AC THE PROPAGATOR

INTRODUCTION

THE COMPLETE BOOK OF PROPAGATION 

BY

Graham Clarke and Alan Toogood 

I have mentioned this book before, is the best I have seen on the subject.

The Greeks

Some 2000 years ago the Greek philosopher Theophrastus, who is best remembered for his botanical works and the book Enquiry into plants, wrote of the widely cultivated plants of the day.  Olive trees and date palms were grown

from seeds, and so were rather more familiar garden vegetables such as beet, cabbage, celery, cress, cucumber,

leeks, lettuce, onion, radish and turnip.  Parsley, thyme and hollyhocks also feature heavily in his ancient writings.

Cuttings from plants were also described by Theophrastus. The earliest types of cutting were, in fact, rooted suckers which had been uncermoniously pulled off

the parent plant and set in the ground.  Today we call these pieces of shoot with roots attached: "Irishman's cuttings".  However it had been observed that some plants could be propagated successfully by taking cuttings without roots already attached, and these included almond, apple, basil, bay, fig, marjoram, pear and pomegranate. 

In June 2011 AC The Propagator presented two examples of leaf and cut stem propagation in his blog in the third person.  The roots developed for a couple of weeks in water. It is slow but it cost nothing.  Turnera subulata and Pseuderantemun reticulatum are two of many I have propagated through the years. But the leaf one is the first, after watching a good friend, who learned it from her mother. Featured on 5/21/11,

A Historical Urban Garden Inventory in Caguas.

Every gardener in the trade has his/her own tricks and preferences.  Root hormones is another possibility, but they cost money, and takes some time also.  I only use this with difficult to propagate Bouganvilleas or Allamandas to name two. I mean survival rates. How many of every 3 make it?

There are more or less eleven ways to propagate. Fundamentally I use three. Division, seeds, cuts stems with/without roots. If the subject interest you...You know the drill. Research.

that is that

 

SLUG ATTACKS ONE CARICA PAPAYA WOUNDED TO DEATH

I REITERATE, there are too many blogs with pretty flowers.  So far, in the concrete/asphalt where I reside,  only ENID, has the virtue of writing about beauty and ugliness regularly in her garden.

My crop of papayas last year was rather good, with 17, versus 2, of which one has felll prey to slugs and other flying insects. The other one may survive with a ziploc aid.

These mollusks are hermaphoroditic, which makes us ponder about the rejection of homosexuality in every church/society, considering that nature has its own perversities If I may.

Slugs are pretty simlar to snails in structure and biology except for the external spiral shell.


No, I appreciate it but no. Do not tell me how to exterminate them unless is a secret that only you know and would get rid of them at once.


I have been thinking that killing may really affect me karma in the next life. 

That is that.

GLORIOSA ROTHSCHILDIANA

THIS out of the common place climbers, uses the tip of the leaves to grab whatever is available. It is not something one will find in most gardens. I believe they were fashionable in some areas of the San Juan metro area decades ago.. I have never seen it here or anywhere else, except reference books.

Old ladies stop to inquire about it. They grow profusely in every cardinal point in me garden, except in the east, all concrete and fiberglass pots.The upside down flowers remind me of  some Brugmansias.

I am not fond of using flower photos. There are too many  blogs in that bag, not that there is anything wrong with that. However, I have never seen these in any other garden or photos in five years. That is good reason to share them. 

On the other hand, to start life as yellow, passing away as red, will bring you gardening memories such as Brunfelsia pauciflora.. 

that is that

ANTIGONUM CAJAN FORBIDDEN TREES IN THE URBAN CONTEXT

THERE IS nothing more  irritating than strolling around residences or streets with sidewalks planted with the wrong trees, particularly in Ponce de Leon avenue, one of the best known in the San Juan metro area. Anything I write below regarding this subject applies to Puerto Rico as a whole.

Ashford Ave in El Condado is another example of ugly old trees as wide as the 3 or4 feet wide sidewalk, something totally absurd, not to get into the branches obstructing the electrical wires..or the pedestrian passing by. .Or the root system, usually a four square feet in the best case, blowing up muffing like, spreading and lifting the concrete pavement creating a hazardous condition.

The national brain deficit is more evident in this issue than any other regarding systematic maintenance, except for street/roads and highways. It is not surprising considering that no inventory (except the ones I have published) is available for any one interested in the subject.

I could go on forever, but that will suffice These trees are a pain in the arse for breaking the pavement, wide and low canopies, grow too tall for lack of light, drop too much organic waste such as leaves, seeds, flowers creating a problem of litter and slippery conditions, often staining any pavement., You will have to take my word or do your own research.

By the way, the idiots in 007 Recursos Naturales, Fideicomiso and Parques Nacionales do not have the staff with criterion to write anything like this. But they are very kind giving away hundred of thousands of trees every year at a blink to the lay man/woman...Nevertheless they  have never been able to substitute the kidnapped, killed and disappeared  one hundred trees in Ponce de Leon Avenue. Without any further redue, the list.

FORBIDDEN TREES.  \

 

Tabebuia

Thevetia peruviana

Bursera simaruba

Any Ficus

Eucalyptus

Lagerstroemia speciosa

Mahogany

Delonix regia

Terminalia catappa

Pithelobium dulce

Bucida busaris 

Suggestions

Murraya paniculata

Plumeria

Guaiacum officinale

Bauhinia

Tecoma stans 

ANY PALM 

is also forbidden for

similar litter reasons.

that is that

Remember, only you can

prevent forest

fires. 

apagad e iros 

\

SANSEVERIA CYLINDRICA ARRIVES

YESTERDAY, as I was returning from the market, a friendly woman approaches me to inquire about some elongated, spiny like plant in me garden. I inquired as to its location.  Is it in a corner? Yes, said the inquirer.

Asparagus, says I. Making a typical face of the unbeliever since that name is associated with the edible ones, being family and all.  


Her curiosity was triggered by Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers', perhaps the most attractive among these ornamentals. This variety is unusual in the San Juan metro area. Ours were bought in Guanica City, around eighty miles from here.


The best part of the story is that since we were chatting in front of their house, I had noticed months ago another rare  plant, Sanseveria cylindrica they got in recycled paint cans in the sidewalk.


I suggested the swap, and today she appeared with her grand daughter, giving me a holler. And the adventure was consumated. She took hers and I planted mine.


Before I go, let me share that while on the botanical name research in one of my reference books  TWO DK plants in my collection were accidentally found: Malpighia coccigera and Neomarica caerulea.

The first was a request from yours truly to Myrta, domestic help of pain in the ass Lucy Laborde. The second a present from Rengui my inlaw.

In brief the collection keeps growing even if no new plants arrive, while discovering their botanical names.

that is that

until next

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Nature present plants in many shapes, ways 

and forms...however cylindrical leaves of this size are 

not very common.