Here's a picture of my Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens). I think I burned some leaves (it was way to near a western window) or I may have giving it too much or too little water... I want to make a new plant out of it. or maybe two! ;-) Some questions I have: How many tip cuttings should I take to make a new plant? How long or how short should I cut them? (I read we need at least 2 nodes on the stem) Anything else I should know before doing this? I will put the stems in water and will make them root. When the time will come to plant it...I'll come back here and post a picture!
you can make the new plant as bushy as you want .. so take as much as you want .. dont make them to long .. by the looks of yours it will be a long one in no time ..lol that is a beautifull plant .. Marn one thing i noticed about your pot .. do you make sure that there is no water sitting in the bottom after you water it ??.. i know ya like the decorative pots but they really can be bad for the plants if there is a big build up of water.. try useing a tray under the orginal pot instead of that pot . you cant see it that much because of the plant ..
You can't see it on the pic, but the pot came in with a tray. I make sure there's no water at the bottom... but I don't always water it until some water reach the pot. Maybe I should do that everytime?
It is best to water until water comes out of the bottom (otherwise you don't know if water is making to the the lower roots). Perhaps putting stones in the saucer to lift the pot up. Then, when there is water in the dish it is not in contact with the soil. M.
They can go quite a while without being watered, though do it well when you do it. You need to observe them every couple of days to see when they start looking a bit droopy, then water. They don't like a lot of light BTW.
RE: droopy Hum.... I'm French... it's not a word I know. Can you explain it visually? As for light, I will remove the plant from the window. I just don't know where to put it! ;-)
droopy is just like limp .. you can just see the plant is not as perky as it normaly would be if it was watered good and happy .. it will just lay flat.. your plant looks like it is sitting in a good spot .. if you had to you can filter the sun with the shades .. but i dont think you will have to move it .. Marn
Thanks Marn. Limp... that I understand! ;-) I think I found a new place for my philo. I'll make sure to check her often to see if she's not too droopy (I'm smart! I can use new-to-me words!;-) or if it looks like it's getting bad.
Can someone tell me if I do this right? Here's a pic that I edit in PAINT and put two lines... this is where I intend to CUT to put it in water to root. So I want to cut just below a node and vut the leave. Right or worng? thanks again dear plant lovers for ALL your wonderful advices!
yes you got it right .. just need to cut below a node and take that bottom leaf off and new roots will grow .. it shouldnt take to long to root .. Marn
giveing your plant a hair cut .. :) ..lol a good way to make new plants and not have to go out and buy them .. Marn
True! But I always end up window-shopping for plants! Love going to places where they have tons of plants! I love the smell of those places! ;-)
if ya have a Home Depot around ya .. go chek them out .. they have some really nice plants there .. :) Marn
P. scandens is one of a long list of synonyms for Philodendron hederaceum. P. hederaceum is the recognized botanical name for the plant. There are many variations of the species across the range which is quite large (Central America to Brazil). Dr. Tom Croat of MOBAT recently discussed this plant with another internet group and said although there are minor differences they are all still the same plant. These variations have confused even trained botanists which is why so many names (about 40) have been published for this species. The plant will grow well in fairly bright light or in reasonably deep shade so I don't think your light placement had much to do with your problem. In my Exotic Rainforest atrium I have one specimen out in the brightest part of my atrium with leaves that are about 8 1/2 inches and another in fairly deep shade with much smaller leaves. It appears to me the brighter light actually encourages growth. I've taken as few as a single node cutting and started brand new plants with no problem. The biggest thing to remember is this is a rainforest plant and loves water. The problem is most people use very soggy potting soil and the plant does not like that. I mix good potting soil, orchid potting medium, Perlite and and good helping of peat to create a mixture that will hold plenty of water yet drain quickly. The trick is to keep the soil damp but not soggy all the time. There are some good articles on the web about the plant if you look it up under the botanical name, Philodendron hederaceum. Soil pH is also known to affect the plant's color and possibly size. It seems to prefer somewhat acidic soil. The more acidic soil causes the underside of the leaf to turn a deeper burgundy.
Okay abonneau, English lesson for today - there is no such word as "advices" - whether you get one bit of advice or 10 bits of advice, the word stays "advice" - it can be plural or singular, you don't add the "s" to it. English is a pain in the behind, isn't it?? Just wanted to tell you that I snip cuttings from my pothos and philodendrons and put them in vases and just keep them that way, they do great in low light places, too. I have a few very big ones that have been growing in water for years. Also, I use a very coarse, light, loose potting mix (potting soil of a good quality, orchid bark, and perlite, about one third of each) and my plants love it.
You are certainly free to grow your plants as you see fit. And by the way, do you never make typo errors? I have a college education and still make typo errors. If you know a way to fix that and make my fingers work in exact accord with my brain please post it. Steve Lucas
There is nothing wrong with the response above about clipping philodendron cuttings and growing them in the bathroom. I simply prefer to grow my philodendrons and other plants the way they grow in nature. It is simply a choice of growing styles and gardners have differed for years on the correct way to grow all kinds of plants. The vast majority of philodendrons love to climb. They do that because they are trying to get to stronger light. And once they get high enough on the tree they often turn into a totally different growth form, sometimes one that is stunningly beautiful. I've got philos that have very small leaves until they reach brighter light 6 to 12 feet off the ground. Then suddenly the leaves begin to become 30 inches long. So I try to give them what they are seeking which is brighter light. Here's a crude by simple analogy. You can raise a child in a small room that has subdued light all the time and they will certainly grow to become an adult. But will they flourish? Will they become all they can possibly become? Plants are often the same way, they often want to get out of that restricted growing area and reach for the stars (or sun in this situation). Once you let them have what they really need you may be very surprised by what you are growing. One other comment. I'd prefer this and other threads be about growing plants, not English grammar. I know I butcher the language all the time. But even though I don't spell words correctly or add an extra letter or two as well as put commas in the wrong place I've managed to con editors into giving me over 300 assignments that have turned into magazine articles in a large number of publications. If you don't think I or anyone else who posts here can write then send me or them an email note. Don't post it here. My address is easily found by clicking on my screen name, then my website and looking on the homepage for my email address. Besides, I'd hate for my editors to discover I can't really write. Especially before I get my table top book on philodendrons published. It's already 80% written!
It is generally distracting when someone corrects language errors on the forums, but at times it is helpful. I think it is appropriate to gracefully point out spelling errors in plant names or terminology because it will help everyone who is trying to look up more information. People from all over the world post on these forums. It is also necessary at times to question language for clarity to make sure we all understand each other. In Ines' defence, I don't think this was a typo. I think Ines only meant to be helpful to someone who does not use English as their primary language. But we do see how this can distract from the real discussion at hand.
I agree. But would it not have been more appropriate to make those corrections on English grammar and/or sentence structure in a personal message which is easily sent via this system and leave the discussion to plants? I'd prefer we talk about plants.
Private messaging could be a very useful tool for such comments. It is a personal judgement however. If one's intention is to be helpful, little side comments may be OK. It is also possible that abonneau and others, whose first language is not English, appreciated the info. As long as comments are not insulting or total posts are not completely off topic, I do not feel obliged to step in to moderate. If there are more comments on comments, please start a new thread in Conversation and Chat.
