Quote[/b] ]Hello Joe and everyone, following is my Mexican
Pinguicula propagating technique. This is my basic technique, which I tweak and modify when ideas occur to me <span style='color:blue'>(revised: 28Aug06)</span>.
First; I pull ½ or more of the leaves from plants I am transplanting, I do this beginning with the oldest leaves first.
Second; using Ziploc® snack size bags (6 ½ “L x 3 ¼” W) I place a small quantity of slightly moist LFS inside, covering the bottom of the bag. Using a plastic vial with a couple of small holes drilled into its lid (1/32” diameter) as a shaker (like a salt or pepper shaker) I sprinkle a light dusting of RootShield® brand of
Trichoderma harzianum powder onto the LFS.
Third; I place the detached leaves onto the RootShield® dusted LFS in the Ziploc® bags.
Fourth; using a Sharpie® permanent marker I label the outside of the bag.
Fifth; I place the bags together where they are well lit and warm but not in direct sunlight and then I wait for about 2-3 weeks or until buds or small plantlets are clearly evident on the leaves, then I go to step six.
Sixth; having prepared enough 2 ¼ “ square plastic pots ahead of time (see propagule pot preparation), I gently place the budding leaves onto the surface of the pots, put four pots per gallon size Ziploc® bag, seal the bag and place it under fluorescent lights next to the adult plants.
** Propagule pot preparation:
<span style='color
range'>
New media and procedure – revised: 28Aug06:
Media: 1 part silica sand, 1 part Schultz aquatic plant soil (sintered fullers earth granules), small amount of iron oxide powder – I first add the dry sand to the mixing bin, stirring as I add iron oxide powder until all the granules appear coated with the iron oxide powder, then I gradually pour in water until the iron oxide/sand mixture is evenly moist, next I prepare the aquatic plant soil by lightly pre-moistening it with a 40ppm concentrated solution of 20-20-20 soluble fertilizer w/trace elements, then I mix them together , thoroughly.
Pots: I insert a thin layer of LFS, just one layer of strands usually suffices to help retain the media, then I fill the pot within ¼ inch with the media, I then dust the surface with a light coating of dried, powdered, insects with a small quantity of Trichoderma harzianum T-22 powder mixed in, then I add media to the top of the pot, next I set the finished pot into a saucer of water with the level just below the top, this settles the media, I next remove the pot from the water, place it in a tray for drainage, use forceps to gently place the leaves that have begun developing plantlets evenly spread out upon the surface of the pot, then place the pot into a Ziploc® bag, and then under fluorescent lights.</span>
[Old procedure, was: Fill pot 2/3 full with moist LFS, packed loosely, top with ¼ - ½ “ of peat or peat/sand which has first been sterilized by cooking in a microwave
<span style='colorrange'>[This must be done carefully, if the peat gets too hot, it will burn or partially burn and spoil the mix.]</span>, cooled down and then thoroughly inoculated with RootShield® brand of
Trichoderma harzianum powder by dusting, mixing and then dusting and mixing again. After topping the pots I spritz them with enough water to wet the surface of the media then sprinkle an additional dusting of RootShield® brand of
Trichoderma harzianum powder. The powder is very fine like dust and a little goes a very long way. In just a week or two they look like the photo in my post and the media surface is covered with beneficial fungal hyphae like a fine white spider web.]