Watch "How Plants are Bred to Become Proven Winners Plants" with Shirley Bovshow and Chris Berg.

Plant trials are a combination beauty pageant/Olympic games where only the most beautiful and most vigorous plants make the cut for development.

 

 

 

Coleus growing in flats in the greenhouse are strengthening their roots system so that they can be shipped out.

 

 

 

Common plants such as alyssum, cleome, lantana, petunias as well as lesser known but notable plants are scrutinized for improved performance and beauty.

 

The results are "designer" versions of popular plants that come with a stamp of approval by the plant breeder.

 

Once selected as a "Proven Winner" plant, the plants are given memorable names such as 'Snow Princess,' (alyssum), 'Señorita Rosalita,' (a thornless cleome) and 'Supertunia Vista Bubblegum,' among the select.

 

 

Container with mixed Proven Winners plants

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the improved traits include, longer bloom times, improved disease resistance, lower watering needs, less maintenance and of course, designer colors and patterns!

Please subscribe to EdenMakers Blog , Garden Center TV (and to my Garden World Report Show for updates on new blog posts and videos!

Propagating geraniums by taking cuttings is an easy way to multiply your plants and an ideal plant to clone.

Once you master the basics of propagating geraniums, no geranium plant will be safe from your garden pruner!

Ivy-leaved Geraniums were the first plants  I learned how to propagate and I remember asking, "Why isn't everyone doing this?"

You probably have a geranium in your garden right now that you can practice your cloning chops with.

If not, take a walk around the block and when you spot one you like, ask your neighbor for permission and take a cutting!

Why Propagate Your Own Plants?

The garden centers are full of affordable, eye catching plants these days.

Why multiply your own plants?

If you have a favorite or nostalgic plant that isn't produced anymore and isn't patented- cuttings are an ideal way to make more plants!

Best of all, it's free.

Watch the Video: "How to Turn One Geranium into Many Geraniums: Gardens of the Rich and Famous"

For those of you who like to watch my  "how-to" videos, here's one that's short, informative, and entertaining.

I promise you'll remember every step!

My husband did, and he's not a gardener.

Not even close!

Watch the new "Gardens of the Rich and Famous" web series on Digs Channel- Youtube!

I'm their gardening expert.

Materials For Geranium Propagation

• Sanitized hand pruner or scissors
• Small pots
• Sterile, lightweight potting soil
• Spray bottle for watering your cuttings
• Rooting hormone to stimulate root growth
• Plastic zip loc or storage bags to use as "mini-greenhouse"
• A healthy "mother plant" to take cuttings from

Steps For Propagating Geraniums

1. Select a healthy geranium plant that will act as the "mother plants" from which all new plants will come from.

It's all about the genes, so go ahead and discriminate!

Look for sturdy stems, green leaves, robust flowers and avoid plants that are diseased or infested with pests.

It's best to identify your mother plant while it's in flower so that you know what to expect from it- your plant will be a clone!

2. Take cuttings.

You will need to cut a stem that is between four to six inches long.

Take your cuttings early in the day, morning is ideal because of mild temperatures.

Cutting a plant during the hottest part of the day can magnify stress in a  plant.

Remember, you are extracting a living entity from it's life source and creating a new home for it!

Make it comfortable transition!

Short geranium stem

Cut your geranium stem at a 45-degree angle, directly below a node.

Illustration of node on a plant stem

A node is a swelling along the stem where leaves emerge from.

The new roots of your geranium plant will grow beneath the node, so make sure to make a clean cut.

3. Remove the lower leaves from the stem and any flowers or buds along the top.

Lower leaves are vulnerable to rotting since they may come in contact with the soil.

Flowers and buds should be removed in order for  your new plant to concentrate on growing roots and not to maintain flowers!

Three or four leaves should be retained along the top of the stem for photosynthesis and to support the growing cycle.

Rooting hormone for stem cuttings

4. Dip the bottom of your stem into rooting hormone.

Some gardeners argue that rooting hormone is not necessary for success in cloning geraniums, but I find that it gives new plants a "fighting chance."

Dip the bottom 1/4 inch of the stem into rooting hormone and dust off the excess powder.

Too much rooting hormone can damage a young plant.

Less is more.

Geranium cuttings in pots

5. Insert your cuttings into a small pot that is filled with pre-moistened lightweight, sterile potting soil.

Bury the part of the stem that has rooting hormone on it.

It's vital that the soil be moist for the cuttings to prevent wilting.

Misting bottle for cuttings

6. Mist your cuttings!!

During the first few weeks of the growing period, mist your plants daily so that they don't dry out.

Avoid using a watering can- the force of the water stream can dislodge plants.

