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health Cutting, did I do it wrong?

Wulf

Wulf

When I brought in my plants I thought I'd try a cutting. It's just a peter pepper so no big loss if it doesn't work, but it's a good learner.

So, I cut off a twig, left 3 leaves on it, and stuck it in a glass of water. I guess it's been about a week now, and no sign of anything growing. The leaves haven't died, but they're starting to show what I assume are signs of nutrient deficiency.

I did a forum search, and amidst all the responses of "here's how to search" I found that most people seem to stick the cutting right in the dirt? It seems to me that there wouldn't be enough water-absorbing surface area for dirt to support it, but I'm obviously no expert.

Assuming dirt is the way to go, is it too late for my cutting? Has it already used up too much of its stored nutrients sitting in water to have a chance at rooting in dirt?
 
I tried that many times with only one success. did you use any rooting hormone? it seems that the water rinses the hormones off and the soil keeps it in the general area of the cutting
 
You should be able to do cuttings in water, but like pshngo asked, did you use rooting hormone? That frequently makes the biggest difference.
 
I tried this with a branch of basil, stuck it water for about a week and then stuck it in dirt. Kept it wet and after about another week, week and a half the pot was full of roots.

Nothing is ever perfect, not one way to do anything. As long as the leaves are still green there is still a chance it will take (and maybe even if they are not).


I guess I didn't just stick it in the dirt, dug a small hole and placed the end in the hole, about half inch, covered and watered the he## out of it.


Keep us posted
 
For some reason I remember hearing a stick in water with an air stone will give you roots. Never tried it. But always have been curious to.
Maybe for next season
 
I have been trying cuttings for the last 4 weeks with rooting hormone for Butch T's and not one has caught. I started by reading the hormone directions, cut young piece of new growth 3-4 inches, strip the green piece off the last 1/4 inch wet it in water and dip in hormone then place in soil. no good....tried out side, inside, no good, now i am using the same steps in side the house with jiffy peat pellets plus trying it inside a plastic bag so that the humidity stays high. By the looks of it, it does not look good.... they are looking moldy and they stalks are drying up.

This is my 4th attempt and I have not been able to get one good plant. Ready to give up. I've seen some you tube vids and they speak about temp,humidity and light as the 3 main factors. I tried this with no success. I can figure out the lighting should be shaded, humidity high in the bag but I think I keep the jiffy pellets to moist.

Will not give up. I will sure to post when I figure out the recipie. From what I hear and see, it looks very easy.
 
Hey Wulf,
A co worker of mine killed their peter plants. I had two. So i went a cut a branch of to give them a plant. When taking the cutting, you need to select the right branch to help it out. From the tip of the branch going down count 5 leaves. Cut about an inch below the five leave node. Pull all the leaves off leaving only the top two, and i cut the remain full leaves in half to limit the moisture need to support the cutting. I then cut a fresh cut, just to get a fresh opening, while holding it under water. I have read that if exposed to air for to long after cutting the cut will seal itself as a healing process. And keeping it under water prevents this. At this point i put directly into moisten soil. Making sure a leave node is under the soil. Roots usually come out one the nodes first. I did this peter in the mid of the summer. I just keep the cutting out of direct light, and misted it with a spray bottle a couple times a day for the first few days. If it still looks good after four or five days it will probably make it. Keeping the soil warm is important. Temperature does matter. I left that one in the shade, and it would wilt during the hot day, then look beautiful first thing in the cooler morning getting the natural humidity. It took about a month before i saw new growth. And my co worker now is getting their first peters off it right now. I also did the same thing with a ts moruga that would have died from damping off. I touch the plant and it fell over. Looked and the stem just below the soil surface was all rotten and shrunk very thin. Immediately broke it off, cut it under water, and stuck it in dirt. It made it too. Just make sure to use a sharp clean blade.
Hopefully it will work for you. But don't rush it. As long as it looks like it is still alive, let it be until u see new growth. Both took about four week. Increasing humidity for the first week is not a bad idea as mentioned already. But if using soil keep temps up. Haven't try peppers, but have root many things in a south facing window in water. Just need to change out the water every couple days.
Happy cloning! Hopefully i have help.
ga gh
 
+1 on GA ^^ I did the same but used a dry rooting hormone and put in soil - it was a serrano and I kept it indoors on my counter under cabinet lights with moist soil not soaked - and the plant is flourishing
 
I tried my hand at this about two months ago with a couple of Scotch bonnet cuttings. I used hormone and soil. I found any sort of direct light from a window would wilt them. I tried two or three and only one made it. I thought it never was going to root (pulling it out of the soil once or twice a week to inspect couldn't help....) Still after it started rooting it took quite a while for it to be put in the sun. Seemed like the hardening off takes a lot longer than normal. I haven't potted up yet we'll see how it goes.
 
