Decision Made

[ScotTi]

I have made the decision to move forward and get my Pink Floyd plant out to others. I will be cutting up the 3 yr old plant that was rooted off of the original seedling. As I have stated before it is a slow growing Ti and takes time for the colors to return on the cuttings. The 3 yr old cutting now stands 41" to the top of the leaves. The plant has a good solid 41" of cane. How many cuttings should I make out of it for best results? I am thinking of cutting the cane 1" above soil, making a top cutting and then 2 cane cuttings.

 

[walrus]

I have made the decision to move forward and get my Pink Floyd plant out to others. I will be cutting up the 3 yr old plant that was rooted off of the original seedling. As I have stated before it is a slow growing Ti and takes time for the colors to return on the cuttings. The 3 yr old cutting now stands 41" to the top of the leaves. The plant has a good solid 41" of cane. How many cuttings should I make out of it for best results? I am thinking of cutting the cane 1" above soil, making a top cutting and then 2 cane cuttings.

ScotTi, i don't know if input from a newbie is worth a hoot! i have 27 logs starting now, from 3 different sources, and some i cut from one i got here, they are 3", 5" and 6" vertical and horizontal, the 3" are the first ones i started, all 10 of them are putting up 3 or 4 sprouts.

 

[VeroKarl]

The larger cuttings (10-12") do seem to root quicker, but you should do fine with 3-5" cuttings if you want to maximize the cane you have. I had a student do a science fair project that involved propagating Miss Andrea (the Miss Andrea, which was my first cordyline, came from cuttings from my garden) and evaluating what product would help produce the quickest roots and top growth. He used rooting hormone, Super Thrive, Ferti-Lome Blooming and Rooting Plant Food, and one other product besides his control group. The cuttings were about 4 inches each and all rooted and produced leaves (and all 20-30 cuttings are still alive and well), but I was very surprised to find that the Super Thrive cuttings rooted and sprouted quickest (the Super Thrive was only applied once in the water when the cuttings were first potted up). I had assumed either the rooting hormone or the Ferti-Lome would get them rooted quickest. I thought it was a great project, but the judges at the Regional Science Fair were not as impressed. May have another student try something similar next year with a different cultivar.

I gave a cutting of my Earthquake cordyline to another grower, and it was only 3 inches at the most. It currently is bigger and healthier, after being grown inside a greenhouse for a couple of months, than the original that I put in the ground at least 6 months ago. The constant water and fertilizer really pushed it along. I really don't have any space to keep them potted, so once they root I stick them in the ground and they usually do fine. The last batch I just rooted in water with some Super Thrive and the Ferti-Lome added and they sprouted/rooted quicker than when I used to pot them up and let them grow out in the pots with regular water and fertilizer before being put in the ground. They would probably do better in pots with bottom heat, but I can't be bothered when you can just stick them in the ground and watch them take off.

You obviously have far more experience than I do, so your judgment will guide you through the process. Good luck. I hope you have great success with the Pink Floyd cuttings.

 

[ScotTi]

Thanks guys! I did a typo, the solid cane is only 19". With the 1" above ground cut and leaving 6" of cane for the top cutting, that would leave 12 " of cane for cutting. 2) 6", 3) 4", 4) 3" or 6) 2". I like working with 6" of cane for rooting, but have worked with 4". What keeps sticking in my head "is it is just a slow growing Ti and the bigger cut may be better".