Not so much cultivation as propagation - Origanum

[Mark Griffiths]

Hi, I have a couple of old Origanum dictamnus in the greenhouse..they are both looking a bit iffy, starvation? too wet? too dry? too cold? just felt unloved? I have no idea..so I want to take some cuttings if I can find some material.

I think maybe it's too early, but has anyone had any luck at this time of year? Though I've taken cuttings many times before I get the feeling it might be tricky this time. I was thinking sand, under the bench, no plastic hat.

Mark

[Lesley Cox]

I find this very tricky to propagate at any time to be honest. They seem to root all right then die when potted up. If it makes new growth I'd have a go then rather than on old season's growth. But if it's on the way out it may be worth chopping it in 3 or 4 pieces and potting them separately.

[Mark Griffiths]

Funny thing was first time I got this I was given two cuttings by Ralph Hayward (he was Joe Elliott's propagator, truely gifted and died tragically young)..I rooted both. I was trying to think when that would have been, it was probably 35 yrs ago..but I have a recollection of him showing me a Dionysia lammingtonii..so it would be about nowish I guess.

I know I propagated it that time round several times and because I currently have two, I know I did it several times within the last decade or so because I think I lost one a few years back we I moved here.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Mark Griffiths]

ok, I think I can update this now.

I got a 50% take which bearing in mind the quality of the tiny bits that were still alive is not bad.

So the cuttings were smaller and earlier than I would normally take, 1inch in March, dipped in rooting hormone, in sand with a plastic bag over the pot - plastic or clay gave me the same results.

I now have new growth and roots appearing out the drainage holes.

[zephirine]

Would it not have been more effective/doubling the odds to try layering them?

[Mark Griffiths]

the plant was moribund with just a few short live growths within the dying crown of the plant.

[Lesley Cox]

Well it sounds like a good result Mark, at least something retrieved and achieved. I don't know that my dictamnus has ever had anything that could have been layered, quite a compact tuft really, not like, say, 'Kent Beauty' which sends stolons everywhere - not that I mind.