Potting Up Bag Rooted Cuttings

DRAFT - August 4, 2013

GETTING THE ROOTS AND MIX OUT OF THE BAG

WARNING: The fast growing roots in the bags are exceptionally fragile and the cutting can easily become separated from the bag of roots, if the cutting is pulled.

Before removing the bag,

prepare your pot with mix having a depression to receive the root ball.

Removing the Bag as One Piece

If crowded with roots, just tear or cut along the seams that run along either side of the bag, tearing all the way to the bottom.

A razor blade or exact-o-knife will cut along the seam with ease if tearing is not working out well for you. To avoid cutting roots which may be under the seam, either tear the bag or lift the bag away from the root with the razor while cutting.

Removing the Bag as Two Pieces - Optional

First, with the bag still tied off to the cutting:

· With a razor or pointed sharp scissors, make a cut anywhere along the bottom of the bag. Avoid cutting roots by lifting the bag as you cut.

· Extend this cut such that it joins the two seams that run up and down on either side of the bag. 

· From the point where this first cut joins a seam, cut along the seam down to the very corner of the bag. 

· Repeat this cut to the corner of the other side.

POTTING UP

Next set the cutting and bag into a hole of your pot mix.

oLoosen and remove the bag tie.

oStart a cut along the top of each seam. See photos.

oUsing both hands, grab both sides of cut and pull to tear the seam downward. See photo.

oAfter tearing both sides all the way down, the bag is now in two pieces. 

oSimply lift out the two halves, the root ball should not have to bedisturbed while removing the bag pieces. See photo.

 

Filling the Pot with Mix

oAdd mix. 

oWith fingers in the mix on either side, move the mix sideways toward the root ball.

oDo not push down on the mix near the root ball as this will separate the roots from the cutting.

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Email: theplumerian@gmail.com

Jimmy Buffett - The Key West Years

Jimmy Buffett - The Key West Years

2010 Featured Plumeria

Plumeria Care Through the Ages

 PLUMERIA CARE THROUGH THE AGES
A History of Plumeria Care and Propagation

Published in c. 1768

Plumeria were cultivated in England as early as c. 1690. The Royal Gardeners responsible for the Royal Botanic Gardens and conservatories of the Kings of France, England and Spain were among the early experts of tropical plant culture.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was created c. 1759

When reading these page images you'll need to interpret what looks like an f as an s. For example, the first image below reads as 'All these plants may be propagated by seeds, which must.. ; they should be sown in pots filled... should be transplanted into separate small pots.... observing the shade...' .

Plumeria propagation from seeds, c. 1768

continuation of seed propagation, c. 1768

The references to "the stove" which appear as "the ftove" are references to the room of the conservatory where the heat is provided for the conservatory which would be the same as a hot-house. References to the "flue" means the "pipes" that carry away the hot exhaust of the wood fire.

Propagation from cuttings, c. 1768

Notice above that it is recommended the cuttings have two-months before being planted.

You'll sometimes read references to the tan. Tan is short for tan-bark or tanners bark. Crushed bark has tannin which is applied to drying animal skins in order to tan the skin to leather. Bark is natures protection of trees and contain natural controls of plant diseases. Bark mulch is good for the garden, in potting mix and for rooting cuttings. Plumeria cuttings can be rooted in nothing more than pine bark.

Above is the recommendation to harden a plant off by slowing increasing the amount of sun exposure.

c. 1794

Two months to ten weeks prior to rooting, c. 1794

THE UNIVERSAL GARDENER, c. 1778

Propagation from seed and cuttings, c. 1778

continuation of propagation from cuttings, c. 1778

AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDENING, c. 1824

A recommendation to use large cuttings and crushed bark (tan)

published c. 1825

From the Encyclopidea Londinensis, c. 1825

Propagation from seeds, Encyclopedia Londinensis, c. 1825

Propagation from cuttings, Encylopedia Londinensis, c. 1825

Published c. 1829

Excerpt from The Practical Gardener and Modern Horticulturist

 AMERICAN GARDENER'S CALENDAR, c. 1859

Bottom heat and the bell-glass as a humidity chamber

The bell glass assures a warm humid environment as bags do with bag-rooting, maintaining desired conditions with a minimum amount of water within the enclosure. The bell glass over cuttings or similar humidity chamber avoids excessive loss of water from the cutting.


An important recommendation for those outside of the tropics is in the above page image. It is best to have cuttings well rooted before winter storage to reduce risk of losing the plant by early spring of the following year.

SUMMARY

For those of us living outside of the tropics, most of what we need to know about plumeria culture has been documented over two-hundred years ago. An important lesson from the past is the emphasis of allowing ample time for the cuttings to become well callused. Typically, eight to  ten weeks of curing time is recommended. The use of bark, the bark bed and loose well draining soil mixes are recommended. Large cuttings root best. Warm and humid conditions for cuttings and plants and the use of bottom heat have long been practiced in plumeria culture. The plants should have little or no water during winter.