Question
QUESTION: Hi Erin,
 I just stumbled onto your site today and it has been a Godsend. I live in zone 10 (South Fl.)and lost almost every tree we had to hurricanes Katrina and Wilma - a total of 16 trees. I have been slowly trying to replace some with Green Buttonwoods - 2 foot tall, an Avocado - 3 foot tall, some Papayas (from Seed)and a Bridal Veil tree that was a birthday present just a few days ago. The problem is we are retirees and on a very small income. Can I propagate some common fast growing shade trees using a rooting compound? Like Sea Grape or Live Oak? What trees CAN i do this with? Thank you in Advance, Lisa

ANSWER: Hello Lisa!  Hope all is well. We finally got our power back...yea!

On the Sea Grape, I know most people start those from seeds, but a hardwood stem cutting will work as well and you'll have a larger specimen sooner. Are you fairly proficient at rooting cuttings?  If not, and most people aren't, it's important to let me know so I can walk you through the processes.  That way you can avoid the common mistakes which most of us in the profession have already made! :-)

Starting any form of Oak from a cutting is difficult even when you have sophisticated greenhouse facilities.  They do grow well from seed, though.  Plant Live Oak seeds (acorns) as soon as they fall from a tree.  Oaks have long tap roots so they like to germinate and grow a bit in tall (6-9 inch high) pots that are fairly narrow. A good tool for this is a sterilized quart milk container with its top cut off and some holes punched into the bottom for drainage.  They tend to send down their roots first, so it may look like nothing's happening, but be patient.

Another thought I had for you, is to go online and join the GardenWeb Florida Garden Exchange. It's web address is:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/flgard/nph-ind.cgi?type=exch
I'm an avid plant & seed trader myself and the trading is quite simple.  You sign on, go to any Exchange you like, such as the Florida Garden Exch.  Then you see what others have that you would like, and you can leave posts asking for plants, cuttings, seeds, etc.  If you decide to do this, I am a member and have lots of tropicals - both seeds and plants - that I'm willing to send.  My exchange page is at http://www.gardenweb.com/members/exch/healing32eire        Roses for your region are quite easy to start from cuttings, and I just happen to have a very large rose collection with some old garden roses, Noisettes, Bourbons, Damasks, etc.  Their seeds are equally as easy and I have plenty of those as well.
  Contact me there if you like, and I'll see what contacts we can get for you to get some plants free or nearly so.
I do hope this helps and feel free to write with questions anytime.  It has been an honour trying to help someone who's lost something as precious as trees (they get to be like comfortable old friends over the years, don't they?) to those aweful storms.  Let me know if I can be of further service.
Best Wishes,
Erin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thankyou Erin. In case you haven't heard this 1000 times already today - you are wonderful. To answer your question, no, I have never rooted anything before, outside of a basil plant and some Ivy that I stuck in a glass of water until roots started appearing. This was something that occured to me to try and get a few more trees started without further destroying our savings. The Garden Exchange is a wonderful tip and I will definitly visit it and your site! As for Roses, to tell the truth I'm a little afraid of them. It is my understanding they don't do well down here and I have heard numerous horror stories of pests and diseases destroying Rose Gardens in nothing flat. I try to stick with Jasmines, Boughanvillas and - until hurricanes Katrina and Wilma - our trees. We lost numerous native pines, Oaks, some flowering trees,a few Black Olives and several Mahoganies. We have one Black Olive left out back and one Mahogany in the front along with one SAD looking Palm that has taken one too many beatings and is trying to decide whether it wants to carry on... You are also very right - losing the trees was very much like losing a good friend, and you would be suprised how many people didn't understand me mourning them, or why I spend so much time trying to get the new garden going. Thankyou for the offer of cuttings and seeds. I would be very grateful. Thankyou again Erin.   Lisa

Answer
Hi again Lisa; good to hear from you!  Thank you so much for your kind words. They do mean a great deal to me.

I can guide you through a fairly foolproof way of getting new perennials, shrubs, vines, trees, flowers, etc., from cuttings. There are many types of cuttings; some easier and less labour intensive.  If you'll send a wish list to me of all of the plants you would like to grow quickly from propagating them yourself, I will work with you via email to make it happen.  It's no trouble at all - it's an adventure and a way to thumb your nose at the hurricanes (don't tempt fate; thumb your nose silently LOL) - whatever they dished out; you've got it covered!  And, Lisa, from now on when you lose a plant for any reason, you'll always know how to replace if you choose to do so!

On the roses, the first ones I had in mind are from the rugosa species. They don't tolerate any spraying; they detest being fussed over and flourish on neglect.  They'll even grow in sand, as they do in their native Japan.  The western hybrids are gorgeous: they are highly scented, most bloom all season and YES! BIG HIPS are back in fashion! At least in roses.  A Rosa rugosa hip can be as large and brilliant red as a cherry tomato or crabapple, and it has the Vit.C of 10 oranges.  I grow and breed many roses and there are a number which are bred specifically for your region. They love heat, humidity, sun. And, all roses can be cared for organically. They're not the primadonnas they're made out to be, trust me.

My husband is a wonderful lily breeder. He does amazing, huge and scented daylilies with toothed edges, in purples, near-whites, and some are 8 inches across.  He also does other lilies: orientals, species, tiger, asiatic, madonna, crinums, peruvians, etc.  My hobby breeding plants are tropicals: Dahlias, Cannas, cacti & succulents.  I've not grown jasmine in several years, but love it.  You know, I have some cuttings and seeds of brugmansias, daturas, hybrid dinnerplate hibiscus - and these all grow large quite quickly in your climate. There's also elephant ears, heliconias, sago palms & other asst. palms, bananas, rose of sharons, bromeliads, camellias, decorative sweet potato vines, figs, caladiums, callas, wisteria (there's a trick to get it to bloom while it's still in the pot...), clematis, lavenders, Dewberry...the list is endless. So, send me your wish list and let's get to work. You may email my business at [email protected].  We can get your cuttings and things going without having me always having to wait for the nightly download of questions, responses, etc.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Erin