Today, I wanted to share with you this bloom I clipped from my special tree. Isn’t it lovely? It came from a root given to me from my grandfather. It has now grown from a root to a small tree and now with it’s first bloom.
The Camellia reminds me of my granddad. The blossoms are lovely and the leaves green and shinney.
For years, my grandfather spent time grafting and creating small plants in metal coffee cans in his back yard. My granddad gave me one a little over a year ago. It was clipping from one of his large full blooming beauties. He had grafted it, fed and potted it for growth and grow it did.
Grandpa is the jack of all trades and even at 93 has the where with all to continue in his farming efforts. He grew up on a farm planting full crops, caring for the overall scheme of a self-sufficient situation and looking forward to a future of dependency on no one.
He built his own abode, roofed his own home, and and even in the small things of life, multiplied his own plants and scrubs by grafting and repotting. As we walked on his 10 acres, he told story after story of his small successes big and small. From fixing his own lawn mower to wrenching his own cars. One story I found interesting was how he talked with his 3 children who wanted him to buy a new lawn mower in his old age. His reply to them was “If I bought new piece of equipment every time something was broken you children would not have gone to college”.
These are good tips for me because times have changed for our generation. We buy new when things break and purchase our eggs and veggies form the store. While there are some leanings toward having a garden even in the city, the know-how from the older generation is being lost every day . Just from spending this quality time with a man born almost 6 decades before me has helped me see that I need to start a winter garden with seasonal plants and use his advice for quick success while he’s here to guide. Yes! We’re going to give it a whirl!
Camellia love!
Here are few good tips when trying to clip from matured plant, according to my granddad.
Camellia Planting
It is best to try this in the early spring, or autumn.
You will need a pair of pruning scissors, glass of water, coffee can, milk carton, or container for planting, gardening soil, and seaweed liquid fertilizer.
Cut about 8 inches off of a matured plant (clip it at a 25 degree angle at about 3/4 inch below the knot. Look for a knot that has 2 or more small branches)
Cut leaves and stems off the lower part of the clipping (be certain to cut off all buds. Leaving buds will drain the nutrition take away from the new growing process.)
Place the clipping in a glass of water and seaweed liquid fertilizer (dilute-see directions)
Keep out of direct sunlight
Allow it to sit 4-5 hours and get excited to look for root growth. As soon as you see the new growth, you’re ready to plant in gardening soil. I suggest that you use a spray bottle for watering so not to over love it.
Cover the clipping with a plastic bag loosly to keep moisture in giving it the “greenhouse affect”. Pull bag over pot and tie at top if you have a bag large enough.
The first couple of days could cause wilting but over time, it will grow strong and tall. Within 4-6 weeks, you will need to transfer your clipping to it’s final destination.
Happy Clipping
Katie Girl
