Rooting in a gel

[Franz Heymann]

About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest amongst
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre, you
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.

I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat way
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to upset
the cuttings in any way.

Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?

What was the gel which was used?

[Franz Heymann]

[martin]

On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:20:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest amongst
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre, you
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat way
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to upset
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?
What was the gel which was used?

plant gel

see http://www.plantgel.com/ ignore the God Bless America
stuff..........

[Franz Heymann]

Post by martin
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:20:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest amongst
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre, you
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat way
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to upset
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?
What was the gel which was used?

plant gel
see http://www.plantgel.com/ ignore the God Bless America
stuff..........

Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root", and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

[Franz Heymann]

[martin]

On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:11:43 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by martin
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:20:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest

amongst

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre,

you

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat

way

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to

upset

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?
What was the gel which was used?

plant gel
see http://www.plantgel.com/ ignore the God Bless America
stuff..........

Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root", and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

Most kids put it on their hair nowadays :-(

[Franz Heymann]

Post by martin
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:11:43 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by martin
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:20:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest

amongst

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre,

you

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat

way

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to

upset

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?
What was the gel which was used?

plant gel
see http://www.plantgel.com/ ignore the God Bless America
stuff..........

Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root", and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

Most kids put it on their hair nowadays :-(

If they wash, they don't need the sterilising agent, and if they have hair
they don't need the rooting agent. {:-))

Franz

[tracey]

I have used this rooting gel for awhile now and have successfully rooted
geranium, fushia, I should think any softwood stem would work. Its so easy
to use and theres the added bonus of watching the roots form. Only one draw
back its not cheap stuff :-(

Post by martin
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:11:43 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by martin
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 20:20:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest

amongst

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre,

you

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat

way

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to

upset

Post by martin

Post by Franz Heymann
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?
What was the gel which was used?

plant gel
see http://www.plantgel.com/ ignore the God Bless America
stuff..........

Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root", and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

Most kids put it on their hair nowadays :-(
--
Martin

[Kay Easton]

Post by Franz Heymann
Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root", and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

let us know, not just how well they rooted, but how well the transition
from gel to soil went.

It isn't always easy to transfer to soil cuttings which have rooted in
water, so I wondered whether there may be the same problem with gel.

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Kay Easton

Post by Franz Heymann
Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called "Gel2root", and
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

let us know, not just how well they rooted, but how well the transition
from gel to soil went.
It isn't always easy to transfer to soil cuttings which have rooted in
water, so I wondered whether there may be the same problem with gel.

Yes, I will.

The previous time when I tried it, there was less problem than with
transferring cuttings rooted in cuttings compost or sand, because the gel
cuttings pulled out of the rooting medium with a protective ball of gel
attached to the rootlets, and there was no problem potting a cutting up into
a compost with a pre-prepared hole and filling it just gently with soil.
After a few waterings the soil became properly consolidated.

Franz

[Michael Berridge]

Franz Heymann wrote in message ...

Post by Franz Heymann
Thanks for the URL. However, in the meantime, I have used Google to
discover that there is still a kit available in the UK. It got quite a good
write-up in the June issue of the RHS journal. It is called

"Gel2root", and

Post by Franz Heymann
is available from Fothergills. The gel contains both a rooting agent and a
sterilising agent. I have ordered a trial pack and will report when I have
some results.

I have some cuttings already in it, found it in my local GC. So far
trying Calicarpa, Hybiscus syriacus, potentilla and buddleia globosa.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Franz Heymann
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?

Possibly because people realised that, to root cuttings, you don't need
gel or rooting hormones or anything else. All you need to do is do it at
the right time in plain ordinary soil - well compost and sand if you
want to be really finickity!!!!!!

Many years ago I did a trial run, rooting Lithospermum cuttings in a gel,
cutting compost, sharp sand and garden soil. The samples were not large
enough to make a quantitative comparison, but for what it is worth, the gel
came out best and the garden soil was worst. What I found most attractive
about the gel was that the cuttings needed no attention at all other than
looking to see if they had rooted. Moreover, this inspection could be done
without disturbing the cuttings in any way.

It occurred to me that one ought to try and replace the commercial gel with
a thick wallpaper paste, made up with water plus a few drops of Benlate
sterilising agent and a drop or two of liquid rooting hormone. Somehow,
there were always something else to do, and this experiment was never done.
Perhaps one of our readers is sufficiently experimentally minded to give it
a try.

Franz

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Franz Heymann
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?

Possibly because people realised that, to root cuttings, you don't need
gel or rooting hormones or anything else. All you need to do is do it at
the right time in plain ordinary soil - well compost and sand if you
want to be really finickity!!!!!!

