Key Terminology
from your fucshia cutting session
Fucshia
Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees.
(Genus is a category that ranks below family but above species)
Node
A node is the area of a plant's stem from which the leaves grow. It is important to be able to locate nodes when doing regular maintenance such as pruning, but also when attempting to propagate plants from stem cuttings, as roots will often grow from the area beneath a node. The node is where the hormones are, so it is important to cut here to stimulate root growth.
Propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants
Softwood Cutting
Softwood cuttings are plant cuttings taken in the spring. Certain types of plants will need to be cut in the spring in order for there roots to ready for the winter. Cuttings taken later in the summer are called Semi Hardwood cutting. It will depend on the plant type as to when you take the cuttings.
Hardwood Cutting
Hardwood cuttings provide an easy and reliable method of propagating a range of deciduous climbers, trees and shrubs, and as bonus, they are taken from mid-autumn until late winter when more time is usually available to the gardener. Some evergreen plants, hollies for example, can also be taken at the same time of year as other hardwood cuttings.
Perlite
Perlite is a form of glass; specifically a volcanic glass that is mined and then heated in big ovens until it 'pops' into a round, white material that's used in seed-starting and potting mixtures to lighten the soil, allow more air around the roots of plants and to both help retain water and improve drainage.