AusBonsai

Hey everyone, I bought a Lavender Star awhile ago and it was basically a stick in a pot so I planted it in the ground in spring and now need some advice.

What time of year can I dig it up? And how well does it take to root pruning?

I'm guessing the repot time will be the same as the collecting time, is this right?

I'm guessing summer would be the best time for hard pruning? But can I do light pruning throughout the year?

Can you take cuttings from Grewia? Any tips on this? I was thinking of getting a 20cm long branch of this year's growth, leaving 2-4 leaves on the end, then into a propagation mix. Would this work? Or are Grewia more difficult?

Oh, and speaking of cuttings, I can't seem to have any luck with Chinese Elm. I am using cutting from the "Frosty" cultivator, 20cm long branches of this year's growth, leaving 2-4 leaves on the end, dipping in root hormone, then leaving in a shady area of my greenhouse. But they've all died. What am I doing wrong? I'm going to try take hardwood cuttings this winter, any tips?

Thanks

To propagate, Lavender Star new cuttings in Spring. You can to root work repot etc... Before bud burst. Late August.
Cuttings for your, Elm never let them dry out and you should start to have success. Otherwise you can airlayer an Elm easily.
Cheers
Kirky

Sheepdawg

Just this last saturday a very experienced person told me that with elms when you pot a cutting water it once then take a plastic bag and put the pot in it and close. Then leave in shady area for three weeks and dont open the bag during these three weeks. I am trying it myself but its only been 5 days.

Hi Sheepdawg,

Grewia is great material, the almost all year round flowers are a bonus, just trim them off and you get more. Depending on what you want for yours, remember left in the ground will be the best way to thicken the trunk, otherwise trunk thickening is very slow.

Regards, AnneK.