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Ceph haircut!

Well, my cephalotus has been surviving in my window since I moved into the new house, so I thought I'd share a few pictures. It's been through a few rough patches, and more than one run in with the cat, but so far I've managed to keep it alive and green.





But not green enough! The dead leaves were really becoming an eyesore, so I took the scissors and tweezers to it to give it a nice thorough cleaning, and the little guy surprised me. There are a lot more growing points than I remember :-O I count five now!





The mess!


I know they're very green and don't have a lot of coloration. I will have a lighting system soon, so I can empty my window jungle onto a larger, better-lit shelf. I just haven't had the time or motivation to build one yet since moving.

Anyways, I'm very pleased with this guy, but one can never have enough. There are so many leaves on these plants, and I have not had many leaf pullings fail on me in the past; only problem is, this would be my first ceph pulling. I've read a bit on the subject, still have some more to learn, but is now the right time? I know repotting and root cuttings are suggested at a certain time of year, but I can't imagine there being many limitations on leaf pullings. Thoughts? :)
 
Great looking Ceph! I believe the ideal time is early spring but I've had success throughout the year, even in the winter. As long as you can give them good light, warm (~70ish daytime?) temps, and humid conditions they'll thrive. I was going to say you have a ton of non-carnivorous leaves it'd be great to start doing some pullings!

In regards to methods: I like to follow foxoles guide. Soak them in a 10 drops superthrive to 1 gallon water for an hour, then 10 minutes in a fungicide. I use a bit of rooting agent as well. They tend to have fungicides so you may be able to skip the 10 minute soak. I've had very good success rates when the cuttings are fresh. Good growing :D
 
I just read the foxoles guide, and it's very informative. I'm wondering though, is there some preparation for the fungicide, such as diluting with water? Or is it just fine to apply in the form it comes in? And is a certain brand better? Sorry for so many questions :p I just don't want to do anything wrong.
 
Of course you have to dilute fungicides with water before applying them: follow the instructions on the product label.
 
Great then, thank you for confirming that. I'd never used fungicide before, so I wasn't sure if there was any special preparation, beyond what the label shows, for use on CPs (considering their sensitive nature).
 
Good thing you asked! A couple side notes for when you do cuttings,

- Have patience as some have taken multiple months to strike. As long as it stays green you're good though.
- The 10 drops to 1 gallon superthrive is INTENSE. Usually people use 1 to 2 drops per gallon for CPs, so make sure to dilute it down if you choose to use it as a foliar feeder after.
 
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