Many years ago I did a trial run, rooting Lithospermum cuttings in a gel,
cutting compost, sharp sand and garden soil. The samples were not large
enough to make a quantitative comparison, but for what it is worth, the gel
came out best and the garden soil was worst. What I found most attractive
about the gel was that the cuttings needed no attention at all other than
looking to see if they had rooted. Moreover, this inspection could be done
without disturbing the cuttings in any way.
It occurred to me that one ought to try and replace the commercial gel with
a thick wallpaper paste, made up with water plus a few drops of Benlate
sterilising agent and a drop or two of liquid rooting hormone.

Somehow,

Post by Franz Heymann
there were always something else to do, and this experiment was never done.
Perhaps one of our readers is sufficiently experimentally minded to give it
a try.

I was always put off trying it because I feared the anti-fungal agents
in the wallpaper paste might kill or weaken the roots, and because of
what Kay mentioned: surely this is just an extension of rooting in
water, with the usual attendant difficulties of transfer.
You may get
some failures with the usual compost-sand mixture, but at least the
successful ones are easy to plant on.

I assure you that it is easier to transplant the gel-grown cuttings safely
than it is to transplant compost-grown cuttings. I have elaborated on this
in another post to this thread.

I certainly wouldn't even
consider old-fashioned flour-and-water paste, as that would be covered
with moulds in no time. You could make an agar gel out of Irish
(Carragheen) moss, but I couldn't be bothered.

The agar would also be mould ridden if it did not contain a disinfecting (if
that is the word I want) agent. The commercial gel and a commercial
wallpaper paste like polycel both contain an anti-mould agent

I can't make up my mind about rooting hormones: there certainly are
some cuttings where they are said to do more harm than good, and with
others there doesn't seem to be much point. They do lose their
effectiveness in storage.

Thanks for that info. I have always wondered if I was squandering my
savings by religiously buying a new supply each season.

The fear (unbacked by any evidence at all) of anti-fungal ingredients
is also what put me off using wallpaper paste as an experimental fluid
sowing medium. We don't really need these aids anyhow.

I don't agree with that last sentiment. I have not done it yet, but I would
be surprised if it did not turn out to be more convenient and safer to prick
out seedlings germinated in a gel than all that rough handling involved in
the use of a seed compost..

Franz

[Mike Lyle]

[...]

Post by Franz Heymann

You may get
some failures with the usual compost-sand mixture, but at least the
successful ones are easy to plant on.

I assure you that it is easier to transplant the gel-grown cuttings safely
than it is to transplant compost-grown cuttings. I have elaborated on this
in another post to this thread.

I haven't seen the other post; I'll read it now.

Post by Franz Heymann

I certainly wouldn't even
consider old-fashioned flour-and-water paste, as that would be covered
with moulds in no time. You could make an agar gel out of Irish
(Carragheen) moss, but I couldn't be bothered.

The agar would also be mould ridden if it did not contain a disinfecting (if
that is the word I want) agent.

You make it up by boiling the seaweed, so it would be sterile at least
to start with. Though the boiling would drive out dissolved oxygen,
which must be a bad thing.

Post by Franz Heymann
The commercial gel and a commercial
wallpaper paste like polycel both contain an anti-mould agent

But we'd need to be sure the wallpaper paste one was as harmless as
the one intended specifically for plants, and that's what worried me.

Post by Franz Heymann

I can't make up my mind about rooting hormones: there certainly are
some cuttings where they are said to do more harm than good, and with
others there doesn't seem to be much point. They do lose their
effectiveness in storage.

Thanks for that info. I have always wondered if I was squandering my
savings by religiously buying a new supply each season.

No, you've been doing the right thing.

Post by Franz Heymann

The fear (unbacked by any evidence at all) of anti-fungal ingredients
is also what put me off using wallpaper paste as an experimental fluid
sowing medium. We don't really need these aids anyhow.

I don't agree with that last sentiment. I have not done it yet, but I would
be surprised if it did not turn out to be more convenient and safer to prick
out seedlings germinated in a gel than all that rough handling involved in
the use of a seed compost..

I certainly do damage a fair few seedings when pricking out, sometimes
by clumsiness, sometimes by having left them a bit too late (my
personal record is probably some cotoneasters which I somehow left in
the seed tray for five years!). I suspect the gel technique would be
to sow seeds individually as one would in something like a peat block,
rather than broadcast in a tray. I can see its potential value for
very scarce or expensive seeds; but I imagine one would need to learn
some new techniques.