Protect your cuttings from evaporation!

It's the cause of death for many new plants.

Zip loc bag as a mini greenhouse!

7. Cover your cutting pots with a plastic bag.

Oh, the joy of repurposing materials for the garden!

Zip loc bags are a great substitute for mini-greenhouses and for maintaining warm temperatures and moist environments for your new plants.

New plants can't take up water like mature plants do, because they lack roots.

It's the job of the propagator to provide a protective environment within the mini- greenhouse walls.

Take care that the bag doesn't "collapse" on the plants, prop it up with stakes if necessary.

No direct sun!

8. Place your cuttings in a bright, sunny spot, but avoid direct sunlight!

Temperature plays an important role in plant growth and root formation.

Ideal soil temperatures for rooting plants is between 70 to 75 degrees.

Difussed sunlight is best as the sun's rays are intensified under the plastic and may scorch the plant.

Find a draft-free area and avoid wind tunnels or you're sure to send your plants flying!

9. Check your cuttings every day for the next few weeks!

You will be looking for moist soil and for any pests that may have invaded the mini greenhouse.

It shouldn't take more than a minute to mist your plants and move them to a new location if necessary.

Wait Actively For Your New Plants!

Indulge yourself in the wonder of life as you witness tiny nodes swell, new leaves emerge and threadlike roots start to form on your new plant!

You'll be transformed into a proud plant parent!

Propagating plants is a rewarding hobby.

Within four to six weeks, you will have a new plant that is capable of living outside of it's "incubator!"

This is the amount of time needed for the plant to grow roots and sustain itself.

You'll know that your plant has formed roots when you gently tug at it and you feel resisitance!

Transplant your baby plant into a larger pot or add it  to a mixed container with other plants!

Shirley, gardening expert on the new, "Gardens of the Rich and Famous" show on Digs Channel, Youtube

 Congratulations!

You're on your way to becoming a plant propagator!

If you're ready for more  plant propagating adventure, read my other blog posts and watch my gardening videos:

Succulents

Red Fountain grass

Don't be shy!

Leave me your comments and questions below and please share this blog post  and video on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Visit EdenMakers blog often for all things garden design, makeovers and gardening basics.

EdenMaker DIY:

Next time you trim your plants, don't add the "waste material" to your compost like you are encouraged to do.

That's right, I'm offering you advice that goes against the grain.

Why compost "certain" plants when you can use the cuttings (trimmings) to create new plants, or even a gorgeous container garden!

That's what I did!

I had two planters that needed some pruning but I was in a creative mood. I was itching to produce a work of garden art from my refuse material! 

1. Trailing sedum                                                              

  2. Bulbine 

The first planter (1) had overgrown trailing sedum that needed to be trimmed. The second planter (2) was home to a bulbine plant that was bursting at the seams and needed to be divided and repotted.

Perfect "donor" plants for a new container garden, I thought.

Echevaria

After gathering my cuttings, I noticed some fledgling echevaria plants  peeking out of another planter, "crying out" to be saved from under the weight of it's decaying mother plant.

How could I resist? 

  Echevarias, bulbine and other cuttings ready for planting     

I Need a Container!

So you think I was going to go out and buy a container for my cuttings? How silly! Of course not.

I was in the mood for "FREE" and I was confident I could find something to repurpose as a planter around the storage shed. 

But first, my future planter had to meet some requirements:

1. Made of non-decaying material and stand up to water.
2. Made of material that I could drill a drain hole into without cracking.
3. Be of more value as a planter than as something that I never use!!
   

Repurpose a Copper Container!

I discovered a neglected copper beverage container that was destined for another purpose.

I reasoned that if it was designed to hold ice, it could  function  as a planter.

A little soil and water won't hurt it. 

Copper beverage cooler = great planter!    

I drilled a few drainage holes at the bottom of my new planter to ensure good drainage. Succulents are not fond of excess water.

Ups A Daisy planter insert 

Before adding soil, I placed an  Ups A Daisy planter insert into the container, about half way down.

The Ups A Daisy insert functions as a barrier between the plant and the bottom of the planter.  Since the plant is suspended away from the bottom of the pot where water drains, roots are never sitting in water.

Another benefit of using a planter insert such as the Ups A Daisy is that less soil is required to fill your container.

Lighter containers!

I filled my planter with "cactus mix"

You can purchase a special "cactus mix" at the garden center for planting succulents or you can make your own.

Here is a recipe by Jeff Moore as seen on the Fine Gardening website for you avid DIY'ers

I arranged the succulents along the perimeter and created a backdrop of bulbine behind them. I draped the pantyhose in the open area between the plants and tucked them in.

