Dividing Penstemon

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alwayshopeful

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Dividing Penstemon
« on: August 24, 2009, 10:23 »
Can it be done, if so when?   I brought this plant last year in the summer and it was (and still is) lurvely.  I'm not much of a gardener when it comes to perennials, so when it stopped flowering I just left it be.  It never died down as I expected it to, just stayed green all winter.  THis year I have had an abundance of flowers from it, but it is getting a little out of hand.  Can I seperate it when it stops flowering?
« Last Edit: September 16, 2009, 17:23 by Ice »
I have a pair of secateurs and I'm not afraid to use them!!

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catllar

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2009, 12:46 »
Not sure dividing it would work, but you can definitely take cuttings - I take some now as insurance and more in the spring - seems to work for me and they root v.easily.

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Spana

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2009, 09:12 »
They don't have the sort of root stock which will divide, IMO.  Take loads of cuttings now then cut it down by half when the flowers have finished.  When spring comes cut it right to the base. That will give you a more manageable plant next year and you will have the benefit of the cuttings to put out which will give a great show.  Some  varieties are really big, some are small, do you know which one you have.  If not what colour are the flowers?

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mrs bouquet

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2009, 12:27 »
the cuttings will do well, if you can pop them into a cold frame over winter.  good luck, Mrs Bouquet
Birds in cages do not sing  -  They are crying.

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alwayshopeful

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2009, 17:31 »
do you know which one you have.  If not what colour are the flowers?

Not sure which one.  The flowers are a lovely deep pink colour.

Thanks for all advice guys, have taken a cutting to experiment with, but now know can do it, will take loads more - just hope this goes better than the veg gardening  :D

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lovemyveg

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2009, 13:09 »
the cuttings will do well, if you can pop them into a cold frame over winter.  good luck, Mrs Bouquet

What do you all find is the best medium to put the cuttings in.  My raspberry ice penstemon takes really well in sandy, gritting soil and also 50/50 multi purpose compost and perlite.  But Czar, Blackberry ice, etc are not as easy and I have lots of failures with these.  I have tried covering the pot with plastic bags, but this does not seem to help either.  Any suggestions on how to get the more difficult to root cuttings going?

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Spana

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2009, 17:12 »
I use the same as you, MP compost mixed with sand or John Innes for cuttings .  Have you tried hormone rooting powder on the hard to root varieties.

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lovemyveg

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Re: Dividing Penstimmon
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2009, 00:04 »
I use the same as you, MP compost mixed with sand or John Innes for cuttings .  Have you tried hormone rooting powder on the hard to root varieties.

Yes I do use the Hormone rooting compound, but for the first few days the cuttings look ok, then they just go limp and die.  Strange really as the Raspberry Ice variety strike a good rooted cutting everytime.

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Spana

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Re: Dividing Penstemon
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2009, 10:12 »
Try doing them like you would a clematis, cut inbetween two leaf joints, or have you tried taking them with a heal.

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lovemyveg

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Re: Dividing Penstemon
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2009, 10:50 »
Try doing them like you would a clematis, cut inbetween two leaf joints, or have you tried taking them with a heal.

I'll certainly try cutting in between two leaf joints, I did not know that clematis were propagated like this.  Last week when I took Penstemon cuttings I did try a couple with a heal attached so it will be interesting to see how these turn out.  All the cuttings I took look OK, at the moment, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.  Thanks



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