Making More Plants

Making More Plants

There are times when it’s best to come into the garden center and get plants that the professional growers have produced. You can get a well-shaped plant of some size and have an attractive looking planting instantly. But there are some plants that professional growers don’t or can’t produce. Root crops, for example, are only planted from seed. Most growers don’t raise many biennials because they grow one year, bloom the next and then die; customers don’t want to spend a lot of money for a plant that won’t bloom the first year but is sure to die after it does flower.

Additionally, plants that are more unusual might be hard to find every year in the garden center. You might see a shrub in your neighbor’s yard that you’ve never seen offered for sale, for example. Or perhaps you found an unusual tender perennial or annual that is unlikely to be offered again…of course you want to find ways to save it for the next season.  And finally, there are times when you just want to have dozens of plants and want to do so inexpensively.

In all of the above cases, it’s worthwhile to explore how you can propagate those plants yourself. When is it necessary to grow from seed and when can you take cuttings or root divisions?

That’s what we’re going to cover in an afternoon-long propagation class at Country Garden. On February 12th from 1 to 4 PM we’ll be talking about making more plants. Cuttings, seeds, root divisions and other random methods of propagation. The registration is $20.00 and includes handouts, three hours of information and demonstrations, a jar of rooting hormone, and a discount coupon for purchases that day. Advance registration and payment is required so we are sure to have enough materials for everyone. Call the store to sign up today: 508-775-8703. Questions? Send them to: info at hyanniscountrygarden dot com

There are biennials such as tall Sweet William that are easy to grow from seed but are seldom available as plants in the garden center.
Some veggies can be purchased as plants but others have to be grown from seed. Learn which ones get planted directly in the ground and which ones need to be started in pots in advance.
At Country Garden's propagation class you'll learn how to take cuttings from all sorts of plants: shrubs, annuals, perennials etc.
At Country Garden’s propagation class you’ll learn how to take cuttings from all sorts of plants: shrubs, annuals, perennials etc.
Geranium macrorrhizum can be dug and transplanted. It spreads from the roots and by seeding in the garden.

Click here to read a previous HCG blog post about some pitfalls of seed starting.

4 Comments

  1. Connie Carney on January 19, 2017 at 7:39 am

    Great class coming up. My frustration with previous classes is that 1.) attendees often voice their questions before the teacher has had a chance to cover the topics, 2.) attendees ask their personal questions about their personal yards/problems before the teacher has had a chance to cover the topics, and 3.) there is no way to ask the teacher to repeat what has just been said without raising my hand. I have done just that, and sadly my timing would stink– the teacher would want to get on with the class due to the diversions from some attendees personal stuff, so I wouldn’t get to say “I just need you to repeat that, please. There was a word I didn’t hear.” Sometimes, too, there was so much good information just presented that I need to hear it twice in order for me to get it. So, could there maybe be a few more requests from the teacher– “Does anyone need me to repeat that?” “Are there any words you guys did not hear?” “Do you need a minute to absorb that?” Or maybe just “Raise your hand if you need me to repeat that”. That would be a great help to me. I appreciate the position/challenges/gifts of the teacher– I understand some attendees tend to dominate classes with only themselves in mind. I am offering only what would be helpful to me.

    • CLFornari on January 19, 2017 at 9:31 am

      Thanks for these comments, Connie. It’s always a challenge to give enough information in a short amount of time so that everyone is helped. We know that absorbing it all can be difficult – which is why we offer the most popular classes every year. We have some people come to the Pruning or Perennial Garden Maintenance class every year for that reason! Know that if there was something you want some clarification about you can always send an email to our general info @ address.

  2. Paula Emerick on February 11, 2017 at 5:25 pm

    What about recording the session and offering it, for a charge $, to those who attended?

    • CLFornari on February 11, 2017 at 5:41 pm

      Paula,
      That’s a great idea but a whole new level of complication and expense we’re not prepared to deal with at this late date. Maybe in the future!

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