When to take the bottle off new cuttings?

15 years ago

Hello

I've been browsing with much interest various forums on this site since spring, when I was able to have my own little backyard for the first time.

After some readings here, I decided to take a stem off my mom's neglected climber, that flowers every year in spite of no care. It has flowers that are double, ruffled, redish-pink and in groups of many on one stem. I took two pieces, and one piece off her scarlet miniature. at home I halved them and planted them two per pot, in potting soil, with water bottles with bottom removed on. two weeks later I decided I shouldn't have two cuttings in little pot, so I pulled out one of each and planted them in other pots. to my joy, three had little roots ( a bunch of roots, about 1 inch long) and one didn't ( that one also lost the leaves), so I threw it away. Now it's three weeks since I started, and I decided to see what happens if i take the bottles off. They stayed happy the whole day, and did not wilt at all. Does it mean I can let them breathe? and not put the bottles back on? The bottles are 1.5l bottles, and too narrow, they crowd the leaves...

Btw, I think I have to keep them in the window for the coming fall and winter, and I don't have lights, misting systems, etc....I also don't have a garagee.... Will they survive indoors until spring?

Any advise is welcome, please write if you have a moment, I really want them to live!

Thank you!

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Comments (5)

cannabisgrower
15 years ago
you probably can let them breath, if they didn't wilt then probably they have enough root to keep them hydrated. within a few more weeks buds will start to swell and new leaves and canes will come out. lucky you didn't kill them when you pulled them the first time. nice going. :)
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
15 years ago
If they have roots the bottle can come off, but you don't want to put them in full sun yet. Dappled shade is excellent. Full but bright shade (no direct sun at first) is the next best thing. Cloudy days are good. A WEAK solution (1/4 strength of the receipe on the bottle) of fish emulsion is a good fertilizer--just a tiny bit, a few drops or a teaspoon full, once every two weeks, should get the growth going.

Getting them through the winter--do you have a cold frame?
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adiro
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you so much for answering! I am glad they caught, as I feel bad for my mom's rose... maybe her cuttings will have a better life...my mom doesn't care for it, but on the other hand does not let me dig it out and take it... she donated her whole yard to some bushes of rasberry, that took over everything.... good to eat, but not worth ruining a whole yard for the sake of it ( my opinion, not hers...)

Sorry, I don't know what a cold frame is.... I saw
something called MiniGreenHouse at Home Depot, it's basically a shelf unit, dressed in a see-through plastic bag with zippers, costs $29 so not that expensive... But I can't imagine anything surviving outside in that thing, during our winters... Please advise, if you think that's useful!

I don't want to put the cuttings in the ground, as we might be moving next spring....

Btw, the soil I used already has some very light fertilizer in it ( 0.2-0.3-0.2) The bottles have been off for 48 hours now and still no wilting! The cuttings are in South Window which has a moskito net, so I guess that's dampled shade... it's my brightest window though
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
15 years ago
All you really need are shop lights with regular fluorescent bulbs. However, you will need those. It's best to set them up in a room that can be kept cooler than the rest of the house. The amount of natural light doesn't matter since the shop lights are adequate.
adiro
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you so much for the idea on lightening! I was counting how many night-table lights I have in the house and how I could crowd them all in one place, without realizing that there is a more practical approach to lightening :) I just investigated " shop lights" and it is sure something I need to get. Thank You!