stevew Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Hi all, Does anyone know the correct way to get one of these plantlets (that forms on the flower stalk) to root and pot-up? I have heard 2 versions, one that you wait until you can see roots forming and then, and only then, cut it free from the stalk; or that you wait for the stalk to begin to die back and then remove the plantlet from the stalk and hope that roots form. Anyone actually had experience of this? Thanks for your help! Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Not sure if anyone else uses a different method but personally I'd cut the stalk several cm below the base of the plantlet and stick it in a pot of live sphagnum if you have some (a peat mix should also work though i think live sphagnum works best). The base of the plantlet wants to be in contact with the sphagnum. Leave it somewhere warm and bright (though not too hot and sunny) and it should root. You could wait for the stalk to start to die off at the top so the plantlet is a bit bigger by that stage though I think it should work if you want to cut the stalk off now too. The few I'd had I've cut off before I've seen any roots develop although I'd think that roots hanging mid air without water arent really much good....unless perhaps the humidity is super high? Dont forget if you plant flower stalks up in sphagnum that havent yet started to form a plantlet there's a good chance it will do this (I've found thin straggly flower stalks dont work well compared with the thicker stronger ones though).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Not sure if anyone else uses a different method but personally I'd cut the stalk several cm below the base of the plantlet and stick it in a pot of live sphagnum if you have some (a peat mix should also work though i think live sphagnum works best). The base of the plantlet wants to be in contact with the sphagnum. Leave it somewhere warm and bright (though not too hot and sunny) and it should root. You could wait for the stalk to start to die off at the top so the plantlet is a bit bigger by that stage though I think it should work if you want to cut the stalk off now too. The few I'd had I've cut off before I've seen any roots develop although I'd think that roots hanging mid air without water arent really much good....unless perhaps the humidity is super high?Dont forget if you plant flower stalks up in sphagnum that havent yet started to form a plantlet there's a good chance it will do this (I've found thin straggly flower stalks dont work well compared with the thicker stronger ones though).... Excellent! I will give this idea a go and let you know what the outcome is, and post some pics. I presume the idea is to kind of lay the stalk flat but slightly covered in peat/sphag, rather than sticking the stalk in vertically? I'm quite amazed how healthy this plantlet is considering it is only a few weeks old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amar Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) Excellent! I will give this idea a go and let you know what the outcome is, and post some pics. I presume the idea is to kind of lay the stalk flat but slightly covered in peat/sphag, rather than sticking the stalk in vertically? I'm quite amazed how healthy this plantlet is considering it is only a few weeks old! Both methods should work. I personally just stick 'em straight up into the soil. there is a link around here, hold on, I'll look for it.. ah, here it is: http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?s...04&hl=stalk Edited July 22, 2009 by Amar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Yep, I'd go for straight up aswell - particularly as the planlet has already strarted growing in this direction. Just make sure the bottom of the plantlet is in contact with the moss or even partically covered by moss... Good luck Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linton Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 I have had success with excising a small section of stem (about 1cm) with the developing plant and planting it directly into normal CP compost, live sphagnum should also work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italo.americano Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thank you for the great information everyone! I was able to get several new growth points(strikes) on the top and sides of my "Fang" flower stalk. Sorry for the poor picture quality. Giovanni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amar Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Interesting to see that your growthpoints are so high up on the stem. With me the new plantlets all grew directly out of the subtrate, down on the base of the stalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italo.americano Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Hi Amar, Yes, it is very interesting and out of eight flower stalks, "Fang" has been the only one to strike. I'm hoping for more strikes around the base of the stalk, like your plants, as I'm not sure what to do with my "Fang" once it gets much bigger. Giovanni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amar Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Hi Amar,Yes, it is very interesting and out of eight flower stalks, "Fang" has been the only one to strike. I'm hoping for more strikes around the base of the stalk, like your plants, as I'm not sure what to do with my "Fang" once it gets much bigger. Giovanni Giovanni, I think I would fill up the substrate around the stalk, so that the 'stalklings' are right at the substrate level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italo.americano Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thank you Amar! Will do. Giovanni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Nice pics Gioavanni I've also had little plantlets start to form near the top of one of my flower stalks - only on my vigorous clone though. it was too high up to build the substrate up around it so I cut it off just below the growth points and replanted it more suitably so they were sitting on the surface of the substrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted July 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 Okay, today I cut the stem and trimmed it as shown in the picture. Potted up with some sphag on top, with the stalk vertical. I made sure the bulb of the plant is sitting just below the surface of the sphag as it would when growing normally. Will let you know if this works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Looks good - fingers crossed it starts growing some roots soon. Its a good size already so it should do well Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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