Indoor propagation & cuttings

[win320]

I didn't try seedling cutting because I got just 7 seedlings from 200 seed, a lot more germinated but damping off wrecked them.

A tourniquet, not too tight, let's the seedling "cut itself" at its own rate. I only tried this on two seedlings, I decided to root prune more conventionally on the rest.

Thanks for sharing, I am learning from your experience.
I believe Cedar does not like wet feet (exception is Cedar Deodara, Himalayan Cedar).

I will try the tourniquet method for sure. I hope I get some success.

On a different note, I am finding it very difficult to germinate Scots pine. ( I tried 2 times already, only 1 seedling popped each time out of 20 seeds); could you please share your experience (stratification, media used, the method used).

Thanks

 

[JeffS73]

Scots should be easy - soak for 24hrs in warm water (doesn't have to stay warm), drain, put in bag with damp paper or preferred media and into fridge for 30 days. I check mine weekly, change the air in the bag. Spray fungicide if looking mouldy. After 30 days, into top 1/4" of tray of growing media, I use sifted perlite with 50% peat moss in top layer. They need a good light source, still enough time to sow them for this year outside. Dont sow them too close together or they'll damp off. No lid again, fresh breeze or fan for air circulation. Fungicide when they've sprouted. Go easy with the water.

My last lot of Scots I made seedling cuttings which were destroyed by fungus gnat larvae. This time I'm taking a more cautious approach and pruning when I repot. Scots seem a lot more sensitive to root work than JBP, at least at the early stage. I have some young collected Scots that grew an abundance of roots in one season, but they're all 2-5 years old.

 

[win320]

Scots should be easy - soak for 24hrs in warm water (doesn't have to stay warm), drain, put in bag with damp paper or preferred media and into fridge for 30 days. I check mine weekly, change the air in the bag. Spray fungicide if looking mouldy. After 30 days, into top 1/4" of tray of growing media, I use sifted perlite with 50% peat moss in top layer. They need a good light source, still enough time to sow them for this year outside. Dont sow them too close together or they'll damp off. No lid again, fresh breeze or fan for air circulation. Fungicide when they've sprouted. Go easy with the water.

My last lot of Scots I made seedling cuttings which were destroyed by fungus gnat larvae. This time I'm taking a more cautious approach and pruning when I repot. Scots seem a lot more sensitive to root work than JBP, at least at the early stage. I have some young collected Scots that grew an abundance of roots in one season, but they're all 2-5 years old.

Thanks, Jeff... that's very helpful.
happy propagation and happy bonsai!

 

[JesusFreak]

I thought you weren’t suppose to bare root conifers when repotting. I’m kinda new tho so...

 

[JeffS73]

My experience is limited to what I've grown from seed for the past 3 years and relatively young (upto 20yrs) yamadori I've collected. Seedlings and my trees up to 3yrs I have bare rooted at each repot. They barely skip a beat, as long as you try to be gentle. I've cut back more aggressively on a few this year, so I guess I'll see how that pans out. Timing needs to be good too. For example, JBP, sown in say Jan, cut at 6-8 weeks, repot at 12-18 weeks, then repot Autumn or following Spring. Then for me it's either a year or 18 months after that, which is where I'm at with my oldest seedlings. I bare rooted these to untangle and set the Nebari. The Autumn ones seem fine, they didn't do much, but I'm expecting them to take off this Spring.

When I sowed some Larch late last year (like June), and did early root work in Autumn, some of them decided to go dormant and others are still growing away! Hopefully their clocks will get reset this year.

Today whilst repotting I noticed the JRP roots had lots of new growth whilst the JBP were only just waking up. Larch still fast asleep. Fascinating stuff!



Collected 2019 with minimal roots, repot Spring 2021. I tidied this up after taking this photo but don't have an after shot.
Can I also say, collecting in the UK is a risky business. Everywhere I go I see needle blight on Pines. I would not collect in these areas.
There are Larch plantations being cleared due to Phytophthera - just as bad.
I've found lone trees with seedlings about and collected from these locations.
You do NOT want to import needle diseases to your garden if at all possible, they typically destroy low growth first, i.e. bonsai.
I have some trees like the above that have shown signs of disease; I've quarantined them and am in two minds as to whether I should just save myself hassle and destroy them.



JBP sown Jan 2020, repot Spring 2021, just a few white tips to roots.


JBP Sown Jan 2020, Repot Spring 2021, weird little thing.


JRP sown early 2020, Repot Spring 2020, many more white tips to root. JRP roots more brittle too!

 

[win320]

That looks fantastic... great progress. thanks for sharing.

I sowed some Larch late last year

Did you do seedling cutting on Larch? What's the process, I am about to sow Japanese larch seeds, I want to do seedling cutting. Do they like the humidity in seedling cutting? Thanks

 

[JeffS73]

If you can do Pine, I think you'll find Larch easy. They respond well to root hormone, I used clonex gel. Cut them at a similar time to pines, after the first proper needles have come out. I did have them in a propagator, they like moisture but I'm tempted to think you could do them without.
I'd like to try a misting system instead of the propagator.

 

[win320]

If you can do Pine, I think you'll find Larch easy. They respond well to root hormone, I used clonex gel. Cut them at a similar time to pines, after the first proper needles have come out. I did have them in a propagator, they like moisture but I'm tempted to think you could do them without.
I'd like to try a misting system instead of the propagator.

Thanks, @JeffS73 again for your knowledge on Larch... I am getting good results for JBPs (so far 100% success)

2 SCP seedling cuttings I did... they are doing well... This Saturday I will check my SCP cutting from my bonsai (I did pruning, it has callused well.... last week I checked, callus was still but no roots... let's see )

Please share the results of the misting system... I am also thinking to the same as in summer temperature in humidity dome rises very quickly (last year in 2019 I literally boiled the juniper cuttings in a sunny window under humidity dome... didn't realise that inside temperature was 50 degrees celsius)