It must also have enormous commercial value, as combined with fluid
sowing technique it would sharply reduce labour inputs.

Mike.

[Jim W]

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest amongst
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre, you
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat way
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to upset
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?

Rot.. Its just not widely available on the domestic market..

How do you think they flood the market with 'new' cultivars? esp slower
growers like roses.. They use micropropagation primarily which is
effectily what you're describing though using only a few cells. Then
they wean and grow on..

I spent a few days in a microprop lab at UCLANC where they carry out
commercial contracts a few years ago.. I still have the roses that I
grew from that part of the course module! 'Pink Perpetue'

Post by Franz Heymann
What was the gel which was used?

Its ususally an agar gel base which you can buy in any health food store
or catering supplier.. Its a suitable vegetarian alternative to
gelatine. It comes from an algae/seaweed I believe.

I still ahve the notes and the 'Recipes' here.. We used V8 (again,
health food store, its basically carrot juice) as the nutrient supply..
Though we DID use synthesised plant hormones to encourage root cells.
Not all plants have enough from such tiny samples. Of course if you are
using normal size cuttings then it won't matter so much.

If you look up mocroprop there are plenty of sites with 'heath robinson'
type setups.. Orchid growers use it a fair bit I believe. Certainly
the supplies I obtainable.. A company called 'Wilder' in the US used to
do a full kit.

I've seen the ready prepared 'gel pots' for cuttings where you just
stick them through a foil lid quite recently!
//
Jim

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
About a decade and a half ago there was a sudden burst if interest amongst
amateur gardeners in the rooting of cuttings in a gel. Then, quite
suddenly, it blew over and if you now talk about it in a garden centre, you
are confronted with an uncomprehending gaze from the attendant.
I experimented with it in a small way and was quite successful, achieving
something like 70% success rate in the cuttings I tried. It was a neat way
of avoiding having to see to the proper watering of the cuttings, and it
made it possible to see the development of the roots without having to upset
the cuttings in any way.
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?

Rot.. Its just not widely available on the domestic market..
How do you think they flood the market with 'new' cultivars? esp slower
growers like roses.. They use micropropagation primarily which is
effectily what you're describing though using only a few cells. Then
they wean and grow on..
I spent a few days in a microprop lab at UCLANC where they carry out
commercial contracts a few years ago.. I still have the roses that I
grew from that part of the course module! 'Pink Perpetue'

I am fully aware of its use in commercial circles. It was its apparent
departure from the amateur field that I was bemoaning.

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
What was the gel which was used?

Its ususally an agar gel base which you can buy in any health food store
or catering supplier.. Its a suitable vegetarian alternative to
gelatine. It comes from an algae/seaweed I believe.

I wonder why it has to be something expensive like agar. Why not thick
wallpaper paste?

Post by Jim W
I still ahve the notes and the 'Recipes' here.. We used V8 (again,
health food store, its basically carrot juice) as the nutrient supply..

I am missing out on something here. I thought that commercial gel
propagation was done under as sterile conditions as possible. My problem is
now that carrot juice is a complex organic liquid, and its constituents have
to be decomposed into simple inorganic substances before the plantlet can
make use of it. What does the decomposing in a sterile environment?

Post by Jim W
Though we DID use synthesised plant hormones to encourage root cells.
Not all plants have enough from such tiny samples. Of course if you are
using normal size cuttings then it won't matter so much.
If you look up mocroprop there are plenty of sites with 'heath robinson'
type setups.. Orchid growers use it a fair bit I believe. Certainly
the supplies I obtainable.. A company called 'Wilder' in the US used to
do a full kit.

As far as I know, it is literally the only feasible way of propagating
Disas.

Post by Jim W
I've seen the ready prepared 'gel pots' for cuttings where you just
stick them through a foil lid quite recently!

Yes. I mentioned in another post that I have come across a source and have
ordered some.

Franz

[Jim W]

Post by Franz Heymann
Yes. I mentioned in another post that I have come across a source and have
ordered some.

Must've missed that.. Y can still ahve fun making you're own if you
wish though.. Try Agar and up to 5% V8 carrot juice.. As long as it
starts off sterile (eg clean heat cleaned containers) and is set hot
then cooled) there is no reason why it might not work OK..

As I said the tricky bit is weaning as plants grown like this may have
less 'normal' bacterial/fungal colonisation already in place compared to
conventional cuttings.
//
Jim

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
Yes. I mentioned in another post that I have come across a source and have
ordered some.

