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How to root leaf cuttings?
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Posted by krstofer Zone 8 (ish) (My Page) on Fri, Feb 17, 06 at 13:10
| I have a bunch of 'volunteers' spreading themselves through my collection.. D. Sessifolia I think they are.. Anyway, I need to remove them as they're crowding out the little guys.
I thought I might try rooting some leaf cuttings from them- Can anyone describe the various processes for me? I remember something about 'floating them in distilled water' or something...?
Thanks- |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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Drosera root cuttings can be performed in many ways. They can easily be removed from the base of the mother plant. Then, carefully placed on the prefered media, such as peat moss, or sphagnum moss(either dry or alive)
I've honestly never tried floating the cuttings on distilled water, however, i do quite recall Sheldon tried this floating cutting method with one of his drosera capensis. It worked, so it may also worked with Drosera Sessifolia, who knows, give a try, you have nothing to lose. But if you're not quite comfortable with floating cuttings on distilled water, then simply try the typical way, lay the cuttings on top of moist peatmoss, then, gently cover the rooted area of the base of the cutting. keep the media moist at all times, give it plenty of bright light, avoid extreme temps as these cuttings may burn. It takes about 2-3 weeks for small plantets to sprout. Once you know it, they'll be there.. Good luck, =Xymox= |
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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Hey there Krys,
I have never tried the floating on distilled water method, because of my inability to maintain a constant temperature of the water i. e. approx 70* F, which I hear is necessary to do the floating method.
I have had gr8 success with a media of 50/ 50 peat and perlite.I cover the grow tray/ pot with a dome/plastic bag.
I mist them every other day or so :
First to inspect them, to make sure that they haven't turned over with the tentacles facing down ,
Second, to check that no fungus or weeds have sprouted along with the tiny plantlets.
I grow these in a greenhouse where daytime temps never exceed 90* and nighttime temps, don't drop below 45* Like Xymox says. In a few weeks there will be little plantlets on the edge of the leaf(ves).
I usually allow the plantlets to get about the size of a dime or quarter depending on the size of the mature plant.
Then I transplant digging deep enough not to disturb the roots.
Thanx for listening and keep 'em plants growin'
Lois |
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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| Hi I dont know if the floating while keeping a constant temp story is really true.
Reason I say this is I tried the floating method with Drosera Capensis, 3 mutations of VFT leaves and Drosera Aliciae with wonderful results.
My temp in the basement was anything but constant, I just used an old plastic container, filled with RO water, put a clear plastic cover over it and left a CF bulb over the thing day and night.
It was about 2 weeks if I remember correctly that about 80% of the Drosera leaves and about 2 out of the 3 VFT leaves sprouted little minature versions.
That little VFT (big mouth) is now home with me in South Africa and is looking AWESOME, lill guy is getting big and very very healthy.
Maybe the constant temp story also has to do with how hardy the specie of CP is?
Im presently growing forests of Drosera here using the root cutting method, it works way way better than leaf cuttings and species like Capensis and Aliciae grow their root structure really fast.
Ill cut off one of the many long 8+" roots off, cut that into 1.5" pieces and put under a shallow dish filled with soaked sphagnum moss, within a week there are little sundew leaves coming up, within 2.5 weeks they are just under 1" tall and I transplant them.
Out of the 3 Capensis and 5 Aliciae'e I brought with, I now have around 10 Capensis plants and about 12 Aliciae. Cheers Sheldon |
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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Hey Sheldon-
Seems like it would be obvious, but in my expierience transplanting pygmies, the roots are about the size of a hair. How do you seperate them from everything else, or are there thicker ones in there I just haven't looked for?
Thanks- |
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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| Hey krstofer Sheesh, Ive never had the luck to get my hands on pygmies :)
Ye that could be an issue, especially with all the soil that would be clumped on the roots.
I dont know if its posible to get the soil off by carefully washing the roots so that you can have an easier view.
Mabey one of those magnifying glasses (the headsets) that jewelers wear could be of benefit with this?
I used to use one of those when I was making cabachons in the US, they should work well and are not to pricey. Cheers Sheldon |
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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Hey there Krys.
I agree, transplanting Pygmy sundews is a risky business at best.if not downright suicide,(planticide) for the plant.
They only ones that I have come anywhere near successfully transplanting is D. scorpioides and that is because the gemmae were sown in 2 1/4 in square by 3" tall rose pots.then more or less transport the entire contents of the pot into a larger pot.and fill in around the edges.
It is best to plant the gemmae where you want the plants to grow.
Thanx for listening and keep 'em plants growin'
Lois |
RE: How to root leaf cuttings?
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| I have had success with D. binata and filiformis by placing a leaf in a capped 50 ml centrifuge tube, filled with deionized water and placed at a window sill. I have seen 15-20 sprouts from a single leaf. The trick is to acclimate it slowly from a totally wet envrionment to a typical pot. Ceph and Mexican ping leaf cuttings do well in baggies of slightly moist media, by a an eastern winodw sill - and then left alone for several weeks. I have also been successful with putting leaves in an open tray of live, swampy, LFS. Check the link below. |
Here is a link that might be useful: The Swamp
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