Blooming Hibiscus

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A few of my Hibiscus

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HIBISCUS
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Cutting Propagation
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Cutting Propagation

First Method: Take hardwood cuttings about 15 cm (6 in) long and remove all leaves. Do not remove any eyes or green buds that are present. Then scrape the end of the cutting up 2-3 cm (an inch) from the bottom to expose more cambium layer. Prepare a large pot by putting 2-3 cm (1 inch) of gravel or small stones in the bottom for drainage, then a perlite, peat and sand mixture. Then insert 10-20 of the cuttings into the mixture. They seem to develop better when there are many cuttings in the pot. When the callus has formed on the cambium layer, in 2 to 4 weeks remove and plant each one separately in a tube filled with soil, peat and perlite or vermiculite or let them establish their root system. To remove rooted cuttings without damaging their root system, separate them in a bucket of clean water and then pot on.

There are many types of propagating units available to the home gardener or commercial growers to use. If there is no unit available to you, then plastic bags can be used to cover your cuttings. Use four stakes in your pot with the desired number of cuttings. Cover with the plastic bag and hold the bag in place with a strong rubber band. About four small air holes should be made in the plastic. Place in a warm position, not in the full sun.

Second Method:

Hardwood Cutting Propagation - by Allan Little

Hibiscus strike readily from cuttings and will normally root in 4-6 weeks. Hardwood cuttings are usually taken in Spring-Summer (all year round if you're lucky to have a hot-house).

Use straight wood, pencil thickness or a little larger. Remove all the leaves with secateurs and trim to approximately 10-15cm (4-6 inches) long. With a sharp knife or secateurs, make a cut at about 45 degrees just below the eye or node at the base of the cutting. The base can be "wounded" by taking a sliver off the stem to expose the cambium layer 1-2 inches on one or two sides, a procedure aimed at increasing the area from which roots will be produced.

The next step before potting is to apply a rooting hormone in powder, liquid or gel form. This step is optional but, if used, will promote earlier striking and a more vigorous root growth. The cuttings are usually placed in individual propagating tubes or small pots.

Place cuttings in the shadehouse to protect them from wind and to prevent their drying out. Cuttings will root quite well in coarse river sand but the risk of this drying out is high and it is safer to add a little peat or perlite to the medium to hold moisture. However, various mixtures of perlite, peat and perlite, peat and sand, etc., have all been successful.

Once the cuttings have struck, they can be potted on into larger pots using a good quality potting mix.

When taking cuttings for rootstocks, use albo-lacinatus (Ruth Wilcox), Landersii (Pride of Hankins), Archerii or Pink Psyche.