I want to confirm just how to take cuttings and root them from Lonicera x heckrotti or "Pink Lemonade" honeysuckle which is doing very well and I would like to duplicate it: a gardening book says to cut near the tip of a fresh new "brittle" side shoot off a main one, just at/past a pair of buds -- or a bud -- or leaves, then trim off most of the leaves except a few at the upper end, dip cut end in rooting powder, and plant in moist sand or perlite, cover with a plastic bag and close completely and leave in bright shade well out of direct sun. The part that I'm not sure of is the covering of the whole thing in a plastic bag. Would not that cause the cutting to rot? Is one supposed to put it in the bag with the pot in it, entirely, then close the bag with a twist-em or something? Or plant in the ground and cover with the bag [supported by something, I suppose, and fastened so it won't blow away...] There are rooting covers I have seen, I believe. I'd like to get some feedback on this, with thanks...
Hi Janet: Put pot and all in the bag so that it can have it's own private greenhouse. I use Ziplock bags and they work real well.. (have started lots of Hoyas that way) Put pot on the end part and zip up the bag..Watch for excess moisture. If this happens just open the bag a bit. I put my starters wll back from any sunlight for the first while..Good Luck to you.
Janet--you are right to be worried about rot/fungus. This is the drawback using this system, which now has been replaced commercially by intermittent mist. I would open the bag at least once a day to allow any condensed moisture to evaporate, probably early morning when things are cooler. Then close back up, you want to avoid any wilting which will delay root formation. Good luck with it, lonicera is easy to root so should be successful!
