Monday, September 04, 2006

Tree House Update: The trees that make this house The Tree House, the rubber tree and the three melaleuca, the oak, the plum, apricot and apple tree are all being removed, chopped down, turned to mulch. This will not be the same place we came to. We are very sad. Small hope: Do you want a fruit tree? Do you know if rubber trees can grow from cuttings? Max is losing his favorite tree, but it would be so nice to say we are saving it a bit.

... ahh... here it is...


Plants with a solid stem (Rubber Tree Plant)

- choose a point along the stem between two buds; a few inches below an existing leaf.
- make a horizontal cut around the stem in the spot where you want the new roots to form.
- cut completely through the bark.
- make another cut an inch above or below the first cut.
- then make a vertical cut between the two cuts.
- peel the bark off between the two original cuts.
- apply rooting compound to the upper cut surface.
- continue with instructions for air-layering plants without a solid stem.

Plants without a solid stem (Dieffenbachias & Philodendrons).

- choose a point along the stem between two buds.
- remove leaves from the stem about 3" above and below the point to be rooted.
- make an upward slanting cut, about a 1/3 through the stem.
- don't cut too deeply or the main stem may break off.
- dip or roll a moist wooden toothpick in a rooting hormone.
- insert the toothpick into the cut on the stem to prevent the cut from closing and heeling.
- obtain a 12 X 15" piece of plastic and two handfuls of moist spagnum moss.
- wrap the cut on the stem with moist spagnum moss to form a ball about the size of a grapefruit around the stem.
- wrap with plastic and seal edges with twistems.
- check the moss every two weeks during the 8-10 week rooting period to ensure that it is still moist.
- after a good sized set of root have developed, remove the plastic. Be careful not to damage roots.
- carefully cut the newly rooted plant from the mother plant.
- pot plant in a fairly small pot using porous well drained soil.
- plant will be fairly top heavy and should be supported.
- water plant in well.

3 comments:

Tarie said...

Oh no, that IS very sad. =( Why are the trees getting cut down?

Natalie said...

The owners are going to build their dream home and the landscaping doesn't match their "Tuscan" vision ;-(

Tarie said...

Bleh. =(