View Full Version : Propagating annuals from cuttings?
rosarugosa
10-17-11, 8:04am
There are certain annuals that I buy every year, and it has gotten pretty expensive. I am wondering if anyone has experience or knows if I can propagate any of the following from cuttings or overwinter as houseplants:
Licorice plant (Helichrysum)
Sweet potato vine
Coleus
Purple Fountain Grass (I doubt it, but this is the most expensive so it can't hurt to ask)
I don't know about propagating from cuttings, but you can grow coleus from seed. You might be able to pot your helichrysum and fountain grass and overwinter it indoors. I had fountain grass in a container last year and I brought it inside for the winter and it returned this year. Not sure about sweet potato vine.
Coleus is very easy to start from cuttings. Sometimes some of the older leaves are snipped in half so they don't lose as much water. Needs humidity so in a green house or enclosed container of some sort - perhaps using a plastic bag over the pot.
Fountain grass is also easy to start other plants - not cuttings per se, but just dig some up, and divide the base into sections. Put them into soil, moisten, and you'll have new plants.
I don't know about the others.
rosarugosa
10-18-11, 8:06am
Cdttmm: How did you grow the fountain grass indoors? In a sunny window as a houseplant, or dormant in an unheated room or dark basement?
Gina: I think you are in a warmer climate than I am, so although I could divide the fountain grass and start new plants, I need a strategy for wintering-over.
I'm going to try rooting some cuttings of the coleus, helichrysum, and sweet potato vine - all I have to lose is a glass of water! :)
rosa: I just brought mine indoors before we had regular freezing at night - end of Oct/beginning of Nov. I kept it in a part of our house where the heat is set to 55 degrees, so it's cool, but not cold. There are a lot of windows in that part of the house, so it does warm up to about 60 degrees on sunny days in the winter. I watered it a little bit about every 2 weeks and in the spring brought it back outside where it proceeded to grow and flourish for another season. Of course, we'll see if I have similar luck this time around!
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