Q&A: Early Jump

Build a miniature greenhouse. Here's how:

Materials:

a plant cutting
potting mix
rooting hormone
several skewers, bamboo poles or Popsicle sticks
plastic bag

1. Cut two inches of plant material and remove the leaf nodes from the lower portion of the cutting.

2. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and plant it in potting soil.

3. Place a plastic bag over the pot, then gather and secure the excess plastic around the pot with a rubber band.

4. Poke numerous holes in the plastic bag. (Although humidity is needed, excessive moisture will cause the seedling to rot.)

5. Place the pot on a windowsill but not in direct sun. In four to six weeks, roots will begin growing and the plant can be transplanted outside.

--Dan Lehrer, Landscape Designer, Berkeley, California