Easy plant starts from cuttings

An example of a Coleus plant cuttings were taken from.

Maybe six weeks ago I thought I wanted to start some additional Dragon's Ear begonias from cuttings. A new greenhouse opened here in the spring and he was starting them from cuttings.  While I was at it I took cuttings from several Coleus and Basil plants from around the yard and garden.  They normally do not all root successfully so take several.  I love to watch them!

These roots sprang from a simple cutting.

They vary in density but hopefully will thrive.

These three are all Coleus cuttings.

My dining room windows face the east and are shaded from all of our trees but there seems to be enough bright filtered light that I usually meet with a degree of success with cuttings placed there.  I did not use any rooting hormone.  They were just cut from the Mother plant and most of the leaves removed except those at the top of the stem.  I put them in small glasses and canning jars by variety and added plain filtered tap water.  Every week or so I added water as needed.

These are the new cuttings placed in a pot on the porch.

 

 

Only one of the two basil cuttings rooted.  But several I had done earlier are doing well with the tomatoes in the garden,  They are companion plants to the tomato.

Basil cutting on the left and a Coleus is on the right.

 

 

 

Basil on the left and Coleus planted on the right.

I LOVE the Dragon's Ear Begonia and plan to try to keep a nice pot of them going through the winter in front of the patio door, also an East facing window.  I have kept begonias through the winter in the past but never this variety.

This plant gets it's name from the shape of it;s leaf and has fiery red blooms.

Of the two cuttings both rooted well.

Here they are nestled in a pot together.

Now time will tell if my new little plants take off and thrive.  I will be watching!  Yesterday closed with me playing in the dirt after a big day of "catch up" from my trip.