Peter's Propagating Pelargonium

Peter's Propagating Perlargonium

It's Peter's second day of his two year apprenticeship to achieve an NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 Diploma in Work-based Horticulture and he is already learning how to propagate pelargonium. Working with Ali they go out in to the gardens to select the required plants from which the cuttings need to be taken. The cutting material is removed from the parent plant by cutting above a leaf joint, placed in a bag and, once a sufficient number have been taken, they return to the greenhouse to strike the cuttings.

Striking Pelargonium

Using a sharp, sterile knife, and with a plaster on their right thumbs to protect it from the sharp knife, the stem is cut beneath a leaf joint/node (nodal cut) leaving the cutting about 2-4 inches long. The bottom leaves, just above the nodal cut, are cut off by drawing the knife down the stem towards the base and the protected thumb! The soft tip/growing point is then removed from the top of the cutting. Several cuttings are prepared, each base being dipped in hormone rooting powder and, with the aid of a dipper, are placed in to a small, shallow pot of multipurpose compost, watered in and placed in the mist unit. These cuttings will, once rooted, be repotted in to individual pots and as young plants will be planted out in to the gardens and be part of next year's summer floral display.

A Mist Unit Full Of Cuttings