Rooting Hormone Conentration

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Rooting Hormone Concentration

I purchased Green Light Rooting Hormone with 0.1% IBA. The decision to purchase this particular type was based on careful deliberation at my local nursery aided by the facts that I am an impulsive shopper and it was the only one that they carried.

Anyways, will I be wasting my time using such a weak concentration or will it be sufficient for my needs? I am wanting to root prunus mume, prunus serrulata (flowering cherry), lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle), betula nigra (River birch), and Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly). I'm mainly concerned about the first three. I'd like to propagate the birch and holly as well but they aren't deal breakers.

Also, I was planning on doing an air layer on the (~2") trunk of the flowering cherry. Will a 0.1% IBA concentration be sufficient for that?

Thanks in advance for any advise.
 
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milehigh_7

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I purchased Green Light Rooting Hormone with 0.1% IBA. The decision to purchase this particular type was based on careful deliberation at my local nursery aided by the facts that I am an impulsive shopper and it was the only one that they carried.

Anyways, will I be wasting my time using such a weak concentration or will it be sufficient for my needs? I am wanting to root prunus mume, prunus serrulata (flowering cherry), lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle), betula nigra (River birch), and Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly). I'm mainly concerned about the first three. I'd like to propagate the birch and holly as well but they aren't deal breakers.

Also, I was planning on doing an air layer on the (~2") trunk of the flowering cherry. Will a 0.1% IBA concentration be sufficient for that?

Thanks in advance for any advise.


If you are planning to do this much I would advise picking up a copy of D&H. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604690046/ref=kinw_rke_rti_1

Otherwise I can look up the correct concentrations when I get home. P. Mume is not included in the book unfortunately so someone else will have to chime in on that.
 

milehigh_7

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I purchased Green Light Rooting Hormone with 0.1% IBA. The decision to purchase this particular type was based on careful deliberation at my local nursery aided by the facts that I am an impulsive shopper and it was the only one that they carried.

Anyways, will I be wasting my time using such a weak concentration or will it be sufficient for my needs? I am wanting to root prunus mume, prunus serrulata (flowering cherry), lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle), betula nigra (River birch), and Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly). I'm mainly concerned about the first three. I'd like to propagate the birch and holly as well but they aren't deal breakers.

Also, I was planning on doing an air layer on the (~2") trunk of the flowering cherry. Will a 0.1% IBA concentration be sufficient for that?

Thanks in advance for any advise.

First .1% = 1000 ppm (parts per million)

All information below is from "The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation" Dirr, Michael A, and Heuser, Charles W. Jr.; (2nd Edition, 2006)

Depending on the cultivar of P. serrulata, you could have some success. Typical conditions are as follows (D&H ):
1) Cuttings taken late to mid summer
2) Wound the cuttings
3) 8000-10,000 ppm IBA-talc
4) mist
5) peat/sand 2:1
6) bottom heat 70-75 degrees F. (pg 292)

Lagerstroemia indica should be no problem:
1) June, July or Aug cuttings
2) 1000 ppm IBA solution (talc should be fine)
3) peat:perlite
4) mist
5) 90-100% rooting in 3-4 weeks (pg 224)

Betula nigra:

1) June-July cuttings
2) 1000 ppm IBA
3) peat:perlite
4) mist
5) Do not disturb newly rooted cuttings, allow to grow out in flats till following spring (p 127)


Ilex crenata:
1) cuttings taken as growth flush hardens
2) 1000-3000 ppm IBA
3) peat:perlite + heat + mist

some cultivars will require higher IBA concentrations.
 
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Awesome. Thanks for that info. It looks like I'm good to go on everything except the two prunuses. I think I'll just try to find a purer form of IBA and mix to suit my needs.

I'll definitely put that book you recommended on the 'need to buy' list. Seems very useful.
 

milehigh_7

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Awesome. Thanks for that info. It looks like I'm good to go on everything except the two prunuses. I think I'll just try to find a purer form of IBA and mix to suit my needs.

I'll definitely put that book you recommended on the 'need to buy' list. Seems very useful.

Consider Wood's Dip 'n Grow. It has IBA and NAA and you can vary the dilution to suit your needs.
 

Lionheart

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I know this is kind of an old thread, but it goes directly to what I'm trying to do now.

