Japanese maple cutting ?

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my landlord gave me the go-ahead to take clippings from any of the trees in the yard! This includes:
Japanese maple
Weeping willow (as discussed in a previous thread)
Pussy willow (any good for bonsai?)
And some sort of golden weeping cypress (which I thinks is super cool!)
My main focus is on the maple because I've always admired the colors of the foliage with the changing seasons. I've heard that there is a little more to rooting a cutting then just sticking it in water. Any tips!?
Thanks so much in advance !
 

lieuz

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my landlord gave me the go-ahead to take clippings from any of the trees in the yard! This includes:
Japanese maple
Weeping willow (as discussed in a previous thread)
Pussy willow (any good for bonsai?)
And some sort of golden weeping cypress (which I thinks is super cool!)
My main focus is on the maple because I've always admired the colors of the foliage with the changing seasons. I've heard that there is a little more to rooting a cutting then just sticking it in water. Any tips!?
Thanks so much in advance !

Hope it's not too late for this but I know that clippings of the weeping willow and pussy willow will be able to propagate easier than the others. I still think it's way too early but with the maple, look for the branches that were grown last year and take those instead of the hard wood branches. If you have any rooting hormone, dust some of it onto the cuttings. Make sure you don't stick the cutting into the whole batch, there's a possibility you could ruin the entire batch of rooting hormone. Then stick it into a container with potting soil and do your best to give it the most humidity, like wrapping plastic wrap around the container . You could also cut a 2 liter bottle in half and punch a lot of holes in the base and somehow reattach the top portion and use it as a cap to induce greenhouse like humidity.

TIP: If you don't have any rooting hormone, I would suggest you take some of the clippings of the weeping willow and steep it in water for a a day, leaves and branches all diced up. Use the "tea" and place your cuttings into it for 15 minutes or so to allow it to soak up that tea. Willow tea is a known rooting hormone. Good luck!
 
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Thanks! I've had the willow clippings in a bucket of water for about 4 weeks. No roots yet but it has actually opened all the buds in this time. I think I'm going to take your advice and plant them in soil. Thanks!
 

Eric Group

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Thanks! I've had the willow clippings in a bucket of water for about 4 weeks. No roots yet but it has actually opened all the buds in this time. I think I'm going to take your advice and plant them in soil. Thanks!
I think if your willow cuttings have been in a bucket of water for 4 weeks, you have some willow tea already, with no need to steep it! Use that water to prepare further cuttings from other trees...

You will have best success once leaves are I and temps are steadily in the 70s and above.

Instead of potting soil, try a mix of all/ mostly Pearlite ( the white stuff in potting soil)- you can get some for a couple bux at Lowe's/ HD...
 

JoeR

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I think if your willow cuttings have been in a bucket of water for 4 weeks, you have some willow tea already, with no need to steep it! Use that water to prepare further cuttings from other trees...

You will have best success once leaves are I and temps are steadily in the 70s and above.

Instead of potting soil, try a mix of all/ mostly Pearlite ( the white stuff in potting soil)- you can get some for a couple bux at Lowe's/ HD...
Is this info for the jap maple or the others?
 

Eric Group

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Is this info for the jap maple or the others?
Most any cutting honestly. The temps are just the levels you need to get good root growth. Regarding Perlite- The moisture retention, amount of air it allows in, the fact it is pretty much completely sterile, doesn't compact or have bits that damage new roots...

I haven't found anything better for rooting cuttings!
 

Bunjeh

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Thanks! I've had the willow clippings in a bucket of water for about 4 weeks. No roots yet but it has actually opened all the buds in this time. I think I'm going to take your advice and plant them in soil. Thanks!
Just about anything will root in peat and perlite. However, resist the temptation to tug them and check the roots. Once potted, some will strike and some will not. If they continue to grow and put out leaves chances are they struck. Wait until they are dormant this fall before repotting.
 

M. Frary

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I wouldn't try anything but the maple for cuttings. Willow isn't a good candidate for bonsai at all.
 

Paulpash

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50 / 50 coarse peat & perlite works well. I rooted several 'Orange Dream' cuttings using this mix inside an unheated propagator last year. I have bought a heated one this year and will repeat the process again.
 
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