Garden & Houseplant Summer Cuttings

It’s almost the end of summer but it’s still a good time to take garden cuttings to create new plants. While you can take cuttings right throughout the year, there are preferred times and ways to do this to make sure you end up with healthy, happy new plants. Right now, is a good time to take semi-ripe cuttings. This means the base is hard and the tip is soft of your cuttings. A small selection of examples of the plants that you could take such cuttings from at this time include: Evergreen shrubs, Boxwood (Buxus), Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Coleus ( Soenostemon), Cherry Laurel (Lauraceae), Bay (Laurus nobilis), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Viburnum (Viburnum), Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), Geranium (Pelagonium spp.), Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica), Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis); Gardenia (Gardenia spp.), Ivy (Hedera) , Mock Orange (Philadelphus) and Star Jasmin (Trachelospermum).

Cutting Preparation
When obtaining cuttings, most are taken from the stem just below a node. These joints in a ‘nodal cutting’ hold a lot of vascular tissue and so the formation of roots is far more likely. Other methods include ‘heal cutting’ which involves pulling away side shoots so that some of the bark from the main stem comes away with it, ‘wounding’ a cutting by scraping away a section of the bark to expose the inner tissue and ‘callusing’ which is also a form of wounding in which a callus is encouraged to form from a scraped stem.

Root Hormone
To help your baby cutting along, you can apply a root hormone. There are commercial preparations out there but I’m a fan of organic homemade so here are a couple of my recipes: Add one generous tablespoon of organic honey to 2 cups of boiling water and stir well. Once it drops to room temperature it is ready. Dip cutting end into the mixture and then plant in a seed and cutting soil raising mix. Another recipe I have not tried as yet involves boiling 1.5 litres of water and then once cooled adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Use the same way as the honey mixture. I have also tried dipping hardwood cuttings into Vegemite and had success as well. As strange as it sounds it’s probably the Vit B boost that creates the magic!

Cutting and Seed Raising Mediums
Many cuttings can be started in a clear jar of water that sits in filtered light and seeds can be put straight into ordinary garden soil or a potting mix but planting straight into a speciality cutting and seed raising medium gives most plants the best beginning and makes transplanting into your garden or larger pots easier down the track. Propagation mixes need to provide aeration, excellent drainage, and support. Although bagged commercial mixtures can be purchased, a good example of a homemade mix is: 2 parts coir peat, 2 parts compost and 1 part course river sand.

Australian Native Cuttings
For these beauties, you will find good results using a propagation sand but propagation soil mixed in with additional propagation sand will help. The aim is to have a well aerated medium. Take the cuttings as outlined above but be prepared to wait a little longer for growth to occur. You need to select plants that are in their growth period, not dormant for cuttings to be successful. There are so many that fit this category but three worth noting are any of the Dwarf Gums, Native Frangipani (Hymenopsporum flavum), Ivory Curl Tree (Buckinghamia celsissima). My advice? Go out into the garden and if it is happily enjoying new growth now, it is fit for cutting! An extra tip: if the stem bends to 60 degrees easily and springs back quickly, then it is ready to become your cutting. 

Houseplant Cuttings

Rachel Okell from Our Green Sanctuary, a local home garden and plant styling expert shares with us her method to successful houseplant cutting propagation. “The first thing that you want to do is to choose your healthiest plants to take cuttings from”, Rachel adds that we need to make sure these plants are not affected by pests or diseases. Secondly, ensure that tools are clean and sharp. She suggests using secateurs or garden snips. “They must be clean to avoid contamination of plants with disease or bacteria.” When planning to propagate, be aware that not all plants are suitable candidates to take cuttings from. Check individual species with an in-depth gardening book that includes propagation tips or ask your local nursery. I highly recommended the book ‘Making More Plants’ by Ken Druse for not only cutting advice but all forms of propagation information. Rachel then suggests that your cutting be no more than 10cm in length and that at least one node is present. This will be a slightly raised bump on the stem and it is where the roots will form. For the best result, no more than three leaves must remain on the cutting. “You want the cutting to direct as much energy as possible to forming roots, not sustaining leaves.” Pop the cutting into either water or damp perlite or sphagnum moss. If using water, only have one cutting in each vessel and change water weekly. You should see roots form in 2 to 4 weeks. Rachel shares that houseplant cuttings are best taken during active growing periods and these are found outside of the winter months. For more great houseplant tips and local advice from Rachel: ourgreensanctuary.com

