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Post by Raymond on Feb 23, 2016 0:27:27 GMT
diggie not taken a cutting yet I don't want them yet . All jersie awake and doing well, staleen condessa and all three Michelle doing well. Wittemans superba ( only to grow in display ) is awake finally and I think my Oakwood goldcrest is about to come to life lots of roots and what looks like 4 eyes about to erupt. I have only just set away the rest last week. My new collerettes from Jack gott kirsty g and kelsey Annie joy are awake and I think winholm Diane looking like it might be soon. I set up the rest of the pot tubers I want to take cuttings from. All other pot tubers I will either give away or pot up and get going for plant sale next week or week after. These will be cold started might give a little bit of heat but not much. jay65 I have a vitopod and I had a lot of problems with damping off and black foot I think it is called last year. You need to keep the vents Part open and then adjust constantly. I think I will just use the base and cover the cuttings in fleece and mist that. We shall see. I have normal unheated propagators I can put into heat mats as well. I will try the sand method later as a medium for pot tuber stock. Got some root riot cubes I will try as well this year and also coir but mostly will be sieved multipurpose and perlite at 5050 ratio with a bit of horticultural sand added. Trying clonex gel this year and strike and see what I prefer. I am hoping to grow much bigger numbers in my main show hopes. I think it will be something like this it all depends on the cuttings. 16 + winholm diane 8 senzoe Ursula 4 cream Diane 2 sheval Megan ( in front garden) 3 wyns favourite ( in front garden ) 3 blyton everest After last year I have a liking for small decoratives. Small semi cactus and cactus 12 ryecroft zoe 12 Oakwood goldcrest Will probably have to acquire some stock 8 greenways zoe 2 Ruskin Andrea in front garden Hillcrest Jersie 5 plants cannot risk more of this to trial. A kiwi 3 plants to trial again Medium semi cactus Still deciding but I have a choice of Narrows Sonia Ruskin Michelle Staleen condessa Ruskin avenger Vals white Hillcrest candy Hamari accord Ruskin sunshine A moonlight Will grow 12 in 1 variety 8 in the second and 4 in 2 others. I need to see what grows for me. Min cactus 6 Tom mcclelland Min Dec Still to decide a choice of Marston Susanne Marston lilac Ryecroft Jan Hillcrest divine Or something else maybe kristobal ? Only can grow two one 10 plants and second 8 plants and one 2 plants in front garden. Min ball 10 Mary's jomanda or jomanda 4 of something else Collerette ( these in top garden more exposed site doubles get beaten up here ) 6 garden friends 6 kirsty g 6 Kelsey Annie joy When these start to open they will be cut and opened indoors. I might grow a Pom I am not sure. Fimbriated 6 plants choice of Hapet perfekt Nenekazi Hope to grow singles of two normandies in front garden Kenora sunset in front garden if I grow it . I might trial a large again either challenger, Clearview Edie or trooper Dan. I have managed to make more space new bed will take about 24 to 30 plants need to mark it out . Also the old pond Area being slabbed so will allow 12 more in large pots. Seedlings 2 or three of each in top border display. That's the plan so far ! Let's see how much it changes . Hahahahaha
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jay65
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Post by jay65 on Feb 23, 2016 8:12:52 GMT
Nice one Raymond! I really enjoyed reading that post.
I think you're right about the Vitopods. Personally, I have the vents open, and even leave a gap in the lids about an inch to help air flow. Unfortunately whatever I do, it makes the dry spots drier, and damp spots wetter. So, like you. With an air temp in my polytunnel at a pretty steady 18*C, I think I will just take the lids completely off, and see if that improves things a touch. But if I'm having to go out to the Polytunnel at every point the weather changes by the most minutest detail in a day, to adjust the Vitopodss, it rather defeats the object of having them!! Lol.
