Question
Hey:
Thanks for the tips, but about the misting thing in the morning and at night - I am a little leary of doing this as my greenhouse by evening, after dinner, say, is pretty wet already - like the container is misty. Ihave in previous attempts to revive dying plants put them in there only to have them grow mold because of the "overpopulation" in there to start with, which I think gives it the wet container. When I unzip the door, it is noticeably different air quality in there. The african violets love it, but I haven't found anything else that can survice in there without getting mold all over it, and eventually throughing the plant out after I have cut it back so much trying to get rid of the mold - which never has worked. I do have a new "shelf" ordered and coming on Wednesday I hope without a container, so I am hoping certain plants can go here without the extra greenhouse effect with the their own lighting - blue of course. It has been a week so far and the cuttings are not dead yet - so I will cross my fingers and keep the blue light on them. Thanks again for all the help.
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Followup To
Question -
---Okay, I have dipped all the cuttings as instructed - now according to your instructions I should be maybe putting these inside my greenhouse enclosure, because right now they are on the balcony and they do not look healthy at all - they are quite limp in fact. I did use the soil mix as the lady at the nurserie instructed me to use and watered sparingly, but did not mist as they are outside. So do you think it would be better for them to be in the enclosed greenhouse I have - it has a blueish light on almost all day because of my african violets that are in there on the top shelp. Possibly if I put these on the bottom shelp they will be getting the greenhouse effect without the light - what do you think?
Thanks for all the help so far,
G.
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Followup To
Question -
I asked a question here a couple of days ago, and I would like to get started on the progect. I purchased several small lantanas from a local nursery. I do so, after seeing there humungous braided one in another area of the nursery. Now, I do realize it will take a long time to get it this far and braided, but I would like to get started. Please correct me if I am wrong. I will take 3 cuttings off the main stem of one of lantanas that I purchased, put in water to get a root, then when a good size root is there (all 3)I will then transplant into a small pot to begin, then take any lower leaves off, and begin the braid carefully, making sure not to injure the stem, and tape the braid for now until it can hold itself with just regular scotch tape. I hope this is correct. If not, please let me know what I have to change? Thanks ahead of time for any help. I do realize they need a lot of light and I do have a makeshift greenhouse in my apt., with plastic covering and everything for other plants that I have grown in there for years. The lighting is the blueish one, that I purchased when I was told it was as close to regular sunlight as I was going to get - my plants love it, and thrive very well in this environment. I do think a seperate one may be needed for the lantanas mainly because of the size they get to in a hurry.
Answer -
Hi,
Thanx for your question.  Basically, it sounds like you are on the right track except for rooting.  I am not aware that lantana is successfully rooted in water.  Take cuttngs of new growth (green) and strip off all but the top leaves and strip off any blooms.  Make sure you take the cutting where it meets the main stem or branch.  Dip this end in a rooting hormone available at most nurseries and stick the cutting into a soil less mix that is damp but not soggy.  Keep warm (70-80 degrees F) and mist a couple of times a day (better to keep enclosed in a clear plastic baggie to maintain humidity).  Rooting should occur in a couple of weeks possibly sooner.  I hope this helps.
Tom
Answer -
Hi,
Thanx for the followup.  Yes, I would put the cuttings in the greenhouse and they do need to be misted probably in the morning and then again in the afternoon or early evening.  Let them get some of that blue light.  I hope this helps.
Tom

Answer
Hi,
Your welcome.  Ihave enjoyed working on this thread.  You don't need to mist if you have plenty of humidity in your greenhouse.  Usually though, itis recommended to mist because the air tends to dry out and the cuttings seem to benefit from this.  If you have mold appearing you definitely have plenty of moisture so I would say you are good to go.  Good luck.
Tom