Solanum laciniatum

• Sow about 3 mm deep
• Germinates best at about 19°C
• Comes up in 14–60 days
• Prick out about 3 weeks after sowing
• Pot on about 6 weeks after sowing
• Fresh seed germinates best; expect slow, uneven germination and keep consistently warm and moist throughout.

You'll need: Seed trays, free-draining seed compost, and a propagator or warm windowsill holding around 18-20°C.

1. Sow seed thinly onto the surface of moist, free-draining seed compost in spring.
2. Cover very lightly with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite or sieved compost.
3. Place in a propagator or on a warm windowsill at 18-20°C.
4. Keep the compost just moist; germination is often slow and uneven, so be patient.
5. Once seedlings have their first true leaves, prick them out into individual small pots.
6. Grow on somewhere bright and frost-free until ready to pot on or harden off.

How long

Germination is slow and erratic, usually taking 2 to 8 weeks.

It's worked when

Seedlings push up with their first true leaves and keep growing steadily without damping off.

Then

Pot on into larger pots as roots fill the container, keep frost-free through the first winter, and plant out once all frost risk has passed.

You'll need: Sharp secateurs or a clean knife, small pots, gritty free-draining compost, and a propagator or polythene bag for humidity.

1. In late spring or early summer, take 10-15cm softwood tip cuttings from healthy non-flowering shoots.
2. Trim just below a leaf node and strip off the lower leaves.
3. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone if you have some, though it is not essential.
4. Insert cuttings around the edge of a pot filled with free-draining, gritty compost.
5. Cover with a propagator lid or clear polythene bag to keep humidity high, and place somewhere warm but shaded from direct sun.
6. Keep the compost moist and check every week or two for signs of rooting.

How long

Softwood cuttings usually root within 3 to 6 weeks.

It's worked when

Gentle resistance when tugged and fresh new leaf growth show that roots have formed.

Then

Pot rooted cuttings up individually, grow on in a sheltered, bright spot, and keep frost-free over the first winter before planting out.

You'll need: Secateurs, small pots, free-draining cutting compost, and a propagator or clear plastic bag.

1. In mid to late summer, take 10-15cm semi-ripe cuttings from this year's growth, firm at the base and still soft at the tip.
2. Trim just below a node, remove the lower leaves, and cut any large remaining leaves in half to reduce moisture loss.
3. Dip the base in rooting hormone if using.
4. Insert the cuttings into pots of free-draining cutting compost.
5. Place in a propagator or cover with a clear bag, keeping warm but out of strong direct sun.
6. Keep the compost lightly moist until cuttings show signs of new growth.

How long

Semi-ripe cuttings typically root in 4 to 8 weeks.

It's worked when

New shoot growth at the tips and resistance when gently tugged confirm rooting.

Then

Pot on into individual pots, overwinter in a frost-free greenhouse or bright room, and plant out once frosts have finished the following spring.