Roots may be Alex Haley’s claim to fame, but this spring I’m claiming the title for me and my house.
Why?
Because the cuttings from the family heritage geraniums I put in water more than a month ago have sprouted roots aplenty. This goofy gardener has four jars full of sassy green magic just waiting for the weather to warm up so they can be planted. And that’s not all!
During rooting season, I showered the future green giants with tender, loving care – changing their water weekly, removing dead leaves, and cutting off rotting stems. More than that, I paid attention to details like which slips rooted most easily, the attributes of the spots that rooted, and other scientific observations. Insights gleaned include the following:
- Tender, green stems root from joints where leaves have been stripped away.
- Hardened brown stems won’t root. Ever. At all. Period.
- If a long slip doesn’t sprout roots, cut a few inches off the bottom, strip a few more leaves away and give it another try. Following this method, my root rate was about 80%.
- Some slips won’t root, no matter what you do.
Pretty impressive, hmmm? I’m thinking a new career in agronomy is just around the corner. As soon my dislike of dirty hands, muddy shoes, weeding, hard work, and earthworms abate. In the meantime, I’m basking in the ancient approval of my ancestors.
My mother is proud of me.
My Grandma Josie would be proud of me.
So would her mother, Cora Rose Newell – the giver of the original geranium.
Partly for keeping family history alive. But mostly because I rooted 30 geranium slips which will save a good chunk of change when purchasing bedding plants in the next few weeks. Because the women in our family are a stingy clan. We are firmly rooted in the belief that the best things in life are free. Which means it’s time for a new project. How to make potting soil this spring instead of buying it from the store.
Just thinking of the potential savings makes me happy, happy, happy!
Do you have a compost pile to make your nice fertile potting soil? Or is that your next project? Dad had a compost pile for many years. I can remember it from both turning it occasionally and from taking the daily supper vegetable waste out to the compost pile.
Compost piles produce heat inside themselves while they are doing their thing. “Why did he mention that?” you ask.
One time dad went out to turn the compost pile. I had to take my turn with the pitchfork helping, of course. We got a BIG surprise. All winter the heat inside the compost pile kept the pile warm enough through the harsh Iowa winter for the potato peelings that had eyes in them to grow. And grow they did! We ended up having home grown new potatoes for supper that night. (I can’t remember if it was with or without store bought creamed peas.) They were so good that night because it was MEMORIAL DAY. Of all things, who would have thought of getting home grown new potatoes on Memorial Day.
Better get started with that compost pile if you want to have enough potting soil next spring.
Congratulations on your geraniums. They are one of my favorite flowers.