Dipped in Honey

[Broke Down Ranch]

DH brought home some pieces of a flowering type plant from the older couples house when he was doing yardwork for them. These plant pieces had broken off when the planter was blown over. I dipped the tips in honey and stuck them in the dirt. Do you think it will take? I'm not sure if this type of plant with root or if it needs a seed/rhizome/bulb to start from. the leaves feel like a succulent....any ideas what this is and if I just wasted my time? LOL

 

[injunjoe]

It is a moss rose or something like that but it will be fine.
Leaves can be placed on some sandy soil and they will root!
I let these grow everywere under my plants to help keep down the weeds. The little flowers are nice also.

 

[Greensage45]

Hi,

I had never heard of using honey as a root stimulator. I will have to go look that up.

What you have is Portulaca or Moss Rose. This is a member of the Purslane family. I have never known one to root from a branch, but stranger things have happened. LOL

I would suggest trying to find some developed seed pods. Where the bloom originated it forms a sort of capsule. It looks similar to a new bloom pushing up, but it is filled with the tiniest black seeds. Once they are ready (not much after it blooms) the cap falls off spilling the seeds out.

Portulaca comes in several colors and as well double flowering varieties. Some have the traditional thin elongated leaflets and some have the flattened kind, they can intermix and seed readily. Once planted, typically, they come back year after year.

This is suppose to be the kind of plant you only buy once, after that it takes over from there every year. Of course, unless you are like me and introduce it constantly and it never comes back!! I think my sparrows eat it before it is able to get established.

Wishing you luck,

Ron

 

[injunjoe]

Strange how things grow different in different places.
I collect the seed pods as you say but I also can just cram a branch in the ground in the shade and it is growing like nothing ever happened.

I am looking and they say it is an annual it grows like a perennial here.

 

[Greensage45]

Amazing,

I can do that with iceplant, but I have never been able to root Moss Rose, of course it has been half my life since I tried.

Thanks, I think I will wander through the Home Improvement store and accidentally bump one for a branch. LOL (did I say that outloud?) LOL

Thanks again,

Ron

 

[injunjoe]

Amazing,

I can do that with iceplant, but I have never been able to root Moss Rose, of course it has been half my life since I tried.

Thanks, I think I will wander through the Home Improvement store and accidentally bump one for a branch. LOL (did I say that outloud?) LOL

Thanks again,

Ron

Funny I can come out with some strange looking plants an arrangement I like to call it.

I am looking your avg. rain fall is 8.9" a year. How do you grow any thing? While here we get an avg. of 49.9"

My "soil" is dirty sand with sand under that.

 

[injunjoe]

BDR I went out and took a pic of the seed pods and as you can see in the opened one all the little seeds.

 

[Greensage45]

Injunjoe,

Perfect picture of the seedpod!

I think someone fibbed when they said we get 8.5" of rainfall a year. It has rained only twice in my garden this year and both times the rain lasted all but 20 minutes. I think one other time I got some droplets on my glasses. LOL

Thankfully I did manage to get some rain this past week in my rainbarrel. So for the first time ever I have free water. WoooHooo!

Normally, to keep all my plants and trees alive, I utilize on average of about 20,000 gallons of water a month. Yes, 20,000 gallons! My water bill exceeds my electric bill every month if that isn't a kicker.

For the longest time I felt guilty. I felt like a big Ole Water Hog, but then I did some rationalizing.

Firstly, there is no more and no less water on the face of the planet than there was when it was formed; it is all a matter of distribution is all.

Also, I am within walking distance of the Rio Grande River and so I am in a flood plane and my house is only 15 feet above the natural water table. There is also a working well right next to my house that waters all the neighboring field crops, and they pump out in one sitting what I use in a month.

So, my conclusion was that it was my choice to use County Water and pay for it rather than use the well and pay only the gas to run the well's engine and pump system; instead my intention is to add to the ground water via watering my gardens. Evaporation rate can never account for much, so most of my water just seeps right down below the plants into the water table. I am actually paying to put 20,000 gallons into the ground so the farmers can pull it up for free. Amazing, but true, and very comforting to think in these terms. I am really benefiting the cycle because they (farmers) pull from the ground to feed fields that are not even close to my home, so there is no one to replace it under my feet. I should get an award for being such a Water Hog. LOL

I am also on a Migratory Path for many birds and insects. So by watering like I do I am able to provide shelter, food, and support for those weary travelers trying to get to everyone's gardens across the Country. This is a wonderful thing.

So with this in mind, each time you all see a Monarch or a Migratory bird coming from Mexico or South America (especially hummingbirds), remember the old Water Hog and send a cheer!

Ron

 

[HiDelight]

I dump IV dextrose that has expired on struggling plants at work and it helps them jump to life! ..I imagine it is because it is sugar and maybe honey does the same thing? or do you think there are some microbes that help root a plant maybe?

 

[HiDelight]

I have also given them iron injections but can elaborate on that later