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I understand that it is fairly easy to start plants from cuttings in Hawaii, such as with Ti and as some suggested Plumeria. The suggestions say just cut and stick in the ground. So cool - very excited about the possibilities. However, I'd like to know if there are any plants that should not be started this way, such as not worth my time becuase they've been tried over and over this way and it just doesn't work. Also, when I do lavender starts on my farm in Washington, I dip in root-tone before planting in the soil and take cuttings in the spring time. Is there a season for taking cuttings in Hawaii? Do the plants have a better start with the root-tone? Or is that not necessary?
Enjoy the day! Ann
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I use rootone on many of the cuttings, esp. if I am not positive about them (just had success that way with some rose cuttings & have done the same with hibiscus, citrus & other woody plants). Ti & plumeria are best if left to cure for a bit before sticking in the ground, so rootone is not nec. for them. I was told to just stick lavender in water 2 weeks ago, so far no rootlets... so... maybe I will try rootone next time if they don't take off...
Usually it is easy to get offers to TAKE AWAY cuttings, so there is a lot of room to experiment here.
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Thanks Carey! I sooo can't wait to start gardeing there. We have 20 degrees and fresh snow on my morning walk today here in MT... gardening here is brutal!
Enjoy the day! Ann
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Hey, we have fresh snow here, too! (Mauna Kea had a dusting of snow, even had the road cleaning guys out this morning!) To enjoy the current mountain top Hawaii snow:
http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/current/cams/...mode=multi
ETA: Mauna Loa has no snow, yet:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/MLcam/
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Yeah, but you all get excited about snow on the tippy tops of those mountains. I'm driving in it on the way to work - yuck... When we lived full time in WA we hardly ever got snow on the olympic peninsula. I remember my kids would make a big snow ball from each year and put it in a zip lock in the freezer with the date and year on it. Funny, last time I was at the farm in October 09 I was looking at 6 years worth of snowballs. Then the kids grew up and moved out of the house so no more dated snowballs. ah, memories.
Enjoy the day! Ann
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Ah the lovely white stuff. I thought I was ready for four seasons when I moved here to Eastern Washington five years ago. After 3 years I had seen enough, and now our house is up for sale. (since April) Not looking like we will be moving out of here soon. Some day our time in Puna will come, right?
Peace and long life
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Yep, someday our time in Puna will come....
Enjoy the day! Ann
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i would probably do the lavendar cuttings on cinder and not water so the stems don't get mushy, i usually have bette luck in cinder and put in a nice simi-filted light with watering or rain...
Noel
plantalohics check out
http://theplantwhore.blogspot.com/
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I haven't had any luck with lavender here. I think we get to much rain. I even tried putting it under the eve of the house. It just rotted.
Good luck! I hope you have better success than I did.
Jade
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if you are in a more rainy location, they usually sulk and look anemic...they prefer dryer mediterranean climates with lots of drainage...the dryer/sunnier parts (coastal areas of puna) tend to be better....sorry, but its probably better to keep them potted and under the eves in your situation...
Noel Morata
Check out my blog about living aloha in East Hawaii
http://noelmorata.blogspot.com/