Can anyone elaborate or further define the phrase "taken as growth flush hardens"? I'm in zone 7. I just pruned a nursery bought ilex crenata. I thought I'd try rooting the cuttings. Is this an OK time of year?

Furthermore, should I keep these cuttings out of the sun?

Thanks in advance.
 

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I am an impulsive shopper and it was the only one that they carried.

LOL I appreciate the honesty :) I think we have all been there.

Many people operate under the misconception that stronger = better with rooting hormone. Actually you want the Goldilocks strength - not too strong and not too weak. Too strong is worse than none at all - it can actually prevent rooting. Different tree species require different strengths - it is best to check a reference manual for recommended hormone strength.

When tree pushes new growth, the growth will (typically) be a pale color and soft. The growth will extend... and then stop extending. At this point the leaves and branches will "harden" and become less flexible. The branches will lignify and the leaves will callus. Then the new branches will sit for a while and photosynthesize until the tree is ready for a new "flush" of growth. Some trees can have several flushes of growth a year - some only one.
 
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GrimLore

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Can anyone elaborate or further define the phrase "taken as growth flush hardens"? I'm in zone 7.

The growth will extend... and then stop extending. At this point the leaves and branches will "harden" and become less flexible.

To clarify - The new growth still should be a bit flexible not completely lignified(hardened) for most cuttings but not all. That works good for most deciduous trees here like Elm. Fruit trees tend to do better after leaf drop here, hardwood cuttings stuck in substrate and left out to wake in Spring. Another plant I can only get cuttings to strike from on lignified wood is Bougainvillea once chopped for the Fall and brought inside. The cuttings do best if I wait until the lignified wood starts to back bud after being in a few weeks.
It really depends on the plant type so a bit of research should always be done ;)

Grimmy
 

Eric Group

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JFTR, I have rooted probably thousands of trees and have yet to see a drastic difference between using hormone or not using it. It seems the timing, moisture and substrate are the controlling factors. I take hardwood cuttings early in the year and recently lignified new growth later in the season from some trees (around this time or a bit earlier for me) and have success both ways.

Timing- for most trees after temps get above 70F outside... for Juniper and Mume, take in early winter for better results

Moisture- WET. Period. Water 2-3 times a day if possible

Substrate- perlite 100%. More successful that the combos I have tried. Perlite and Peay is Ok, but when watering/misting often (which helps keep the tops alive long enough for them to root) the peat stays a bit too wet and leads to rot.

That is what works for me in my area- partial shade is ideal but mostly to avoid them drying out in full sun...
 

Bonsai Nut

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JFTR, I have rooted probably thousands of trees and have yet to see a drastic difference between using hormone or not using it. It seems the timing, moisture and substrate are the controlling factors.

I am also a perlite fan after trying many other combos. I get close to the same result with graded small pumice, but perlite is lighter (and cheaper). Plus perlite's lightness helps prevent root damage when I remove the cuttings to transplant.

One add to Eric's comment - at least here in Southern California our air is so dry that misting alone won't maintain adequate moisture in the cuttings. I have had best results using clear domed lids over my cutting media (I use clear deli containers). I have also in the past used clear saran wrap. As soon as I see the lack of condensation on the inside of the lid, time to water/mist!
 

Stickroot

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I use .1 powder.
Those dome flats have mesh bottoms.
I've been using them for 15 plus years and like Eric said if everything else is good the hormone doesn't matter a lot.
I can tell you for sure that in the same conditions the hormone clones will hav MORE ROOTS around the base.
image.jpeg These misters come from Hummert international in St. Louis.image.jpeg i have them on a cheap hose timer from blowes.
DONT EVER DISTURB THEM!
Don't check for roots!
 

jmw_bonsai

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I use .1 powder.
Those dome flats have mesh bottoms.
I've been using them for 15 plus years and like Eric said if everything else is good the hormone doesn't matter a lot.
I can tell you for sure that in the same conditions the hormone clones will hav MORE ROOTS around the base.
View attachment 154751 These misters come from Hummert international in St. Louis.View attachment 154753 i have them on a cheap hose timer from blowes.
DONT EVER DISTURB THEM!
Don't check for roots!
Being a propagator also, this picture is fantastic, LOL! As mentioned above, I find the key is moisture and misting more than hormones. Of course I wish I would try some test for comparison, but I always still fell better putting some magic pixie dust (hormone) on them, LOL
 
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