A few weeks ago I set up some cuttings of my ceanothus shrub, just one of the several attempts I’ve made to propagate it. I’m conscious that this has become a battle that I feel compelled to win, to the point where I’m losing sight of why. I think I wanted one additional plant, possibly two, to train against a fence.
All my previous attempts failed. So far, I can at least say that this attempt has not failed yet. Yay!
I checked them all the other day, they all seem to be OK. The leaves are still nice and green, none have dropped off. I did notice a little grey fluffy stuff on one stem in two of the pots, the beginnings of some sort of mould attack, I think. I’ve given them a spritz with the fungicide spray which I hope sorts it out. It may be a coincidence but both stems were in the same cuttings compost, a mix of two parts multipurpose compost, one part grit. Apart from that, all 4 pots looks pretty similar, no notable differences from differing compost mix or bottom heat. At high zoom, you could convince the pessimist in me that there are early signs of rot on some of the leaves. Just darker patches. Might just be shadows…
Just three weeks have passed so it’s early yet to be thinking of roots. Promising, though.
Since my last post on this topic, I have added another batch, which are in a gritty compost mix, in a large terracotta pot, in the cold-frame. This was on the suggestion of Jim over at garden ruminations, who had a ferret in an old nursery stock guide. These also look to be fine and dandy, although they’ve had a week less than their greenhouse cousins.
So far so good then. No drama, no changes, still viable.
I’ll be back in a few weeks with another update.
The Propagator 