Growing Seeds & Propagating Serissa

msgvb

I am currently trying to develop serissa cuttings, as well, but having a tough time. I only tried one so far as a little experiment, but it didn't make it.

regarding seeds & seedlings, I'm seeing a lot of people arbitrarily throwing out methods without details. I have not had much luck from seed, either. they either don't germinate (even after scarification & stratification) or succumb to damping off. I'm very new to all this, and would very much like to get the hang of seeding and cutting.

one of my main questions is with regard to this bottom heat business -- what exactly is used to generate this bottom heat?!?

back to the serissa, perhaps a detail of my recent attempt will prompt some suggestions.

I just got a few erissa from Steve at Sleepy Hollow. I repotted them and took a 1/4" cutting, dipped it in water, then in rooting hormone and then planted it in some leftover bonsai soil mix. the soil stayed remarkably moist. I misted the cutting every other day. it never looked wilty, but after the second watering, the leaves started to turn brown, and then just all fell off. I thought it was too wet, but apparently I didn't have it wet enough.

those of you who propate serissa in soil -- should I use just plain potting soil mix? and keep it soaked? is it necessary/better to put the cuttings in a bag, or somehow seal in the moisture?

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soonami

The cuttings that I have rooted, like it best in soil that is just barely moist and a little on the dry side. Keep them away from full light and cover them with a bag to seal in the moisture and reduce the need for watering. The roots at first can be very delicate and sometimes just misting them can damage the roots or make them rot. What I tried and worked well for me this winter was take serissa cuttings dip them in powder rooting hormone and just lay them right on top of a seedling tray filled with moistened sand (I used the fine stuff and coarser, both seem to work just fine.) Then over the tray with an air tight clear cover of some sort and sit them somewhere with a little light but not too much to dry the surface of the sand. And now all you do is put it somewhere warm and in a few weeks you will have tons of rooted cuttings.

I find that drier is better with serissa cuttings, for some reason those in drier and looser potting medium work better,

msgvb

So what works best for you in contrary to some of the other processes I've seen - glass of water, soaking wet potting soil, etc.

okay, so, light, or lackthereof, is not important in rooting and seeding?
Just the temperature? and warm.
I guess part of the trick is to use healthy, vigorous subjects for the cuttings. perhaps mine are too weak right now having just come from the nursery.

thanks for the detail on the sand. see, this is one of those things where people just say "sand", without detailing the type.

any chance of some photos of your lights? I understand the bulb choices and the reasoning behind them, but just trying to get a feel for scale now.

soonami

Well I had seedling flat separated i half, one half medium grained sand and the other, a peat based potting soil. The ones on sand rooted much faster than the soil ones and the ones on soil rotted or moulded easier. It might be because the sand stayed warmer or was drier, not sure, but it worked better. As for water, that will probably work, but in the hypotonic solution of water, the roots will be very sensitive if place in any soil and will not be lignified enough to structurally support the cutting

Temperature is a more important factor than light, I find this to be true in general.

Um, the lights and winter set-up is all put away in storage now. I had a party at my house a couple weeks back and my GF made my put all my plant stuff away since the trees are all outside now.

msgvb

hahaha, understood!

how big are these seedling flats? forgive my ignorance, but are they cells, as well, kinda like those seed starters?

I'll keep these tips in mind my next go round.

so in general, just try to get a cutting with some wood on it.

and you just laid these cuttings on top of the sand?

__________________
Scott
Virginia Beach, VA

soonami

the seedling flats can be any size, like usually 12 by 18in or so, but those seed starting 6 packs would be find too.

Just moisten the sand and then put it in the flats and put the cuttings in the sand, just barely into the sand. And put a cover on so they don't dry out. Keep them in a warm place and wait.

msgvb

crap, I think mine are going to be too deep. how else are you to support them?

there are several nodes on each cutting, though.
eh well, they're in for the duration now. I'll just leave 'em and see what happens.

man, I've no common sense for this sort of thing.

I think next time, I will take my cuttings and put them in a flat at an angle, just barely into the medium, and maybe support them with a y-stick or something.

__________________
Scott
Virginia Beach, VA