Pantyhose for the garden

Panty hose  are binding, suffocating and too hot to wear in Los Angeles. But like many things, they can be used in the garden.

Panty hose make a great soil barrier and keep some of my finishing touches such as colored glass or designer gravel from sinking into the soil!

 I topped the panty hose with tumbled, colored glass.

Colored glass is a sparkling accent that provides year-round color to the succulent container garden. The glass also highlights  the subtle colors of the succulent petals. 

This stylish succulent container garden only looks like a million bucks! Plants were free and the container was lost treasure!

What can you make from what you have  sitting around your yard?

Want to learn how to propagate other succulents? Watch my video: "Multiply This Plant"

It's fun and easy.

Learn how to multiply your plants: red fountain grass!

Now that the weather is cooling down in my zone 10 garden in Los Angeles, I'm doing yearly maintenance on some of my ornamental grasses.

Red fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum enjoyed a great run this summer.

As a "warm season" grass, Pennisetum setaceum is in active growth mode throughout the summer and its feathery plumes stir up a lot of attention from passersby.

I usually let my grasses grow and leave them alone to set their own height restrictions but lately, I've noticed some of them need help with "girth control."

Their getting fat around the middle!

Good news for me because that means that the plants can afford a little "horticultural lipo" when I extract some "divisions" and create more plants!

Want to see me in action, propagating red fountain grass?

I promise this video is very short and informative and may encourage you to get dirty!

Look for all of my "Multiply Your Plants" videos shown weekly on my garden TV talk show, "Garden World Report."

Last week, I multiplied a Kalanchoe plant by cuttings.

The succulent, Kalanchoe luciae "Flapjack" is one of the most dramatic looking  plants I have in my garden.

Jade green leaves with dark red wine margins.

Mmm, just gorgeous.

It's expensive too!

A 5"-inch pot may set you back $8 to $10 dollars or more, depending on where you live.

Fortunately, Kalanchoe's are a part of "natures stimulus" plan and are easily multiplied into many plants through "offset propagation.

A "monocarpic" plant, once the Kalanchoe flowers, it starts to die, new "baby plants" can already be seen at the base.

As a tradeoff for being monocarpic, the Kalanchoe is truly sympathetic and endows the gardener with "baby plants" and "offsets" to take it's place once it dies.

I know lot's of people who just throw the Kalanchoe away when it finishes flowering.

Don't do that!

Do you realize there are dozens of new plants waiting to be given a chance to live (and save you some money) through propagation?

It's so easy to multiply this plant, its almost feels like I'm "getting away with murder!"

How I multiplied my Kalanchoe luciae, "Flapjack"

Enjoy the video on how to propagate Kalanchoe plants.

First, I cut the flower stalk from the base of the new baby plant.

I see lots of small Kalanchoe leaf clusters growing along the length of the flower stalk.

The leaf clusters are the "offsets" I will use to make more plants from!

I use a clean, sterile knife to cut the leaf clusters from the stalk.

I cut close to the base, snipping off a tiny part of the flower stalk.

Next, comes the difficult part.

I have to wait about 3 days for the ends to dry and callous before planting them!

I feel like I'm "sitting Shiva!" "Oy, veys mir!"

Succulents like Kalanchoe should be planted in a well draining container, at least 5"inches deep.

A sandy rooting mix is best- you can buy it or use 3 parts sand to 1 part loam.

Moisten the soil, but don't saturate it with water.

Keep your plants in a warm area, shaded from the sun.

Water consistently, but moderately and you should have new plants in about 8 to 10 weeks!

You can check to see if your plants are ready for transplanting by giving them a light tug.

If you feel a slight resistance, roots have  formed.

Congratulations..you have a new plant!

Multiply a Geranium Plant

Now that you've mastered multiplying Kalanchoe plants, try your hand at propagating geraniums…it's even easier!

Watch the video, "How to Turn One Geranium into Many Geraniums! Gardens Of The Rich and Famous"

I appear as the gardening expert on the new show, "Gardens of the Rich and Famous" on the Digs Channel on Youtube and dispense "gardening 101"  information.

Please subscribe to the show and share the videos with your friends.

Subscribe to Eden Makers Blog to receive updates for new, fun and exciting posts about gardening and losing your "blogger's butt!"

I wasn’t planning to garden today.  Then I saw how nice my clients were maintaining their yard and felt like a hypocrite! I’ve  been  procrastinating doing my annual, winter ornamental grass maintenance because I’ve been distracted by my vegetable garden. Distraction is the plight of the hungry “evergreen” gardener in Los Angeles. Blame the cauliflower!

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