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ROOTING CAMELLIAS
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My neighbor has a gorgeous camellia from which he’s willing to share cuttings. Can camellias root from cuttings or how are they propagated? If by cuttings, when should they be taken? Brenda B. |
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Cuttings can be taken and would need to include a 4-6-inch clipping that has about 5 buds on the stem. They would be taken in the summer, once the new growth is hardened off (when it turns from a bright green to a brownish-green color).
Another way of propagating camellias is through air-layering. This method makes it easier to obtain a larger plant with less pampering. In the late spring, when the bark can be easily peeled, select a nicely shaped branch about 18 inches long. Using a sharp knife, peel the bark from about an inch of the stem, girdling the stem. A rooting powder can be applied to the girdled area. Then using a handful of water-soaked sphagnum moss from which the excess water has been squeezed, wrap the peeled area and a couple of inches above and below it in the sphagnum. Next wrap the sphagnum with clear plastic wrap, secure the ends tightly, and then cover the plastic wrap with heavy duty aluminum foil. The dull side of the foil should be on the outside. By late summer or fall, roots should have developed from the girdled area. Take off the plastic and foil wrap. Clip the stem and pot it or plant it in the garden. Be sure to keep the plant watered. After being severed from the mother plant, it will take some time to adjust to being totally on its own .
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ASHES TO ASHES . . .
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My friend uses wood ashes in the garden. Is it okay to use them? What are the concerns over using them? L. Warren, Lynchburg |
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Wood ashes are a source of potassium and lime. They will raise the pH of the soil where they are applied. One of the concerns about applying wood ashes is that the pH will become too alkaline. Soil testing should be done to ensure the pH level does not increase too much. If the pH level is above the optimum, the uptake of nutrients such as phosphorous and iron will be limited.
Wood ashes should not be applied to acid-loving plants, but they could be used on plants that don’t prefer an acid soil. They could also be applied to plants that are known to need a lot of potassium. Examples include fruit trees, vegetable root crops, roses and peonies. Rates recommended vary significantly from 2 to 6 pounds per 100 square feet. Wood ashes have a general analysis equivalent to a 0-1-3 fertilizer, but this can vary as well. They should not be applied to plants in active growth.
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