GARDEN NEWS
Vertical Succulent Garden Workshop, Buff Point 1 – 2:30pm Sunday 12^th or 19^th February
Learn to make your own succulent vertical garden to hang on the wall or give to someone special. $89 includes the planter and all the succulents you will need to make your succulent picture. Jenny has exhibited her succulent vertical gardens at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens. She will guide you to create something beautiful. To Book: artofsucculents.com/book-online
Free Wicking Bed Workshop (online) 6:30pm Wednesday 22 February
Asa part of the National Sustainability Join Adam Grubb from Very Edible Gardens for an informative hour while learning how wicking beds work, if they are right for you, how to make them, and how to look after them for super veggie abundance. Book now: veryediblegardens.com.au/events/
Woy Woy Produce Swap 10 – 11am 26^th February, Woy Woy Peninsula Community Garden. 85 -87 Moana Street Woy Woy. It is a very casual affair and nobody keeps score. By bringing your produce you are saying that you are happy for other swappers to take what they need because it is excess to your needs. It is simply a way of sharing the food you have grown with the fellow growers in your neighbourhood and a great way to meet local gardeners.

GARDENING PLANNER
Late Summer temperate Australia - This week you could plant: culinary herbs, beans (dwarf), beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages,  carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cress, endive, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard, onions (spring), parsnips, peas, potatoes (tubers), radishes, rhubarb (crowns), salsify, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, turnips, alyssum, calendula, candytuft, Canterbury bells, cineraria, coneflower, delphinium, dianthus, everlasting daisy, forget-me-not, foxglove, godetia, gypsophila, hollyhock, honesty, larkspur, linaria,  lobelia, lupin, nasturtium, nigella, pansy, poppy  (Iceland), primula, statice, stock, verbena, vinca, viola, wallflower

Cheralyn writes the 'DOWN IN THE GARDEN' page for the Coast News Newspaper each week and this originally appeared in The Coast News as below: 
 

Cheralyn Darcey is a horticulture author and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 - 10am live every Saturday on CoastFM96.3, on air locally or streaming by asking ‘play Coastfm96.3’ 
Send your gardening questions, events, and news to: [email protected]

 

How to Create Your Own Home Nursery Business

Many of us have turned to our gardens in these times for peace but a few have also found prosperity out amongst the green leaves and petals as a booming botanical industry opens new opportunities.
Ninh of Umina Little Sunshine

If you venture online, you can find plants and plant related merchandise increasingly sold by home businesses. Go to any weekend market and you are bound to find someone selling plants and more and more are creating thriving online garden centres. The most successful of these home-based plant people are discovering what the marketplace of any field already knows, specialising is the key to attracting customers. This week we meet two Central Coast locals who have used their green thumbs and plant passion to create income streams, but first, let’s explore what you need to consider if you wish to create a successful home nursery at your place.

How to Begin
It starts with you. What do you currently have in time and resources? Begin with this and then build up. I’ve met many home gardening-related business people and all of the successful ones began with either nothing or a very small foundation that they built upon. They gave themselves the opportunity to pace and meet the market. Going in hard and big, spending up on infrastructure and resources before you even know if you are on the right track is usually a big gamble that unfortunately leads many to disaster. What you can see is popular now, most likely will not be by the time you have established yourself in the marketplace. By starting small and building your business, you can find your niche without losing vast sums of money and time in the process. 

