Propagators - be more adventurous in your Greenhouse

17th May 2011 - 13:15:50

Most people use greenhouses primarily for the purpose of propagating plants, but often they use them just to grow common garden-variety plants such as tomatoes or peppers. A quality greenhouse such as the ones made by Gabriel Ash is the ideal place to experiment with new types of plants and alternative methods of propagation.

The traditional way of starting plants is by using seeds. Why not experiment by going online and ordering unusual seeds that you cannot buy in an ordinary gardening store? If you peruse popular seed catalogs you are likely to see a host of exotic fruits and vegetables that you could potentially grow in your greenhouse, such as kiwi fruit or passion fruit. Catalogs and websites also have numerous exotic cacti and tropical plants that you can try your hand at growing.

Seeds are not the only way to propagate plants, however; taking cuttings and inducing them to root can also reproduce many types of plants. Many types of vines root easily this way; you simply have to place them in water or damp soil, while others require a little coaxing. The best way to ensure rooting of virtually every cutting is by using root hormone and a soil-less growing medium. The type of root hormone that you use depends on the type of plant that you are trying to propagate. Root hormone is available in 3 strengths: 1, 2, and 3. Number 1 is for softwood cuttings, which are plants that are tender and green.

Number 2 is for semi-hardwood cuttings, which are generally of a woodier texture but still green and pliable. Number 3 is for hardwood cuttings, such as roses, shrubs and trees. For best results, take generous-sized cuttings using sharp pruning shears, trimming the bottom leaves and immediately placing the cuttings in water. One at a time, dip each cutting in root hormone, coating the end generously and then place them into a peat pot, rockwool cube or pot of a soil less mix such as sand and perlite.

For best results, keep the humidity in your greenhouse high while cuttings are rooting, and mist them regularly to keep the leaves from drying out. If you own a greenhouse from Gabriel Ash, maintaining high humidity is easy because you can manually close the ridge ventilation to help keep moisture in and create the ideal propagation environment for your delicate cuttings.

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