So, my stick's still alive.

It's putting out new leaves but no roots yet. Geez, get some priorities...

Can I just sprinkle a smidgeon of ferts right into the glass of water? Or will that just encourage nasty things to start growing in the sitting water?
 
I don't think a container of water is that great (no air, and maybe they don't like light?), and I don't think soil is that great, (lot's of bacteria/fungus/microbes etc.)
I'm trying to save a few in coco coir. Letting them sit in pots on a saucer to keep them moist. So far, so good after 5 days...
I haven't checked for root growth and I'm not going to disturb them either, but at least the few leaves they had that were limp aren't anymore, and they seem to be growing.
 
In water is fine. Just have to change out the water a least every two days or so. Then nothing can grow and you re add oxygen.
Ga gh
 
There's many ways to "skin a pepper plant". I've had success with vermiculite, perlite, rock wool, coir but never water alone. As with most propagations you need to make the cut just below a leaf node. If the cut is made to far below, the exposed stem can rot before the roots appear. The key is to use a sterile xacto knive cutting at a 45 degree angle just below the leaf node. Of course, you want to cut from an upper side shoot thats green and has vigorous growth. I'll take a cutting about 6" long. Removing all the lower leaves, flowers or pods. Only leaving the top new growth and at least one established leaf. A plastic solo cup with hole poked in and vermiculite works great when combined with a rooting powder or gel. Although lately I've been using rock wool cubes that I pre-condition with a diluted acidifier to bring down the ph of the alkaline cubes.
Another tip... place your cutting/container in a warm location under subdued light for the 1st few days than increase the light exposure. Placing inside a tray covered with a humidity dome helps keep the cutting from transpiring. A misting bottle filled a diluted starting juice (sold for propagating) also helps condition the cutting.
Good luck with your ventures...

Greg
 
Will roots grow out of uncut stem? The portion of the stem that's been underwater seems to be developing a series of bumps. They're not pronounced enough to even be sure it's anything growing, and not just some other warping effect due to the water.

The portion I cut shows no sign of roots and appears to be turning brown, but the leaves are still green and growing with a mild texture/colour issue being the only indication something's not right.
 
I get about 95% success with my cuttings. Here is my 12 step process:

1. Pinch (not snip) off a fresh cutting (hopefully 5-7 inches long). It seems that cuttings bluntly pinched off and not so sharply cut or snipped off will root better.
2. Without delay, take off any bottom leaves to leave you with a stem at the bottom of two or three inches. Remove all but about three or four leaves from the branch to minimize transpiration. Any good size leaves need to be cut in half for the same reason.
3. Dampen the bottom of the stem and apply fresh rooting hormone.
4. Place in a small starting cup with starter mix and water thoroughly.
5. Have a beer.
6. Put your cutting in a sunny window.
7. Keep damp (not soggy but damp) until it roots.
8. I like to mist spray the rooting plant three or four times a day since its hard for it to take up water when roots have not developed.
9. Wait for roots to show up in the drain holes before transplanting.
10. Have an additional beer.
11. Enjoy and don't worry.
12. Have yet another beer.

As I said, this process works very well for me. Your chances are good if you attend to the cutting.

Good luck!

Big Mike
See us Online: www.knot2worry.us
 
Wow, been a month? May as well update for anybody that cares. Now pay attention as I'm about to cram your brainhole with a knowledge-sausage that can only come from experience.

I hacked off a stick and stuck this stick in a glass of water. I then left it in there for a month.

I'll give you a minute to absorb the intricacies of this complex procedure. I tried to follow along with some of the other suggestions, but I didn't have any rooting hormone or beer, so I knew I was on my own. All that was standing between this stick and the black abyss of nonexistance was me and this glass of water. I held up my glass, met the steely gaze of the black reaper, and yelled "NOT TODAY!"

*intermission for women to finish swooning*

Annnnd, we're back.

Now, the bottom of the stick turned brown, and the three leaves on it developed a slight crinkle, and I kept it too close to the Jungle of Overwintered Nightmares where roving bands of ninjaphids infested it for a day, but damnit, the stick pulled through. It grew more leaves, the 'skin' on the bottom of the stick split open in a bunch of spots, and I can see tiny little pieces of root starting to grow from them.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But Wulf, wouldn't it encourage more root growth if it wasn't submerged in water? Also, you're awesome and I want to bear your children."

Well, thank you random citizen. And yes, it probably would grow more roots without all that water, but it's alive and I can check on it until I'm confident it can survive in dirt like the regular plants. I'll probably stick it in some dirt once the roots are more than just tiny root-hints.
 
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