Must've missed that.. Y can still ahve fun making you're own if you
wish though.. Try Agar and up to 5% V8 carrot juice.. As long as it
starts off sterile (eg clean heat cleaned containers) and is set hot
then cooled) there is no reason why it might not work OK..

Where does one buy Agar?
What does it cost?
What is wrong with simply making up a weak jelly with ordinary "food" jelly?

Post by Jim W
As I said the tricky bit is weaning as plants grown like this may have
less 'normal' bacterial/fungal colonisation already in place compared to
conventional cuttings.

Franz

[Jim W]

Post by Franz Heymann
Where does one buy Agar?
What does it cost?

See previous post for the answer to both the above.

Post by Franz Heymann
What is wrong with simply making up a weak jelly with ordinary "food" jelly?

Try it.. you asked what was used, not what you could try to use;-) I
suspect you may get other contaminations though. We were told to avoid
anything that grew a pink slime.. NOT in humour I think it was sign of a
culture of a human contaminant.. Its all to easy to breathe on gels
whilst preparing (esp in a domestic setting) and grow something you
don't want to !
//
Jim

[Mike Lyle]

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
Yes. I mentioned in another post that I have come across a source and

have

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
ordered some.

Must've missed that.. Y can still ahve fun making you're own if you
wish though.. Try Agar and up to 5% V8 carrot juice.. As long as it
starts off sterile (eg clean heat cleaned containers) and is set hot
then cooled) there is no reason why it might not work OK..

Where does one buy Agar?
What does it cost?
What is wrong with simply making up a weak jelly with ordinary "food" jelly?

[...]

Wholefood shops sell Carragheen or Irish moss: I don't imagine it
costs much. I've always meant to try making the pudding, but have
never got round to it.

I have no idea if you can use gelatin for propagation; but I think the
reason it isn't used in labs is that it has a lower melting-point than
agar. There may also be an issue in terms of reactivity to acids,
perhaps?

Mike.

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Mike Lyle

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
Yes. I mentioned in another post that I have come across a source and

have

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
ordered some.

Must've missed that.. Y can still ahve fun making you're own if you
wish though.. Try Agar and up to 5% V8 carrot juice.. As long as it
starts off sterile (eg clean heat cleaned containers) and is set hot
then cooled) there is no reason why it might not work OK..

Where does one buy Agar?
What does it cost?
What is wrong with simply making up a weak jelly with ordinary "food" jelly?

[...]
Wholefood shops sell Carragheen or Irish moss: I don't imagine it
costs much. I've always meant to try making the pudding, but have
never got round to it.
I have no idea if you can use gelatin for propagation; but I think the
reason it isn't used in labs is that it has a lower melting-point than
agar.

I have my doubts if this is important. After all, I propose to root the
cuttings at a temperature at which the jelly will be stiff.

Post by Mike Lyle
There may also be an issue in terms of reactivity to acids,
perhaps?

You may have something here.
I will have a shot at using jelly, but not until after I have played with
the commercial gel

Franz

Post by Mike Lyle
Mike.

[Michael Berridge]

Chris Hogg wrote in message

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk

[Kay Easton]

Post by Michael Berridge
Chris Hogg wrote in message

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?

And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?

I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

[Mark Fawcett]

Post by Kay Easton

Post by Michael Berridge
Chris Hogg wrote in message

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?
And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?
I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Mark

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Mark Fawcett

Post by Kay Easton

Post by Michael Berridge
Chris Hogg wrote in message

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?
And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?
I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Franz

Post by Mark Fawcett
Mark

[Mark Fawcett]

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Mark Fawcett

Post by Kay Easton

Post by Michael Berridge

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium (after
they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

You would not want air to circulate round the developing roots. they
need to be in contact with moisture all the time.

Do they, though? I was reading an article recently which said that,
contrary to previous belief, seeds and seedlings took in more water from
the air spaces between the soil than from the soil itself. So might not
the same hold true for cuttings?
And don't most people add sand to the rooting compost - not to hold
water, but to give air spaces?
I dunno - I don't go in for cuttings.

Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on the
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.
Franz

Post by Mark Fawcett
Mark

K - these are just the ordinary water retaining granules used in
baskets, tubs etc.

Franz - didnt use anything else this time so its a bit like just
sticking cuttings in water to root them except hopefully if they do
root, the roots wil grow into the granules and so protect them when it
comes to potting them up.
However I will be trying out more cuttings of the same plants in the
gel but with a little bit of liquid rooting agent this weekend, not
exactly a scientific trial but it might prove interesting.

