Wiring Cuttings.

Ironbeaver

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Couldn't find anything on the topic, but is there any reason not to wire cuttings before they are rooted? I mean cut them off the tree, strip lower leaves, wire and bend, cut base and apply hormone, stick in media. I know it would waste wire on failed cuttings, but would the wiring actually cause cuttings to fail?

This post brought to you by random Friday afternoon boredom.
 

barrosinc

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It seems like a great idea. I did that last year and had really bad success rate... no idea if correlated or not.
It made me think I was compressing the phloem with the bendings, and breaking some fibers.

Edit: Dave beat me by a minute...
 
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barrosinc

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I would bet it would significantly reduce your rate of rooting the cuttings. Wiring and bending causes damage...
well there you go... It was one of those moments: "wow I am so smart... why doesn't everyone wire cuttings?" LOL
 

garywood

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Couldn't find anything on the topic, but is there any reason not to wire cuttings before they are rooted? I mean cut them off the tree, strip lower leaves, wire and bend, cut base and apply hormone, stick in media. I know it would waste wire on failed cuttings, but would the wiring actually cause cuttings to fail?

This post brought to you by random Friday afternoon boredom.
Another thought is wire easy rooting species and those that get brittle quickly is to wire the shoots a year or two before propagating.
 

Ironbeaver

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Yeah, it does seem like too good an idea. Back to the plan of wiring, setting then cutting (or layering...)
 

barrosinc

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If you want movement from day one I started using a branch the ramifies. So I cut like an inch under the ramification and leave only one of the two branches.
 

milehigh_7

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I would bet it would significantly reduce your rate of rooting the cuttings. Wiring and bending causes damage...
Exactly what my first thought was. Just the thought that bending does in fact stress the branch so all stored resources may go to try and deal with that stress and not making roots.
 
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Another thought is wire easy rooting species and those that get brittle quickly is to wire the shoots a year or two before propagating.
I've read this very helpful tip in one of the mags several years ago. Eye what you're gonna take, wire it, take the cutting at the appropriate time after letting it get used to its new "curves". I believe it suggested using good wire cutters to snip the wire and then take your cutting in the gap in the wire and leave the wire on. Works well with the quince cuttings I've tried. Gets you some curve right at the trunk base on the ones that take.
 

GrimLore

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I know it would waste wire on failed cuttings, but would the wiring actually cause cuttings to fail?

More then likely your success rate on the cuttings you damage will wire will be reduced. It would be far better to use a screen to create natural movement by letting them grow up to it and bend naturally as Al @Smoke does.

Grimmy
 
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