Cuttings

[dirty hands]

I wonder of there is a best time to put these or other cuttings in a potting mix and what mix would be the best?
I am going to put them all together in one small pot. What size should I use?

 

[Meadowlark]

Those are ready IMO for a pot now.

Are you sure you want to put them all in same pot? Looks like 4 plants maybe two per pot would give them a better chance.

 

[dirty hands]

I was wondering about that too. I thought it would look better and fuller with all 4 but I wasnt sure if they would compete to much.

Would it be better to plant individually?

I did 4 together awhile back and it started good but has been struggling now.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

I would plant individually. Rooting in water is fine, but it's better to root into soil media when you can (some plants can't take submersion). Just be careful transplanting to not break the roots

Any moderately acid soil would be fine, big problem this time of year is getting enough light, windows are not near as much light as you would expect

 

[dirty hands]

Thank you Martin.

 

[Sheal]

I agree with Martin and would plant them individually. The roots will need a fair amount of space as they develop.

 

[dirty hands]

Im going to get soil and pots tomorrow.
I think I've been keeping them in the water too long too.
Im probably going try them in potting mix next time too instead of water.

 

[dirty hands]

I had these terrecata pots and some a couple different bags of soil so I went ahead and potted them.
I had to redo the plant stand which I had put in the office not long ago. I had to hang both the lights on top and under a shelf halfway down.

My palms need help. They dont like it inside. Ive had them a few years but I've always struggled with them.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

I made a lux sensor to compare sunlight to led lights. You can look into par photosynthetic active radiation and get an idea. Plants can't use green wavelengths only blue and red. It's crazy how many leds of grow lights (just purple) it takes to be the same as outside in the shade.

I use about 120 watts of leds (42 3w full spectrum 380nm~840nm led grow chip ) for a 2x4 sqft area and it's like half the light as outside, but it's good enough for me.

Those palms are basically in the dark in comparison. But that's not instant death. A lot of plants even sun loving plants can take winter in the dark. We'll routinely pull agaves out of storage, they'll be albino white and slowly adjust them to sun in the spring.

And don't get discouraged by a few leaves dying. Tropical plants don't have a deciduous season so they lose leaves one at a time all the time and they just hide that fact in the garden center by fast growth and clever pruning

 

[dirty hands]

I wonder if my well water is damaging the palms too. I use that instead of my softened city tap water.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

If you can drink it, it's not hurting the plants. Even if you can't drink it, it's probably not hurting them

 

[dirty hands]

The lights were more for the small plants. I know they have to be close to the plants to help. I might buy better lights at some point but this is getting me started.

I might move the palms back in front of the living room windows now that I think about it. I put them there for the holidays. They were doing better in the living room.

 

[cpp gardener]

Those are Majesty Palms, Ravenea rivularis. They are difficult to grow indoors; that yours are more than 6 months old is quite impressive. They want as close to full sun as possible and constantly moist soil. Emphasis on constantly moist soil. They are native to desert swamps in Madagascar. The water flows down from mountains, gets to flat areas and pools, then slowly drains downriver again. That's how you end up with desert swamps.

 

[dirty hands]

---

---

This is their 2nd winter indoors. They have been a challenge.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have had some success with cuttings in soil, and then put the pots up to their necks in water so I get the benefits of both methods and when they are ready I can just take them out and let them drain without disturbing anything.