Mark

[Mark Fawcett]

Post by Mark Fawcett

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Mark Fawcett

Apologies for coming in late to this thread, but has anyone tried
using those water-retaining gel granules as a rooting medium

(after

Post by Mark Fawcett

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Mark Fawcett

they've been well soaked, of course)? I would think they might be
ideal, holding lots of water but allowing air to circulate in the
spaces between.

snip

Post by Mark Fawcett

Post by Franz Heymann

Post by Mark Fawcett
Im trying some cuttings in the water retaining gel granules at the
moment, just some tangerine sage and some pinks. So far after 5 days
they seem to be ok, I will post any results.

Did you use rooting powder/liquid and did you use a sterilising agent on

the

Post by Mark Fawcett

Post by Franz Heymann
cuttings?
I look forward to hearing how it goes.
Franz

K - these are just the ordinary water retaining granules used in
baskets, tubs etc.
Franz - didnt use anything else this time so its a bit like just
sticking cuttings in water to root them except hopefully if they do
root, the roots wil grow into the granules and so protect them when it
comes to potting them up.
However I will be trying out more cuttings of the same plants in the
gel but with a little bit of liquid rooting agent this weekend, not
exactly a scientific trial but it might prove interesting.

Please continue to report.
Franz

No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
One thing that did surprise me though was just how much water the
granules could absorb so I may try again but with less granules and
more water. I could however, if I carry along with this track, end up
with the situation of more water than granule thus making the trial a
bit pointless!-)

Mark

[Kate Morgan]

Post by Mark Fawcett
No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.

I had the same result, the cuttings did not actually die but I could
see that they were not very happy and put them into water where they
started to grow shoots very quickly.
kate

[Jane Ransom]

Post by Kate Morgan

Post by Mark Fawcett
No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.

I had the same result, the cuttings did not actually die but I could
see that they were not very happy and put them into water where they
started to grow shoots very quickly.

Apparently the roots in water are not the type of root that will sustain
a plant in soil :(

[Jane Ransom]

Post by Mark Fawcett
No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.

Forget granules, forget hormones - just use a halfandhalf mixture of
sand and peat and make sure you do it at the right time of year for the
type of cutting and for the plant in question.

[Chris Hogg]

Post by Mark Fawcett
No success at all with either batch, cuttings eventually shrivelled
and died. I had much more success rooting cuttings just in a glass of
water on the windowsill.
One thing that did surprise me though was just how much water the
granules could absorb so I may try again but with less granules and
more water. I could however, if I carry along with this track, end up
with the situation of more water than granule thus making the trial a
bit pointless!-)
Mark

How did you prepare the granules? Did you pre-soak them and then put
the lumps of swelled gel into a pot, followed by the cuttings, or did
you put dry granules into a pot, then dibbled in the cuttings,
followed by water (or yet another route)?

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Franz Heymann
Why has the concept disappeared from the scene?
What was the gel which was used?
[Franz Heymann]

The product in the UK was Fisons Clearcut.

You've rung a bell. That was it.

The company spent a small fortune on advertising the product in various
media including TV, and it sold like hot cakes - but as soon as they
stopped advertising, it stopped selling...
It just wasn't profitable, and ISTR it had a restricted shelf-life,
which meant that Garden Centres and wholesalers didn't want to stock it
if it didn't turn over fast enough to avoid wastage.

That might explain its demise.

I wonder if "gel2root" will have a similar fate.
I suspect that Fothergill's ought to try harder. I have now failed to find
it in 3 large garden centres.

Franz

[Jim W]

Post by Franz Heymann
That might explain its demise.
I wonder if "gel2root" will have a similar fate.
I suspect that Fothergill's ought to try harder. I have now failed to find
it in 3 large garden centres.
Franz

I am pretty sure Chempak still do the preprepared 'domestic pots'.. But
if you do a search for 'Micropropagation supplies' You can get ready
prepared pots by post IIRC.. There was a Carnivourous plants stie (UK
based) that did a load of stuff.
//
Jim

[Franz Heymann]

Post by Jim W

Post by Franz Heymann
That might explain its demise.
I wonder if "gel2root" will have a similar fate.
I suspect that Fothergill's ought to try harder. I have now failed to find
it in 3 large garden centres.
Franz

I am pretty sure Chempak still do the preprepared 'domestic pots'.. But
if you do a search for 'Micropropagation supplies' You can get ready
prepared pots by post IIRC.. There was a Carnivourous plants stie (UK
based) that did a load of stuff.

Thanks, Jim.
You can (I have) ordered the stuff direct from Fothergills.

Franz