Cuttings from chilli and courgettes

[Dolly13]

I've been suffering with a lurgy all week so not been out in the garden. Finally today was feeling slightly better so thought I'd better go and see what's happening.

What I ended up doing is half killing one of the chilli plants plus 1 of the courgette plants

The chilli plant has loads of long stems which are all in flower (with some baby chillis) - I've managed to somehow take off a whole side stem.

The courgette plants are in a grow bag and have produced many side stems too. Again somehow I've managed to break off one of the stems (well it's half off and hanging on!). This one again has loads of babies and flowers.

I'm not sure how I've done this as I was cutting anything! Think it happened in haste.

Anyway - what I want to ask is if any of you know if the chilli stem and courgette stalk will take root if I put into a pot of compost? Sadly, I don't have any rooting gel or powder, only compost and fertiliser.

Any advice would be very gratefully received.

[Mrs Jackson]

I've done loads of chilli cuttings and they usually take really well. Not tried it with courgettes though.

Mrs J

[Dolly13]

Thanks, that's great news Mrs Jackson. How do you normally grow your cuttings - eg do you just put straight into some compost in a pot?


Thanks for your advice.

[Mrs Jackson]

I snip the stem diagonally just below a leaf joint thingy, then remove the leaf/leaves at the bottom, then dip in rooting hormone and stick it in either damp seed compost or a coir jiffy pellet. Then I pop them in a propagator out of direct sunlight until the roots have started growing nicely. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old so there are lots of casualties in my garden which get sorted out this way

Mrs J

[Dolly13]

Thanks again. I don't have any rooting hormone today but will try and get some tomorrow (hoping the damaged stem survivies that long!). I've currently put it into some damp compost in a pot in my unheated green house! It's quite a large stem full of flowers and baby chillis so not sure how well it's going to do.

[Alice]

Dolly13, your broken chilli branch might root and grow but I don't hold out any hope for the flowers and chillies which are on it. Sorry. But don't worry too much. The rest of the plant should go on to flower and fruit perfectly well. Same for your courgette.
Good luck.

[Seahorse]

If the courgette stem isn't completely severed, it might be ok anyway, especially if you tape it up to try and ensure it doesn't get worse. I've had some quite badly damaged ones hang on to the main plant and continue to fruit.

[Dolly13]

Hi Alice - yeah, thought the flowers and chillis wouldn't be too happy. The rest of the plant seems ok so should be fine. I managed to harvest one long chilli off the broken stem, so it's better than nothing

Hi Seahorse - so far the courgette seems ok so I might do as you suggest and "tape" it together. You never know it might just work.

[Two_Sheds]

I'd go for taping the stem and hoping it grafts itself back together, rather than trying to take cuttings