What Will You Grow
Most successful ventures start with a defined passion, and I believe this is because you are much more likely to give your all to something you truly believe in and want to be around every day. Even Bill Gates was just a guy who saw an opportunity in his love for computers. Which plant or group of plants do you really have the most interest in? If you can’t answer that question, then start researching and with your feet. Go and look at other gardens, find out all you can about plants that take your eye. Look at the current market and while acknowledging what is currently trending, look for similar plants or ones that could be a part of the current story that you feel drawn to but have the potential for longevity. Most importantly, what do you have the resources for? Let’s explore that.
Space
How much space do you have available and more importantly how much sun/shade and growing capacity do you have? Will you be planting seeds and selling seedlings or creating cuttings or will you be growing larger plants? Do you need racks, shelves, a greenhouse, shade house or garden beds?
Soil
You might be growing your plants in beds, the ground or in pots but either way, there needs to be consideration about what soil you have and from where you will get more. If you are going to be selling seedlings or potted plants, storage of soil will also need to be factored into your plant plans. Buying anything in bulk is cheaper, including soil but you need to know where you will keep it.
Water
I volunteer at my local community garden and one of the other gardeners, Graeme, has a wonderful saying, “Most people don’t have problems with their plants, they have problems with their water” and he is right. Water is seldom factored into gardening plans, and it’s not just how much water you need but where is it coming from? Taps that are inaccessible to areas of the garden make it hard to be consistent with your watering so you may need to invest in additional plumbing or at least heavy-duty longer hoses. A water tank is one outlay that you should be undertaking early in your nursery at home business plan.
Additional considerations
The legalities are rather simple. As long you are not employing anyone, you can have a home nursery, but you must not be blocking access to other houses or the street when you sell. Signage will need to be discussed with the council as well. I would suggest business and public liability insurance as a must. Selling will involve you finding ways to collect money and give receipts to your customers, and both can be handled by using services like Apple Pay, PayPal etc. It is also relatively easy to obtain apps and card readers to accept payments. If you decide to accept cash, be mindful that you will need to have a float for change.

Ninh of Umina Little Sunshine

What began as a gardening hobby in her childhood has developed into an amazing business for Umina resident Ninh after she discovered her talent for breeding rare houseplants. A few years ago, she made the move from Sydney to the Central Coast as her home nursery outgrew her available space. Ninh started collecting rare houseplants as she loved their beauty and after two years, decided that by propagating cuttings from her plants she could sell them then have funds to purchase more rare plants for her collection. She finds the process of creating a new plant from cuttings incredibly interesting and is passionate about crossbreeding and the chance of coming up with a new plant. Ninh sells her plants and cuttings to her established rare plant fanbase via Ebay: https://www.ebay.com.au/usr/ninluon_0 and you can follow her on Instagram as well as see more of her stunning plants: www.instagram.com/aroids_de_skyla I’m sure many houseplant enthusiasts will be swooning over the breathtaking and incredibly beautiful rare plants that Ninh has procured and breeds.

The Kariong Succulents

Alét and Rowena of The Kariong Succulents
This is another story of a passion gone wild. Rowena loves plants. She loves succulents. She loves them too much. In fact, her adoration of these juicy little gems outgrew their garden and home and so her husband Alét created a home nursery to claim back his living areas. Open most weekends and with a thriving Facebook page: www.facebook.com/succulenthills The Kariong Succulents attracts buyers from all over the state at times. Alét is responsible for the physical infrastructure of their nursery. He has built and maintains shelving and gardening hardware while Rowena busies herself with propagation and general gardening. I’m amazed at how well this business has grown in such a relatively small space. Nurses by weekday, plant nursery people in their spare time, they have the most delightful and sometimes rare plants.

GARDENING BOOK REVIEW

RHS Gardening School, Everything You Need to Know to Garden Like a Professional
By: Simon Akeroyd and Ross Bayton
Octopus Publishing February 2022 ISBN: 9781784728106

I am a Royal Horticultural Society book addict. Though they are written in the Northern Hemisphere, the knowledge shared does translate well for the most part. This book is a revised and updated edition and one I recommend to new gardeners particularly. From developing a complete understanding of plants and basic botany through to everyday garden care and problem solving, this book also contains inspiration for garden design. Gorgeous photography along with helpful and plentiful illustrations and an explanation of techniques in an easy to comprehend manner. A must for all gardeners from new to advanced but I would particularly recommend RHS Gardening School to those who want a gardening core education in a handy book.

