Gardening Sweet Spots
By Donna Hessel
Am I starting a forest? No, just over-wintering cuttings from Gryphon “Pegasus” begonia, and Wandering Jew (Trandescantia “Purple Heart” and “Pallid”). Most of the begonia stem cuttings will root and sprout new leaves next spring. I’ll use a couple in containers on my deck and in a wine barrel that welcomes visitors to my yard. The rest will be contributed to my garden club’s annual plant sale.
Pegasus can also be grown as a house plant. I had stunning success this summer with red impatiens and purple Torenia fournieri (wishbone flower) planted at the base of the Pegasus begonia. The additional plants filled out the containers and added bright color to contrast with the green and silver Pegasus leaves. I’m sure these would be deer candy, so I keep them in containers on my deck. They like a shady spot and well-drained soil.
The green and red variegated Trandescantia (Wandering Jew) cuttings will root readily in water and can then be planted in pots. These make great filler in containers, will flourish in sun or shade and complement a variety of flowering plants. They also make an awesome
presentation grown in a container all by themselves and will have long tendrils that can become the cuttings for the following summer.
Who doesn’t like purple! Transcantia Purple Heart is a vibrant purple and will trail in hanging baskets or fill out containers with other plants. Cuttings will root in water. I used them in a hanging basket with a trailing red begonia boliviensis “Santa Cruz” and common white begonia (Nightlife White) in a shady spot and they looked beautiful all summer.
How to Take a Cutting
Choose healthy shoots that snap, not bend. Clip the shoot right above the leaf nodes (the place where the leaves meet the stem). Each cutting should have at least three sets of nodes. Depending on the plant, the cuttings will be 3 to 5 inches long. Cut the bottom about a half-inch below the lowest set of nodes. Remove any lower leaves and flower buds. Insert the cutting in a moist rooting medium, such as coarse sand, vermiculite, or sterile potting mix (which typically contains both peat and Perlite). Insert at least one leaf node below the soil surface.
Optional, but the cutting can be dipped in a rooting hormone prior to planting. Plant the cutting and firm the mix around it; it’s important for there to be good contact between the mix and the cutting. Gently water in the cuttings at soil level. It’s best to keep the foliage as dry as possible to avoid disease. Place the cutting in bright, indirect light. Maintain an even moisture level. Covering the container with a plastic hood or clear bag will reduce overall moisture loss.
Rooting typically takes one to three weeks, depending on the plant. Once the roots are well developed, the plants can be transplanted to a larger container. I usually transfer plants to containers in late April and move them outdoors in May after the last predicted frost date. Just a little effort now will give you hardy new plants and will save you time and money next spring.
