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Camellia seedling 'weed'
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Posted by haley45 7b (My Page) on Wed, Apr 15, 09 at 13:15
| Hi everyone, I was hoping that one of you camellia gurus could help me with something. Our neighbors dropped by on Sunday to see the new flower beds that I've been working on. Well my husband started teasing me about this "weed" that was growing in one of the beds. I had noticed the weed but it didn't look like any others that I had so I hadn't pulled it because I was curious to see if was in fact a weed or a seedling of some sort. Anyways, he kept teasing, so I had to do what any good gardener would do to preserve my honor and went to pull up the weed. Well, I should have followed my instinct and not pulled it up, because when I did, it turns out that it was a camellia seedling where I had gotten some seeds from a camellia at my parents' and had pushed a couple in the dirt last fall to see if anything would happen (and figuring nothing would). Here's where I need help: when I pulled the "weed" up, the seedling had 2 sets of leaves and they pulled off, but it has a pretty good root system that is still pretty much intact as well as its stem, which I replanted. Is there any hope that my camellia seedling will make it if I baby it a little? Or is it doomed since I pulled the leaves off (I didn't know if it wouldn't be able to get energy without leaves)? Sorry for the long post, and thanks for your help!!! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Camellia seedling 'weed'
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I have been "tango" with camellias seedlings at all possible scenarios for many years. Eventually I have developed a defined path to produce new camellias seedlings.
I would call you camellia weed as an open seedling. heley45, If you have transplanted your open seedling into a pot, keep it at a bright and warm spot but no direct sun or wind. If you think the small weak plant needs time to recover, you can cover the plant with a clear poly bag secured the bag with a stick and two cloth pins( not air tight). In the closure, the high humidity would help the small plant to put out a new leaf bud. Besides, you need to pray. It should be very a interesting garden project for you to do. After the plant is getting strong, you can gradually remove the bag. Eventually about 5 years later, you shall see the first flower to bloom. Some of genetic traits of this flower might resemble the parentage flower. However, if you want produce a special nice camellia, hand cross pollination shall be a better way to go. |
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