GARDENING GUIDE FOR TEMPERATE AREA GARDENERS MID SUMMER
You can plant the following now: Culinary herbs, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cress, cucumber, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, marrow, mustard, onions (spring), parsnip, potato tubers, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, silverbeet, swede, sweetcorn, turnips, zucchinis, ageratum, alyssum, boronia, begonia, calendula, cleome, cyclamen, forget-me-not, nasturtium, pansy, poppy (Iceland), stock, verbena, vinca, viola, wallflower

Next Week: Growing in a Hanging Basket

HAVE YOU GOT A GARDEN TO SHARE?
Down in the Garden is looking for Central Coast gardeners who would like to share their garden with us.
We are particularly looking for: Home Nursery Businesses, Hanging Basket Gardens, Water Feature Gardens, School/Children Gardeners, Commercial Kitchen Gardens, Medicinal Plant Gardeners but all gardens and gardeners are welcome to have a chat with Cheralyn: 0408105864 

Cheralyn Darcey is a gardening author, community garden coordinator and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 - 10am live every Saturday on CoastFM963. She is also co-host of @MostlyAboutPlants a weekly botanical history & gardening podcast with Victoria White.

Send your gardening questions, events, and news to: [email protected]


Article first published in Central Coast Newspapers - The Coast News and The Chronicle 

The Silver Ball Cactus (Notocactus scopa) for you to colour and create with

The Silver Ball Cactus (Notocactus scopa) helps those with deep seated regrets move past them.
This plant offers hope when it seems impossible and given to another says, "I'll still be with you no matter what".

click on image to obtain a full sized print. 

#plantadayprint for you to get creative with. I've now left my signature off these to expand your creating potentials. They are still protected under copyright but you are free to download, share and create with others and give as gifts. They are not for commercial use.

This print is one of my hand carved block prints. 

bunches of love,

Cheralyn 🌻

Learn Green Witch Gardening Online with Cheralyn Darcey

Learn Green Witch Gardening and how to Create a Home Apothecary​ Online 
lifetime access online with ethnobotanical gardener, author and artist Cheralyn Darcey

EXPLORE & BOOK HERE🌿

begins 1st March 2020
​(start anytime thereafter and complete at your own pace) very special early bird enrolment $66US booking now
with Instagram code: PLANTMAGICK
(code expires end of first week of Feb) 

No experience is needed. 
Content is suitable for enjoyment and knowledge no matter current garden setup. 
Suitable for indoor or outdoor plants. 
Work at your own pace with information that is relevant anywhere and any climate in the

Garden Design with Magick
​You will learn how to plan and design a beautiful garden space (indoors or out) while learning magical correspondences that will empower, protect and boost the energies you will be working with.

​Plant, Grow, Nurture
Lessons to help you start, renovate and get your garden growing with plants you can use for healing, magick and culinary purposes, all grown naturally by you. 

Create A Home Apothecary
Learn how to best gather and preserve your harvest and where to obtain additional items to create your personal at home Magickal Apothecary.

My next book?? 'One to watch out for this USA Spring' *faint*

Now THIS is exciting!
Having your new Gardening book mentioned by Publishers Weekly USA as one to look out for and featured in their headline image!!

 

🌸 Flower of the Day ~ Chrysanthemum

For longevity, optimism, joy, longevity and cheerfulness
the glorious Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.) 
They are the national flower of Japan, the birth flower of the zodiac sign Scorpio, the flower of the month of October in Japan and China and in Western culture, November.
Chrysanthemum are the 13th Wedding Anniversary flower and their powers are strongest non Saturdays and Sundays and during the full moon.

