[AlistairMcLennan]

Hi,

I have followed the video by John on how to plant the runners while stick attached.  I have attached a picture of one I have planted, can anyone tell me if I have done the right way or any other advise is gratefully received.

Cheers

AL

[JohnB47]

Hmmm. In my experience, the part that you ensure has contact with the compost/soil usually has leaves coming out of it as well as short knobbly roots. Does the bit that you've anchored down have roots attached? Otherside, I would have gone for 'planting' the end bit, the bit with the leaves on.

[AlistairMcLennan]

The bit on contact with the compost had 2 little leaves on it so thought that was the bit I needed to pin down.

Dont know if I have done this correctly now 

[JohnB47]

Others will chip in but if there are leaves there you should be OK. In my experience they're really eager to grow, so you should see results quite quickly.

[SUTTY1]

I agrre with john, if there are no leaves or roots just use the 1 hanging over the side.
When you pin it down you only need it touching the compost and not beneath the surface(

[gavinjconway]

Hi Alistair - sorry but you have pinned the wrong part into the pot... The crown and roots will form from the leafy part on the end... Change it and you will get it to root within a week or so. When a new runner starts to grow you must snip it off or it will take life from itself.  When it has about 4 leaves snip the runner from the mother plant and you now have a new plantlet...  

I was given a few plants and they have really done well with sending out runners.. been doing mine now for about 6 weeks and produced many new plants..

as Sutty says - the little leaf head must just be resting on the soil in the pot and not burried. It really wants to grow so it will do its own thing and send out the roots rather quickly..

[gavinjconway]

You can see from my 2 photos that my plants are all in pots at the moment on my roof... I have just added empty pots all around the place and trained the runners into them. I then cut off the secondary runner and peg into the pot.. then cut off when big enough to cope on their own... i.e. 4 leaves.

I started with 15 dried up plants, potted them up into 5 in tubs and now I have 14 tubs and many individual pots...  I am in the process of snipping them off now and will palne out into their plot in the spring..  (if my plot gets allocated to me!!) or if not I'll just do them in bigger tubs for another year !!

[AlistairMcLennan]

thanks for all your comments and advise.

Just to clarify, the bit I need to pin onto the surface of compost if the bit that looks like a crown rather than if 2 little leaves appear on the stem?

cheers

[gavinjconway]

Yep....

[sunshineband]

and leave them pinned down until they are well rooted ie they are securely attached when you tug the leaves gently 

[PrincessJelly]

I have some established runners, when can I plant them out? My allotment will not be ready for them until next year. I don't have a cold frame or green house and was wondering how they would fare in the small plasic pots they are currently in. How would I insulate them if it got really cold?

Thanks!

[sunshineband]

You could plant them in groups in larger pots, or those long plastic window boxes, and then put them in the lost sheltered place you have outside.


They should be fine then-- not usre where you are though

PJ please add your approximate loaction to your profile, as then answers will be better matched to weather in your area.

[gavinjconway]

As sunshine sais... just pot them up and leave them outside... they need a winter to make them grow better.. palnt into your new lottie next season.