 years ago

    in open shade... may be, is my problem in this? I keep my Arborescens cuttings in the brightest area.
    I know that bright light may inhibit growth, but did not know that may inhibit rooting.
    It is not happening with Ovatas.
    I'll go to put the cuttings in the shadow. Because my other conditions are the same as your.
    Thank you very much, Al and Josh!
    Sbgibbons,
    my crassulas grow roots well in acid soil without hormones.
    With best wishes
    Oksana.