Ume cutting (good or bad)

junmilo

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Hi All,

As some of you guys and gals saw my previous P.mume postings. Well one died and the other two are good and pushing out new shoots. The question I have is before the little tree died, I took a very weak branch that is still green and had green leaves on it and made four cuttings from it (this was about 3-4 weeks ago). Since than, three of the four had died...one actually survived and pushed out new growth (2 weeks ago), I have been misting the new growth and the old leaf every day to ensure that there is no water loss. How long would I know if this cutting has roots? See photo below. It is outside in a shaded area that receives 4 hours direct sun everyday. The top three leaves are the new growth. Didn't show any changes in color or size. The old leaf is at the bottom with no change.

IMG_20180620_0657261.jpg
IMG_20180620_0657197.jpg
Thank you

Jun
 

junmilo

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If it starts to shoot out new growth, you're good... very unlikely with ume, and particularly a cutting from a weak tree.

Well, the concern I have with this cutting is the new growth came out....the color of the leaf is still the same....light green....not the dark green.

J
 

junmilo

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I've found it can take up to a year for ume cuttings to develop roots, even if leaves open.

Yes I heard from a grower here in Canada that he has been trying to grow ume cuttings for the past 4 years without any luck.

J
 

Dav4

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Well, the concern I have with this cutting is the new growth came out....the color of the leaf is still the same....light green....not the dark green.

J
Leaves aren't shoots... you need extending shoots with multiple leaves present on each shoot to be certain roots are growing.
 

junmilo

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Leaves aren't shoots... you need extending shoots with multiple leaves present on each shoot to be certain roots are growing.

So here is an updated photo from last response. It was taken yesterday...i noticed new growth pushing out from that old half leaf I left on the cutting....no extending shoots yet...finger crossed....IMG_20180715_1300357.jpg
 

RobertB

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good progress. Home this works for you. I would like to try some at some cuttings of these at some point to.
 

pbrown00

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IMG_9148.jpg

Here is a cutting I took in mid winter this year of an ornamental cherry. While not exactly "Ume," it is still Prunus, so I did not expect rooting success. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered a huge mass of roots when I repotted it a few weeks ago. Since then, it has put out long shoots from the two leaf groups. I had some other Prunus cuttings that failed. Those did put out leaves, but I noticed that once the buds broke and the leaves came out, nothing else happened, except they drooped and withered after a while. My successful Prunus cutting, on the other hand, remained healthy and green. My advice with your cutting is to keep it both moist and watered. I don't know enough to advice you on fertilizing it, but I did sprinkle a few inorganic pellets in spring. Good luck, and I'm sure that if it roots, it will become much prettier than my plain old cherry!
 

junmilo

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View attachment 201301

Here is a cutting I took in mid winter this year of an ornamental cherry. While not exactly "Ume," it is still Prunus, so I did not expect rooting success. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered a huge mass of roots when I repotted it a few weeks ago. Since then, it has put out long shoots from the two leaf groups. I had some other Prunus cuttings that failed. Those did put out leaves, but I noticed that once the buds broke and the leaves came out, nothing else happened, except they drooped and withered after a while. My successful Prunus cutting, on the other hand, remained healthy and green. My advice with your cutting is to keep it both moist and watered. I don't know enough to advice you on fertilizing it, but I did sprinkle a few inorganic pellets in spring. Good luck, and I'm sure that if it roots, it will become much prettier than my plain old cherry!

I do have organic pellet fertilizers. I water and mist the leaves once a day (when I am not travelling). It's growing under a Japanese winter sweet 2 yr old seedling so the shade is there if needed. The only thing I'm seeding negative right now is the color of the leaves it has...its a bit off comparing to the other ume I have.

JZ
 

junmilo

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Just want to update on this cutting in the little mame pot... See photo... Its the first day of fall... Not sure if I should bring it in or wait until the temperature drops to below freezing.

IMG_20180922_075651.jpg
 

Corrado

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Definitely do not let the freezing temps hit this young new plant!! keep the temps just above 32 and you will be just fine. After it gets a few years of roots and girth it can then be exposed to lower temps. I found with mine, the flowers swelled in december here in NY and by late January they started flowering so I had to keep it just above 32. (shed with window and a small heater ). If you leave it out at freezing the flowers will simply fall off dead. Later it will leaf out in spring.
 

junmilo

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Update. See attached photo.

Well it is snowing outside... So I brought in the cutting, it's beside a south facing window.. I mist the leaves once a day.. I see the old leaves fall off.. Now it only has a pair left... Should I worry?

Thank you.

IMG_20181204_003621.jpg
 

Corrado

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Hey, that other picture was deceiving seeing the other plant with that elongated shoot right behind the ume cutting. I thought that was the ume cutting. OK, well maybe its still good to go since its all summer with green leaves.Must be getting nutrient with some roots. So don't keep it at room temp. But also don't keep it hitting freezing. Eventually the leaves should fall off as it goes dormant. Keep it just above freezing .IF it wakes up in spring and shoots start growing yiou have roots and it will have a whole summer to grow and strengthen. Do the same regime again for next winter.
 

junmilo

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Hey, that other picture was deceiving seeing the other plant with that elongated shoot right behind the ume cutting. I thought that was the ume cutting. OK, well maybe its still good to go since its all summer with green leaves.Must be getting nutrient with some roots. So don't keep it at room temp. But also don't keep it hitting freezing. Eventually the leaves should fall off as it goes dormant. Keep it just above freezing .IF it wakes up in spring and shoots start growing yiou have roots and it will have a whole summer to grow and strengthen. Do the same regime again for next winter.

Can I just keep it at room temperature with a T15 bulb UVA with 8 hrs on and 16 hrs off..and let it go through dormancy next yr?
 

Corrado

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Quite honestly, I think your in no mans zone at this stage of the cuttings life. meaning it could go either way. Choice 1 -if its still growing both roots and shoots freezing temps will more than likely kill it. Choice 2- (my pick) keep it a little above freezing with some natural light to induce the growth to stop and go into dormancy(maybe that's why it dropped the leaves) yet not kill the plant or choice 3 keep it indoors with your lighting and see if it actually can skip the winter dormancy as a young cutting .I would keep the humidity high for that at the very least. Choice 4-- order a nice Ume from Evergreen Nursery
 
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