Propagation – Suffolk Plant Heritage https://www.suffolkplantheritage.com Web Site of the Suffolk Group of Plant Heritage Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:42:57 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://www.suffolkplantheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cropped-Plant-Heritage-Logo-Flower-with-hands-SOCIAL-MEDIA-RGB-1-32x32.png Propagation – Suffolk Plant Heritage https://www.suffolkplantheritage.com 32 32 118782755 March Propagation Workshop https://www.suffolkplantheritage.com/march-propagation-workshop Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:42:57 +0000 http://suffolkplants.org.uk/?p=876 … Continue reading →]]> The March propagation workshop was very well attended, with some new faces and many of the long-time helpers. It was chilly in the church hall, but the heaters and some coffee soon got us all going and down to the jobs in hand.

Maggie Thorpe gave a demonstration of taking cuttings. We had some penstemons which had been kept in the greenhouse over winter, and there was enough material on them to start some new plants.

Other members of the group were busy with seeds. There were seedlings to prick out, and new seeds to sow. Some seeds had been sown to thickly and this generated a lively debate round how to sow seeds thinly enough to get healthy plants to prick out.

At this time of year there are always plenty of pots that need a good top-dressing and plants coming into growth needing potting on into larger pots.

Our propagation sessions have now reached capacity, and anyone new who wants to joins us will need to go on a waiting list.

]]> 876 2018 Propagation Dates https://www.suffolkplantheritage.com/2018-propagation-dates Sat, 17 Mar 2018 12:02:35 +0000 http://suffolkplants.org.uk/?p=864 The propagating sessions are run by Anne Tweddle and Maggie Thorpe. They are open to all members, but we ask that you book a place. The dates for 2018 are:

March 22nd Thursday

April 17th Tuesday

May 16th Wednesday

June 21st Thursday

July 18th Wednesday

August 22th Wednesday

September 20th Thursday

November 21st Wednesday

]]> 864 Propagating Ferns from Spores https://www.suffolkplantheritage.com/propagating-ferns-from-spores Thu, 31 Aug 2017 13:00:48 +0000 http://suffolkplants.org.uk/?p=677 … Continue reading →]]> Anthony Pigott came to our propagation class  and gave us a lesson in propagating ferns.

We had already collected some fern fronds, and began by tapping the frond with our fingers, over paper, to release the spores.

This may look like a sheet of clean paper, but its not – it holds many hundreds of tiny spores.

The underside of the frond showing spores ready for release.

On the top of each pot we cut a square of white paper that fitted just inside the rim of the pot. Each pot had boiling water poured over the paper, enough to soak the paper, and sterilise the top of the potting mix The pots were put immediately into zip lock bags and closed up.

We used a multipurpose compost with some added vermiculite. We used 9cm pots

We left the pots in the bags for about 10 mins to cool slightly. Then speedily opened the bags and  held the paper with the spores on over to pot, tapping gently. The bag was labelled and closed up again.

We left the pots in the bags for about 10 mins to cool slightly. We then speedily opened the bags and  held the paper with the spores on over to pot, tapping gently

The bag was labelled and closed up again.

Now we wait for the tiny gametophytes to appear!

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