tatter Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 hi being absolute beginner my 2 vft are showing flower stakes(ive had them a year in cold greenhouse) should I let them flower or should I cut stalk off does this weaken plant if left on? I would value your expert thoughts regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 All the opinions I've seen, including some of the big experts recommend cutting them off. Apparently they aren't very exciting, and they weaken the plant. Unless you are intent on collecting seed, cut them off. Just did it to one of mine last week. Seemed a shame, but I want the plant to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linuxman Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 If the stalk is not too old you can pinch it off and insert it into the pot. Sometimes plants will grow from a flower stalk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatter Posted May 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 yossu-many thanks off it is then linuxman that's very interesting I will try that thanks for advice guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starseeker Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 I took some flower stem cuttings last year, out of ten i got three plants,but prepare to be patient as one took ten months to to shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 If the stalk is not too old you can pinch it off and insert it into the pot. Sometimes plants will grow from a flower stalk. Ooh, I wish I'd known that, would have been interesting to try. Oh well, maybe next time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 (edited) Leave the inflorescences on the plants, it will not harm the plant if you are capable of growing the plants correctly. These are perennial flowering plants and have been doing so for millennia, if it harmed them they'd have died out. Don't follow advice given by people who would struggle to grow cress on blotting paper. It's a case of sheep following sheep, much the same as with Maxsea. Edited May 5, 2016 by FredG 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 And if Fred says so, you would be wise to listen! I wish you'd posted this last week Fred. I didn't know any better and followed the sheep. Oh well, I'll know better next time! Baa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Sorry Yossu, I've been holding fire but I just couldn't hold it any longer http://www.nonstick.com/audio/soundsource/Yosemite_Sam/ltys_006.mp3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Sorry Yossu, I've been holding fire but I just couldn't hold it any longer http://www.nonstick.com/audio/soundsource/Yosemite_Sam/ltys_006.mp3 Hee hee, it's been a while since we've had one of those! I have only one thing left to say to you... http://www.nonstick.com/audio/soundarchive/despicbl.mp3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 http://www.nonstick.com/audio/soundsource/Daffy_Duck/ltdd_003.mp3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatter Posted May 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 (edited) gosh but to late they are off next time I will leave on and enjoy the flower .Sorry to be one of the herd but I have to follow at the mo till gain more experience oh well all together now baa baa baa . Edited May 5, 2016 by tatter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 If the stalk is not too old you can pinch it off and insert it into the pot. Sometimes plants will grow from a flower stalk. OK, one of my other VFTs has just sent up two flower stalks. I'd like to try propagating these. Two questions if you don't mind... 1) You say "if the stalk is not too old." How old (or not) should it be? 2) Does it make any difference if I stick it back in the same pot, or stick in in sphagnum moss, which seems to be good for getting cuttings to root? Thanks P.S. Yes Fred, I am cutting them off, not because I'm being a sheep (well, not this time anyway!), but because I'm more interested in the fun of getting new plants than I am in seeing the flowers which, whilst pretty, are not hugely exciting (in my personal opinion). Excuse me now whilst I go and pasture outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 (edited) I'm more interested in the fun of getting new plants than I am in seeing the flowers Oh! I see that's a good idea. I suppose you wouldn't get any new plants at all from the seed then and they wouldn't be the slightest bit genetically diverse? Edited May 15, 2016 by FredG 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linuxman Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 OK, one of my other VFTs has just sent up two flower stalks. I'd like to try propagating these. Two questions if you don't mind... 1) You say "if the stalk is not too old." How old (or not) should it be? 2) Does it make any difference if I stick it back in the same pot, or stick in in sphagnum moss, which seems to be good for getting cuttings to root? Thanks P.S. Yes Fred, I am cutting them off, not because I'm being a sheep (well, not this time anyway!), but because I'm more interested in the fun of getting new plants than I am in seeing the flowers which, whilst pretty, are not hugely exciting (in my personal opinion). Excuse me now whilst I go and pasture outside. I'm no expert on this as I've never managed to get anything to grow from a stem. The accepted wisdom is it should be young and only a few inches high, so pinch it out fairly early. A foot long stem is not going to work (or so we're lead to believe). You can put the pinched-out stem anywhere, but in the same pot is good as any new growth will be genetically identical to the donor plant. Best of luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 Oh! I see that's a good idea. I suppose you wouldn't get any new plants at all from the seed then and they wouldn't be the slightest bit genetically diverse? http://www.nonstick.com/audio/soundsource/Daffy_Duck/ltdd_003.mp3 Given my lack of experience, and my impatient nature, I think I would have more fun growing new plants from flower stalks than trying to harvest seed, and then managing to get them to grow! I don't seem to have a great success rate with seeds. Not saying I won't have a go at that at some point in the future, but the flower stalk idea looks like it will give me more chance of success, and quicker results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yossu Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 I'm no expert on this as I've never managed to get anything to grow from a stem. The accepted wisdom is it should be young and only a few inches high, so pinch it out fairly early. A foot long stem is not going to work (or so we're lead to believe). You can put the pinched-out stem anywhere, but in the same pot is good as any new growth will be genetically identical to the donor plant. OK, thanks. At the risk of incurring Fred's wrath, I'll give it a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltatango301 Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 I pushed 4 flower stems in my live moss which btw is now in the green house And they are flowering see if we get VFT's from them in the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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