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Post by Raymond on Feb 23, 2016 9:09:33 GMT
jay65 I think really we have to expect some damping off in enclosed propagators. Dave Gillam used vitapods and he had damping off. 80% this time of year success rate I think is very good. My success this time last year was ZERO ! Hehe . Lost the lot in those jiffy pellets drowned them . I will be adjusting my list for sure. I want to increase my numbers even more on some things. So I will have to acquire stock
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jay65
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Post by jay65 on Feb 23, 2016 11:38:41 GMT
jay65 I think really we have to expect some damping off in enclosed propagators. Dave Gillam used vitapods and he had damping off. 80% this time of year success rate I think is very good. My success this time last year was ZERO ! Hehe . Lost the lot in those jiffy pellets drowned them . I will be adjusting my list for sure. I want to increase my numbers even more on some things. So I will have to acquire stock There's some varieties that I'm clearly doing well with, and will have plenty of 'Mother' plants like Trooper Dan and Cafe Au Lait, so much so with those varieties, that I'm almost considering freeing up some space on the benches and compost binning the Trooper Dan and Cafe Au Lait tubers as I have more than enough 'Mother' plants of those to be going on with. Then there are others that I've all but given up on like Oakwood Goldcrest, John Hill, and Kiwi Gloria. But I have a few Trelyn Kiwi Mother Plants as a back up as a Kiwi variety. I always do pretty well with Trelyn Kiwi for some reason. |
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jay65
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Post by jay65 on Feb 23, 2016 17:25:31 GMT
 A tray of quite nice 'Mother' plants of mainly Cafe Au Lait  Everything is coming along quite well, but space is necessitating another Garden building purchase! |
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Post by diggie on Feb 23, 2016 18:21:09 GMT
Hi Raymond and Jay, While planning my new set up I did consider purchasing a vitopod but could not justify the cost. Instead I built a hot bed using a warming cable controlled by a thermostat. Over the hot bed I constructed a framework using plastic pipe and covered the whole thing with fleece. This has proved to be successful. The operating temperature of the hot bed is a constant 19C and the space within the fleece is 14/15C. All this for less than the cost of a vitopod. In my Dahlia world I am now a very happy bunny.
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jay65
Junior Member
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Post by jay65 on Feb 23, 2016 18:30:08 GMT
Hi Raymond and Jay, While planning my new set up I did consider purchasing a vitopod but could not justify the cost. Instead I built a hot bed using a warming cable controlled by a thermostat. Over the hot bed I constructed a framework using plastic pipe and covered the whole thing with fleece. This has proved to be successful. The operating temperature of the hot bed is a constant 19C and the space within the fleece is 14/15C. All this for less than the cost of a vitopod. In my Dahlia world I am now a very happy bunny. That was pretty much what I did last year with really good results too. This year I purchased the Vitopods and to be honest the success rate has dropped hugely. As I said to Raymond, I have taken the lids completely off now, so we'll see how that goes, but it almost defeats the object of having the damn things really. haha. All my cuttings that I took 3 days ago are flagging really badly, and looks like I may lose all of that batch! Boohoo! |
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Post by daisy on Feb 23, 2016 19:00:48 GMT
A tray of quite nice 'Mother' plants of mainly Cafe Au Lait Everything is coming along quite well, but space is necessitating another Garden building purchase! Nice healthy looking cuttings there jay65 :-) |
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 23, 2016 19:46:44 GMT
A tray of quite nice 'Mother' plants of mainly Cafe Au Lait Everything is coming along quite well, but space is necessitating another Garden building purchase! Nice healthy looking cuttings there jay65 :-) Thank you Daisy. I think in retrospect, what I will do next year, is just use the Vitopods for seed sowing my Geraniums and bedding plants, and even then, I will probably leave the lids off during the day at least, then use the heat benches for all my cuttings. The Tubers will be happy enough on the top shelves because the ambient temperature in the Polytunnels is kept at least 16*C anyway, so more than enough warmth there to get the tubers up and running. This leaves the heat benches completely free for cuttings, which last year were much happier than this years' Vitopod victims. All's fair in love and war though, and these things can be quite a learning curve. The Cuttings I am getting though are stronger and ultimately, healthier for it though, and seem to be making some really nice plants. |
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Post by ste b on Feb 23, 2016 20:32:07 GMT
Hi diggie that's what I did made two hot beds with warming cables and thermostat and over one made a wood frame and covered it with polythene , I have propagated thousands of plants with this system , so if your starting off you don't need to spend loads of money you can make things your self and save big time.
