Spring ROHS Meeting

[Pieter]

So he began experimenting & discovered that if a cut is made anywhere from just above the crown up to an inch or 2 on the stem, that if it's stuck into spaghnum moss or a soilless growing mix & kept moist that he would soon have a new plant. He also suggested dipping it in rootone to speed up the process.

He had one Royal Standard plant that he estimated he got 500 plants from over 3 years. He'd taken 'cuttings' from it using this process 2 or 3 times a year. After the 3rd year the original plant was finally 'burned out' and died.

Also after the stem is removed above the crown, new eyes form around the crown and the crown can then be divided vertically to produce new plants.

First of all, thank you Renaldo for posting this. I tried Rossizing for the first time last year, learned a few lessons but overall I'd have to say it was a successful exercise in increasing the number of plants by starting with just one. I tried what he suggests a few years ago without much luck, but that probably was because I didn't cut the leaf close enough to the crown. Like you, I'm eager to try this a little later this spring. Initially of course I'll try it on something common to gain some experience. I'm really looking forward to this. You can expect a post, with pictures, on 'Rostonizing' (might as well coin a new word) at some point during the late spring.

[renaldo75]

I'll look forward to it, Pieter. Good Luck!! Glad I could help send you off on a new hosta adventure.

The advantage that I could see would be in getting some new hostas started for trades, etc. when I really don't want to divide/lift the entire plant. Of course you'd need to have a bunch done well in advance of an upcoming trade, but I liked this way of doing things if it worked well.