QuestionI have a china plant that is also about 6 feet or taller and I would like to take pieces from it to replant and every time I do cut a piece it dies. I have put it in water to root and I have put it in dirt to root. All it does is die. How do I get it to get roots to grow?
AnswerHi Joyce,
Some plant species, including China Doll, do not root easily. For those plants, I recommend the following:
* Use tip cuttings that have no more than 4-6 leaves and a bare stem of about 2-3 inches in length. Longer, woody stem cuttings are much harder to root.
* Insert the cuttings in a small pot filled with a damp, peat-based potting mix.
* Put the pot and cuttings inside of a clear plastic bag, blow it up with your personal supply of carbon dioxide and then seal the bag shut.
* Place the 'tented' pot in bright, but indirect light. Direct sun will cause the cuttings to heat up and cook inside the plastic tent.
* If the bag is sealed, then there is no need to add water. The soil will stay damp and the air surrounding the cuttings will remain humid. If droplets of water start to accumulate on the inside of the plastic, open the plastic for an hour and let the excess moisture escape. Otherwise, leave it sealed.
* Wait about 4-6 weeks and then gradually open the plastic bag over the course of a week. This will allow the cuttings to gradually adapt to life outside the tent.
I have written an article on plant propagation that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at
[email protected].
Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.
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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC
