[GYO Girl]

I have a one year-old Fatsia japonica that I love, but I have now decided that I have planted it in the wrong place and would like to move it.  It is about 1 1/2 feet tall and I am concerned about the size of the root ball, so I would like to propagate it as a back-up before digging it up.

I have Googled this subject but not really got a conclusive answer.  Some sites say that they are easily propogated from seed, but it hasn't flowered yet, how long will it be before it will flower?

There is only one stem at present so air layering would be out, the only other option I can see is stem cuttings but I can't see an obvious place to take one from and as there is only one stem at present it would ruin the plant, surely?

Any ideas anyone?

[Spana]

Mine was a cutting from a friend years ago.  She took lots of cuttings from her plant  and didn't know what to do with them all.

I've never taken cuttings from my fatsia but i did sow some of the seeds about April time this year i think it was. I soaked the berries for 24 hours before sowing and just stood the pots on the greenhouse staging if i remember right.

 I had quite a good germination rate and now have about 15 nice little plants coming on. I can let you have one if you want it.

[GYO Girl]

Ooh, Spana, thank you so much!!  I will PM you 

[Spana]

One baby fatty is in the post.  Hope he makes it OK, its his first time out alone

As for your other one, if it were mine i would just give it a really good soak, dig the new hole then dig out the one to be moved with as much root ball as i could lift.

If its only a year old I think it will transplant OK. They are pretty tough.

[GYO Girl]

Thanks Spana, I'll give him a good home I promise!

Will give it a go now that I have back-up on the way (and if I don't need the back-up I'll have 2 lovely Fatsias, I have plenty of space for them!)

Thanks again.

[GYO Girl]

I thought it might be nice to finish off this thread by letting you know how I got on.

So, after receiving Baby Fatty in the post (he's doing great, Spana, growing fast!), I moved the Fatsia as planned.  After watering it in well, I watched it over the autumn and winter as the leaves drooped, turned yellow, then brown, then black and crunchy.

So this morning I decided enough was enough, and the Fatsia was destined for the compost bin.  So imagine my surprise when I pulled all the dead leaves off to reveal this....





 

[Yorkie]

Hurrah!

[Spana]

Thats great, they are pretty tough. I'm glad your baby is growing, most of mine are too.  I'm thinking of planting them all in a big group to make a Fatsia forest.  Luckily i didn't get any seeds on the old plant last year.

Nice to get the update, thanks.