GERANIUM CUTTINGS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 16

GERANIUM CUTTINGS

Precautions Against DampingOff There will be no lack of geranium cuttings this year, but everybody who has gone through similar wet seasons knows that the outlook isn’t quite as promising as it seems. Those lushlooking shoots are so full of sap that they will be persistently dogged and ultimately -drowned- by damping-off unless you take special precautions. ■ As bar as possible choose unflowered-, Sin. long, short-jointed shootp, which you find on the sunny . side of the 'plants. If you must fall back on budded or flowered shoots, clear them of these rooting iiinderers. As a preliminary to insertion, remove the two bottom leaves, shave the stem beneath the bottom joint, and cut off the small ear's or stipules at the base of each leaf stalk, for they draw damp like a magnet draws a needle. Then spread out the cuttings in an airy place for an hour or two, where they will evacuate some of the sap that obstructs' rooting. Growth droops a little afterward, but soon picks up in moist soil.

An ideal rooting coinpost is riddled loam four parts, leaf-mould, and sand one part each. The perfect planting method is to use clean, well-drained 3}in. pots, setting three or four cuttings equidistant round the sides of each. Where space makes this method impossible, plant 3in. apart in 24in. deep, well-drained seed-boxes.

In every case, cover the surface soil with a good layer of sand, and plant very firmly. After watering through a rosed can. stand the cuttings in a semi-shaded position. The light shade thrown by chrysanthemum pots standing alongside a path is just ideal. For a week or so the leaves will droop, but this is only part of the process of rooting Don’t be tempted to water unless the soil really needs it, though to prevent drooping going too far you might spray with clear water.