The Rural Voice, 1994-08, Page 47Gardening
Sharing the generous bounty
by Rhea Hamilton -Seeger
It is so hard to believe that a few
short months ago this lush jungle out-
side of my window was just a promise.
In the spring I run around moving
plants here and there to fill up holes,
trying to remember just how big every-
thing gets so I don't let everything be-
come too crowded. Friends who come
to the garden party in May see neat
little mounds or shoots just appearing
and everything looks tidy and
organized. August shows shoots that
have reached mature height of two,
three and four feet while other garden
beauties gracefully tumble over their
neighbours to roll out of the border.
This is the time of year to start
making cuttings and preparing to share
your wealth. I must admit that the
more I garden in my flower beds the
smaller the vegetable garden becomes.
I have already started popping a few
perennials into the edge just to nurse
them or save for a friend.
There are two rows of perennials I
started from seed that I can keep a
closer eye on here rather than have
them tucked in the larger garden. I am
still hoping that my tansy sees the light
of day. I planted the seed this spring
but it needs light to germinate so I had
to carefully sow and not rake or
disturb the seeds. They are fine like
lettuce seed so I can't see them now.
For all I know some creature had a
feast. But I digress, as some gardeners
are wont to do. Back to cuttings.
My stepmother has these gorgeous
roses and the first time I noticed them
was when they were cuttings under
peanut butter jars! I was skeptical they
would survive one winter let alone two
but here they are six years later
blooming their hearts out. Not all
roses can be propagated this way.
Some of the older varieties that are not
grafted onto different root stock may
have a better go of it but newer roses
are worth a try. The new plant will be
a true copy of the parent, unlike
propagating seed where it can be hard
to predict just what you will get.
You can take softwood cuttings
from chrysanthemum, dahlia, delphin-
ium, geraniums, sedem and from
woody plants like gardenia, heather,
hibiscus, honeysuckle, ivy, wisteria
and roses. Soft wood cuttings can be
taken in the spring or after the plant
has bloomed. Choose a side or lateral
branch that has formed after the grow-
ing tip has been pinched. For years I
always chose the top tip of geraniums
to root until a friend pointed out that
those are the main growing tips and
they will shoot up and become quite
leggy. Taking a side shoot will give
you a more bushy plant.
The cutting should snap easily. If it
doesn't then it is too old. Avoid weak
shoots from the centre of the plant or
real thick and vigorous stems. Make
your cut just below a leaf bud or node
and take off the large leaves so they
don't touch the rooting medium and
this will also reduce the leaf surface to
lessen transpiration. You should have
a two- to three -inch -long cutting. Dip
cuttings in a rooting hormone to
stimulate growth and pop into the
rooting medium.
The medium should be a mixture of
half sand and half peat moss or half
sand and half perlite. If you have a
large number of cuttings you can use a
nursery flat. The key is to leave room
for good root development, don't be
skimpy. Bottom heat is a good idea if
the weather is getting chilly on those
August evenings. Bottom heat will
speed up rooting. A solid temperature
of 75° to 80° Fahrenheit and an air
temperature of 70° is ideal. If you can
cover the cutting tray or container with
plastic to create some humidity but be
careful and watch for mold. Glass jars
over rose cuttings will give you the
same effect. Raise the jar occasionally
to let in fresh air and keep mold from
forming. Two to five weeks later you
will have fine new plants. Give them a
gentle tug to see of the roots have
formed. Now you have plants to share
and trade.
On another matter - How many
tried to breed their iris? I must admit
that I took off the soggy baggy and felt
the base of the flower hoping to notice
the telltale swelling that would
indicate new seeds, but alas I failed. I
left one fancy new iris to the bees to
breed but that too is ready to be dead-
headed. So I will try again next year.
Hope you were more successful.0
Rhea Hamilton -Seeger raises two
children, and is a skilled cook and
gardener.
DUNDALK FALL FAIR
HORSE PULL &
4-H INVITATIONAL
CALF SHOW
DUNDALK FALL FAIR
Sept. 9, 10, 1994
Friday — Admission $2.00
Exhibit Hall open Friday evening - Variety
program, crowning of the Fair Queen
Saturday - Admission $3.00
Exhibits, Livestock classes, 4-H Clubs, Farm
Races, Children's entertainer
Sunday
12 noon Horse Pull
1 p.m. 4-H Invitational Calf Show
1 p.m. Horseshoe Pitching Tournament
Food booth
on grounds
For further
information contact
Mary Fowler
923-3051
LAMBTON
HERITAGE
MUSEUM
QUILT SHOW '94
—4 E-1 (--
September 17 - 25
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Workshops • Tearoom
• Quilter's Challenge
• Calico Shop
Display & Sale Quilts
AT GREAT PRICES!!!
Sponsored by:
The Old Country Store, Arkona
George Courey Inc., Concord
Stearns Canada, Mississauga
Lambton Heritage Museum Is
located on Hwy. 21, south of Grand
Bend, directly across from
Pinery
Provincial Park
243-2600
AUGUST 1994 43