The shorter days of Autumn will signal to the Chrysanthemum that it is time to flower and these beautiful long-lasting blossoms with brighten dull days and lift spirits anywhere.
Where grown in a pot of garden, They need a sunny spot with at least 5 to 6 house of direct sunlight a day.
Remove flowers as they are spent and at the end of winter, cut back all dead flowers and leaves and feed well with a liquid fertiliser.

Colours will add additional layers of energies ~
Bronze: friendship
Red: love, passion, invitation, proposition
White: truth, trust, promise, sweetness, innocence
Yellow: refusal,boundary protection

bunches of blessings,
Cheralyn xx 🌻
PS: This Chrysanthemum was part of a gorgeous bunch my daughter Maddison gave me on my birthday last week

 

🌕🌿 🌸 Magickal Moon Gardening ~ Saturday 6th July to Friday 12th July

Australian Magickal Moon Gardening this Week
Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July
The Waxing Moon is in Virgo will mean that fruit and root crops should be doing very well. Do not preserve fruits during this time, but you will find that transplanting, repotting, along with sowing and planting out garden beds will result in stronger and healthier plants.

Monday 8th July
The Moon gardening information continues on the same for today from Saturday and Sunday, but you should see that flowering plants are at their best today.

Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th July
The moon moves in Libra and this means you should refrain from watering. Planting and sowing flowering herbs and plants iOS best done on these days. Still good period until Thursday for the development of flowers. 

Thursday 11th  and Friday 12th July
Green leafy plants, especially vegetables will be doing well from today into next week. With the still Waxing Moon making its way into Scorpio, now will be the best time to mow lawns as well as trim plants that require it. Watering of all plants, including those indoor, that need it is favourable on these days.

 

USA Magickal Moon Gardening this Week
Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July
The Waxing Moon is in Virgo and root crops should be doing very well. Do not harvest or preserve fruits during this time, but you will find that transplanting, repotting, along with sowing and planting out garden beds will result in stronger and healthier plants. Flowers will be developing well on Sunday. 

Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th July
Over these days refrain from watering unless sowing and planting. Flowers do very well being sown and planted at this time as the Moon moves through Libra. Most other plants and seeds will also benefit by being planted now if it is appropriate for their type.

Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th July
On Wednesday you should find that flowers are at their best and both days, leafy plants are enjoying very favourable conditions for growth. The Waning Moon is In Scorpio and this will mean that watering can be done freely and it's a very good time to sow, transplant and plant leafy plants, especially vegetables. 

Friday 12th July
Green leafy plants, especially vegetables will be doing well from today into next week. With the still Waxing Moon still in  Scorpio, now will be  also be the best time to mow lawns as well as trim plants that require it. Watering of all plants, including those indoor, that need it is favourable on these days.


UK Magickal Moon Gardening this Week
Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July
The Waxing Moon is in Virgo and root crops should be doing very well. Do not harvest or preserve fruits during this time, but you will find that transplanting, repotting, along with sowing and planting out garden beds will result in stronger and healthier plants. Flowers will be developing well on Sunday. 

Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th July
Over these days refrain from watering unless sowing and planting. Flowers do very well being sown and planted at this time as the Moon moves through Libra. Most other plants and seeds will also benefit by being planted now if it is appropriate for their type.

Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th and Friday 12th July
On Wednesday you should find that flowers are at their best and both days, leafy plants are enjoying very favourable conditions for growth. The Waning Moon is In Scorpio and this will mean that watering can be done freely, including indoor plants and it's a very good time to sow, transplant and plant leafy plants, especially vegetables as well as mowing lawns. 

The interpretations of the Luna Calendar and Gardening are written by Cheralyn Darcey. 
Sharing is permitted in original form. 

How Do you Find the Best Plants and Flowers for Your Office?

Plants and flowers should always be included in workspace environments as they bring what is our natural human daylight living state, the outdoors, to us. Although many of our homes may do so, the vast majority of office spaces, if they feature windows at all, usually have views of other offices.

