I use cinnamon routinely when dividing orchids or treating any wound on my plants. I use rooting hormone when rooting plumeria and air-layering plants, but because I use a really expensive rooting hormone and one that is mixed at the time of use, I use cinnamon much more often.

I haven't watched any of the videos showing cutting the tap-root. All my plants are growing in 4" clay pots and they don't really seem to have a tap-root yet. Mine were all germinated in June, 2015, and probably potted up individually in July/August. At what age is the tap-root normally cut?

I have no idea Ken. My eldest are now almost 2 months old. Kadie suggested I repot them and cut the taproot. So I guess 2 months is a good age.

You should read this blog.

http://kalachuchiatbp.blogspot...

Very interesting.

Interesting read. In my mind, which I have to admit is small , because adeniums looked like succulents (I guess they are, right?) and I have grown succulents in clay pots for decades, I simply thought clay would be the best pot to use in their first months. I guess I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I have tons of plastic pots and probably a couple of hundred 4" ones that I use for orchid seedlings. I can re-pot all those in clay (I think I have 18) into those seedling pots. I think I will modify my soil mix when I do so that it will be a bit more water-retentive yet still well-draining. I can also look for tap-roots and if identifiable, I will do some selective trimming. I might even try some of those disc thingies.

well Ken. I guess I know what you will be doing next few weeks. Cleaning pots, cutting tap roots and repotting. Good luck with it. I will wait a bit till all my seedlings are a bit older. I only have a few that are 2 months old now. Than I take the plunge.

This won't take me a day, @adeniumgirl. I already have the mix I will use, one I use for terrestrial orchids. The pots are all ready to go. Heck, there may not even be any tap-roots but if so, that will go fast. I trim orchid roots all the time, hundreds of plants a year. Practice-makes-perfect, or so they say. I might even take some photos as I do this. If so, that's going to slow the process down.

Good luck Ken. I must admit I am a bit afraid to do it. They are so tiny. I am afraid I will kill them.

Willeke, tell me again how many adenium plants you have.

Willeke, The use of the rooting hormone if it has a anti-fungicide in it would be beneficial. I have used Cinnamon (Ceylon) as an anti-fungicide on mine as well as a Sulfur dust. The only thing with the cinnamon and sulfur dust in the applications I have used, is that it is applied and allowed to air dry on cut surfaces for anywhere from 3-4 days up to 2-3 wks. This would not be something you would want to do with your seedlings. They would not survive out of soil this long.
My thoughts are that if you use cinnamon and then plant up in soil and water in, whether it be right away or a day later. It might just wash it off? Maybe not, just thinking out loud.

Rick

Hi gang, just got back in.

Adeniumgirl said:You should read this blog.

http://kalachuchiatbp.blogspot...

Very interesting.

Willeke, the blog, "Transplanting Adenium Seedlings" is spot on. There are only a few things I do differently.

As I had previously mentioned, I use rooting hormone powder on the taproot cut. I tried not using it before and the seedlings rotted. I don't use cinnamon on seedlings because although it is a natural fungicide, it also kills the good fungus in the soil. The good fungus is needed for microbial balance in the soil.

Before transplanting into the new media, I drench the media in the new container with water and allow it to saturate the media thoroughly and to settle down. Then I place the seedling on the soil, spreading out the tiny feeder roots, then place soil on top of the roots and spray water on it to moisten. This way the powder will not wash out of the media. Every couple of days or as needed, I spray more water on the soil.

I have used discs under the seedlings, but found that they did not need it as the roots develop nicely without them. I do use the discs to train my arabicums' roots.

If the seedling had not already started ramifying (making multiple branches/stems), I snip the terminal bud (tip of top) also before transplanting. This will force ramifying. The more branches you have at the beginning, the more flowers will be produced. And as an added benefit, the caudex will grow fatter in order to support the branches.

Thanks guys. Well I better buy the rooting hormone and watch that there is fungicide in it. I will follow your instructions Kadie. Although I think I wait a bit. There are only about 5 now with r leaves. The rest is smaller. Than I can do more at once.

@drdawg. I do have about 89 seedlings now. There are some that I will get rid of as soon as I start transplanting. The others I try to keep till their first blooms. After that I decide wich to keep and wich not. I have no space for all of them. So I choose the nicest colors of blooms.

@rainbow, how do you know that cinnamon kills beneficial microbes yet commercial rooting hormones do not? A fungicide is a fungicide, right? I have never read what the half-life of a rooting hormone is, have you? I sure will never see that figure when it comes to cinnamon.

@drdawg

I had said, "The hormone has a fungicide to prevent rotting."
Your question, "A fungicide is a fungicide, right?" Good question!

I made a mistake when I said this: "I don't use cinnamon on seedlings because although it is a natural fungicide, it also kills the good fungus in the soil. The good fungus is needed for microbial balance in the soil."

This is what I meant to say: "I don't use cinnamon on seedlings because although it is a natural fungicide, it also kills the good bacteria in the soil. The good bacteria is needed for good microbial activity in the soil."

I just don't know about it being a soil bactericide, or at least in sufficient strength to kill the beneficial bacteria. I only use cinnamon on plumeria and orchid "cuts" and have never had a problem when using it. Lots of folk sterilize their potting soil before use, and I have a feeling that a lot of the commercial potting soils available have been heat-sterilized as well. That would eliminate the soil bacteria as well as fungus spores. Plants grow very well in these sterilized media.

The research-based scientific data is out there and I stumbled upon them when searching info about cinnamon.

Just passing along what I discovered about the effect of cinnamon on soil microbes. Of course, own research efforts are encouraged to verify any/all information given here.

I simply can't find that sort of information, KD. Keep in mind that my entire adult life has been based on scientific method. Thus, I am a strong advocate of science being the backbone of what we do. But I also like to think out of the box, to challenge, and like to experiment.

I am going to take some photographs tomorrow and let all you adenium experts tell me what to do next. I am the novice here. Remember that single plant I had that seemed to grow twice as fast as the other 17. I showed pictures mid-summer. Well, that plant is now about 8-9" tall and all the rest are 4-6" tall. They are all grow in exactly the same conditions. They are all now approximately seven months old.

Like I said, I "stumbled" upon the information. Unfortunately I did not book-mark it.

Ken, I do remember your seedlings. Wow! They're 7 months old already...time sure flew by! I'm no expert by any stretch...but I'd like to be of some assistance. Looking forward to seeing your babies.

Tomorrow then.

Good morning, Willeke (good evening to you over there)! Woke up 2 hours later than usual at 5 am. On my 2nd cup of coffee now and raring to garden...but still a little dark out.

Yesterday, 2nd week in a row, I drenched my baby seedlings with starter solution that contains vit. B, and several other trace elements. Next week I'm going to start giving them weak weakly feedings of fertilizer.

Have you started your fertilizer regimen yet?