RE: [CH] Fw: Saving Peppers/Holland Digest V6 #102
Cameron Begg (begg.4@osu.edu)
Wed, 08 Dec 1999 09:52:13 -0500
Hi C-H's,
Rob wrote:
>I didn't know that you could use small wooden part
>from pepper plants for multiply them.
You will have a much better chance of success if you use a rapidly
growing new green shoot.
Have ready a razor blade, small pair of scissors, bowl of tepid
water, very small flower vase or test tube full of water.
With the scissors cut the shooting stem off and immediately immerse
it in the water in the bowl. Using the razor blade - under water if
possible, but that's tricky - slice the stem at 45deg. an inch or two
above the scissor cut. (This is to make sure that the passages inside
the stem do not contain any water.) Quickly remove the stem, dip it
in hormonal rooting compound (e.g. "Rootone") and place it in the
vase or test tube. The walls of this container should be opaque, or
made so with Al foil (Lack of light impedes chlorophyll formation in
the roots). Maintain the level of water in the vase or tube over the
next few weeks (depends on temperature etc.) and keep the plantlet in
a bright location until a suitable root system forms.
Make a slurry with seedling compost and water. It should have
the consistency of pancake batter. Hold the rooted cutting in the
center of an egg cup sized peat pot and pour in compost slurry. Keep
the stuff in motion by shaking so that it flows around the roots.
Tap the pot to settle it and pop out air bells. If necessary support
the cutting with a bamboo skewer. The excess water will be absorbed
as the peat rehydrates. Keep the plant damp and in a well lit place.
---
Regards, Cameron.