When we are in the presence of plants and flowers, we are calmed, settled and more focused while inside during the day. Flowers bring an emotional change for the better in us. They are the reproductive parts of the plant and so their job is to be attractive to pollinators and they do this by usually being beautiful, colourful and fragrant, all elements that coincidentally make us humans feel wonderful too! Plants are known to improve the air quality, and this can be of great benefit to human health. They do this by absorbing many different types of toxins, volatile gases and even germs through their leaves and roots.

a few of my well-loved friends that share my office space

WHICH PLANTS AND FLOWERS? 
To select the best plants and cut flowers for the office, always start with the most suitable plants and flowers for use indoors and particularly in office environments. Have a chat with your local garden centre and florist but to start here are some good allrounders:
Plants
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Devils Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
Violet (Viola spp.)
Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
Orchid (Orchidaceae spp.)
Pansy (Viola tricolor var. hortensis)
my current Arrowhead crop ready for potting up

Cut Flowers
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) 
Protea (Protea spp.)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Lobester or Crab Claws (Heliconia spp.)
Orchid (Orchidaceae spp.)
Most Australian Natives
Australia Native Greenery
(an Australian Native)
card: The Language of Flowers, Cheralyn Darcey, Rockpool Publishing

PLANT AND FLOWER CARE
Always keep your office plants and cut flowers away from air-conditioning outlets and drafts. Very few plants will survive the drying effects of constant artificial wind. Never place either right next to windows that face full sun for any part of the day as this can lead to burning of the leaves. Ensure that plants and cut flowers are situated away from electrical outlets and you have assessed the possible angles they may fall if bumped. You don’t want water or plant material on or near electrical and computer equipment or your work items. In saying all this, most plants suitable for indoors will enjoy filtered light and you will want them where you can see them of course. The same goes for cut flowers.
Though not always necessary,
I've taken my Cast Iron Plant outside to enjoy a little fresh air this week. 

To offer the best care to your office plants, keep any information that came with them and refer to it and also look up care tips for individual types. Not all plants need the same amount of light, water, grooming and repotting. Generally, soil needs to be slightly damp and saucers should not usually not be full. Make sure you repot as the plant grows out of its home. Cut flowers do better when all foliage is kept out of the water and the water is changed every second day. Trim away flowers and foliage as they die.

Most cut flowers love a good feed and a home made one:
4 cups of water, 1 teaspoon bleach, 1 teaspoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sugar.

The Language of Plants and Flowers for the Office
Why not include plants and flowers that hold traditional meansing to impart even more joy, energy and good vibes to your office space. The following are traditional meanings of a few office-friendly plants and cut flowers.

PLANTS FOR THE OFFICE
Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)  youth, beginnings, inspiration
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) longevity, pride, self-respect
Devils Ivy (Epipremnum aureum) prosperity, protection, boundaries
Pansy (Viola tricolor var. hortensis) remembrance, immunity, loving thoughts
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) calm, communication, peace
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) happiness, cleansing, truth
Begonia (Begonia spp.)transition, creativity, removal of negativity
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) education, development, transformation
Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginate) legacy, tenacity, endurance
Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) wisdom, progression, attainment
Violet (Viola spp.) faithfulness, modesty, subconscious
a new collection of plants I've found this week,
some destined for an office home

CUT FLOWERS FOR THE OFFICE
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) self-acceptance, inner beauty, excellence,
King Protea (Protea cynaroides)  creativity, courage, illumination
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) get well, strength, happiness
Orchid (Orchidaceae) uniqueness, refinement, grace
Heliconia (Heliconia spp.) pride, ideas, attention
Waratah(Telopea speciosissima) survival, courage, passion
Flannel Flower(Actinotus helianthi) calm, healing, trust
Grevillea (Grevillea spp.) creativity, solutions, work
Banksia (Banksia spp.) life, enthusiasm, interest

an office floristry design I helped create recently 

bunches of love, 
🌿 Cheralyn 🌻

PS: you can find lots of flower and plant meanings in 'Flowerpaedia' Cheralyn Darcey, Rockpool Publishing