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 23, 2016 21:09:52 GMT
Hi diggie that's what I did made two hot beds with warming cables and thermostat and over one made a wood frame and covered it with polythene , I have propagated thousands of plants with this system , so if your starting off you don't need to spend loads of money you can make things your self and save big time. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't. I'm pleased for you that you have got lucky with your set up. |
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Post by Raymond on Feb 23, 2016 23:10:14 GMT
jay65 I think really we have to expect some damping off in enclosed propagators. Dave Gillam used vitapods and he had damping off. 80% this time of year success rate I think is very good. My success this time last year was ZERO ! Hehe . Lost the lot in those jiffy pellets drowned them . I will be adjusting my list for sure. I want to increase my numbers even more on some things. So I will have to acquire stock There's some varieties that I'm clearly doing well with, and will have plenty of 'Mother' plants like Trooper Dan and Cafe Au Lait, so much so with those varieties, that I'm almost considering freeing up some space on the benches and compost binning the Trooper Dan and Cafe Au Lait tubers as I have more than enough 'Mother' plants of those to be going on with. Then there are others that I've all but given up on like Oakwood Goldcrest, John Hill, and Kiwi Gloria. But I have a few Trelyn Kiwi Mother Plants as a back up as a Kiwi variety. I always do pretty well with Trelyn Kiwi for some reason. Jay I was talking to a good grower and he specialising in the goldcrests it takes him about 2 months to get them to wake up normally from field Tuber sometimes you are lucky and its quicker. Keep misting the crown with very hot water he said . I spoke to my friend who has my two kiwi Gloria and they are firing very well so if you need any let me know later on. My trelyn has not woken up yet. I won't be growing both and only 3 or so. Sonia will have spares. I have heard trooper Dan is a good provider and easy to propogate . Wish they all where . Rjeybwherw all hard for me. Got the cuttings just couldn't root them at the start. Do better later on though. Your plants are looking great ! I am sitting on my hands waiting. Having cut back some I am noticing the new eyes coming around 4 where I cut back. These I will take hopefully in a couple of weeks time . |
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Post by Raymond on Feb 23, 2016 23:18:49 GMT
Hi Raymond and Jay, While planning my new set up I did consider purchasing a vitopod but could not justify the cost. Instead I built a hot bed using a warming cable controlled by a thermostat. Over the hot bed I constructed a framework using plastic pipe and covered the whole thing with fleece. This has proved to be successful. The operating temperature of the hot bed is a constant 19C and the space within the fleece is 14/15C. All this for less than the cost of a vitopod. In my Dahlia world I am now a very happy bunny. Diggie I did not buy the vitapod I got it Christmas 2014 ! Going to put the garland titan tray of tuber in the vitapod base it fits perfefcly so will provide a nice steady heat. This frees up the two heat mats for open propagation. I have ordered another heat mat as I need to start my begonias. The two trays of tubers awake are getting a soil temp.of between 14 and 16 degrees I don't heat the area itself. Fleece on at night that is it. Delighted things are going well for you. What are your showing aspirations for this year ? Kent is a big one this year as 50th anniversary . |
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Post by Raymond on Feb 23, 2016 23:27:30 GMT
jay65 I know some growers put some water in the base of the propagator to increase the humidity I was told to try this last year by Andrew a . It did help a bit. Not too much just a little and top it up when it evaporates I spoke to Jack gott about his cutting technique he removes the first cuttings thrown as normally thick and hollow just above the Tuber with a knife as we all do. The really interesting part was when he takes the cuttings he wants he pushes the cutting up with his thumb and it snaps off below a leaf joint. The wound is automatically sealed he said and is a Better cutting as with a blade the cutting can bleed. What do you think of this technique ian ? Have you tried it. I also could not believe how close he plants his plants together on his plot ! 9 inches apart for show size blooms. Amazed at that !
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Post by daisy on Feb 24, 2016 12:19:45 GMT
Nice healthy looking cuttings there jay65 :-) Thank you Daisy. I think in retrospect, what I will do next year, is just use the Vitopods for seed sowing my Geraniums and bedding plants, and even then, I will probably leave the lids off during the day at least, then use the heat benches for all my cuttings. The Tubers will be happy enough on the top shelves because the ambient temperature in the Polytunnels is kept at least 16*C anyway, so more than enough warmth there to get the tubers up and running. This leaves the heat benches completely free for cuttings, which last year were much happier than this years' Vitopod victims. All's fair in love and war though, and these things can be quite a learning curve. The Cuttings I am getting though are stronger and ultimately, healthier for it though, and seem to be making some really nice plants. Sounds like a good plan jay65 - I stick to what I know works - although..I will try new ways but if the results are not favourable it's unlikely that I'll try it again. I once tried growing Fuchsia and pelargonium cuttings in hydroponic cubes (maybe this is this is the same as Vitopods?) for me it was a disaster - but I know others who have good results :-) |
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