mugo pine propagation from cuttings.

[marc206]

I know the first thing you think would be impossible right. I'm not talking about a germinated seed cutting. I didn't think it was possible but I typed in mugo propagation in google and all that kept showing was a PDF.
Written in 1968 which is the only proof of mugo propagation. I was planning on working on 3 of my mugos today so I will be trying this propagation method.

http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/propagation-mugo-pine-successful

I am just sharing this method because I haven't even heard of pine propagation by softwood/hardwood cuttings before. So I thought I would share it first on bnut, thanks for reading guys.

 

[marc206]

Has anyone else heard of or tried this method?

 

[YukiShiro]

tried red pine: out of 50 cuttings 1 maybe made it
tried black pine: out of 10 attempted 1 maybe made it
tried white pine: out of 50 cuttings it looks like only 2 or 3 did not make it...

pines are controlled, in south africa, by a big paper company called Sappi. Sappi has manopoly...one cant import pines or trade in pines...its hard... on top of that sappy propogates all their tree with a type of gel based rooting hormone, with this they get 100% success. This gel is not available to the public!!! So...maybe you guys in the states could find a similar gel and try it....maybe post me some hahahaha. will try and find the product name for you guys, im almost certain the product is imported from USA

Herman

 

[0soyoung]

I've tried to root mugo (and JBP) cuttings several times, with cuttings from two different trees, all to no avail.

 

[marc206]

I've tried to root mugo (and JBP) cuttings several times, with cuttings from two different trees, all to no avail.

Ok well here in Seattle we have been getting perfect weather for propagation. I have been on cutting mode for the past two weeks. Hopefully I will have some luck just like on my mugo pine air layers that have taken within 8 months.
Wish me luck, I will post my updates. I would be where I am today if it wasn't for bonsainut.

 

[tom tynan]

Hey MArc... I would like to have seen more pumice and lava in your mix and much less peat moss. The peat moss here in the US is more dust-like. I think a coaser mix will do better in your pacific NW climate. 100% pumice would be the best option. Good luck with the mugo...Tom

 

[Paradox]

Is it Clonex rooting gel?

 

[marc206]

Hey MArc... I would like to have seen more pumice and lava in your mix and much less peat moss. The peat moss here in the US is more dust-like. I think a coaser mix will do better in your pacific NW climate. 100% pumice would be the best option. Good luck with the mugo...Tom

Yes I agree. My mixes have been moving more towards a coarser mix.

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes I agree. My mixes have been moving more towards a coarser mix.

I don't use Peat Moss in my mix, or for anything for that matter. I use composted Pine Bark Mulch. It's coarser than processed (Canadian Peat) and is not dangerous to use. The product is usually sold as an assortment of products called garden compost but the bag usually identifies itself as composted pine bark mulch.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Vance, I was waiting for you to chime in with all of your years of mugo experience. Have you found cuttings to be as difficult? What about layers?

 

[Vance Wood]

Vance, I was waiting for you to chime in with all of your years of mugo experience. Have you found cuttings to be as difficult? What about layers?

I have been aware of propagation from cuttings for many years but have never had the need to engage in the practice because an almost endless supply of Mugos of the size I prefer to work with have always been available to me. I grow Shimpaku Junipers from cuttings because they are not so available.

 

[marc206]

I have been aware of propagation from cuttings for many years but have never had the need to engage in the practice because an almost endless supply of Mugos of the size I prefer to work with have always been available to me. I grow Shimpaku Junipers from cuttings because they are not so available.

Yes its very hard to find good mugo around here I have 4. But I've have to search high and low for them.

 

[JoeR]

@marc206 So how did the cuttings and layerings go? I want to try it myself on one I got yesterday.

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes its very hard to find good mugo around here I have 4. But I've have to search high and low for them.

That's how you find good Mugos; searching high and low on hands and knees. How do you find good Yamadori? Go to Cost Plus? I don't mean to sound flipant, sarcastic or flat out mean but there are so many examples of people wanting to get stuff for nothing without a measure of sweat equity it sometimes drives me nuts (not that I am not that way already), when people do not understand what I have to go through to get good Mugos. I understand good usable bonsaieble Mugos from the nursery trade is a huge challenge. I find them because I don't care if I get my knees dirty, my nails dirty, my hands dirty and acquire a headache.

 

[lucany]

@marc26 how did those cutting came out? did any take? I cleaned up my Mugo pine today and took some clippings to see if i can root those...

 

[sorce]

@marc26 how did those cutting came out? did any take? I cleaned up my Mugo pine today and took some clippings to see if i can root those...

I jammed a few in some nursery soil this spring that were still green last I checked. Buds swelled about half way through summer. That's as far as I've gotten so far. Ones stuck in the ground randomly always died, think it was too dry. This pot been kept wet AF.

Sorce

 

[lucany]

hi Thank you for the update! I have started few and will keep in my seed started container with humidity and heat control so I hope that by next summer these will have develop some roots...really look forward to see...takes time!!!

 

[sorce]

2 of 3 still green and looking very likely to grow top this spring.



Sorce

 

[penumbra]

2 of 3 still green and looking very likely to grow top this spring.

View attachment 424227

Sorce

This intrigues me because several times I have simply jammed an untreated cutting into a pot of another plant while I was pruning a,d the plant rooted. A fw years ago I was trimming an elm and I prepared a few treated cutting in a sterile mix under lights, and they did not take. But the couple I jammed into other pots of other trees did root.

 

[sorce]

Pondering.....

I think the key to this success is the timing of the cuttings.

I pruned these off well before they started to get an idea of growing for spring.

This, combined with cool weather for some time allowed them to "change their minds" because they had nothing else to do.

I reckon summer is too hot, plus that years needles are still too soft. Too much transpiration.

Perhaps early cool fall would work, but I reckon it would have to be before what I call that "fall bud reinforcement" where around Sept the tips calculate energy and make the decision to add branches and swell new tip buds.1-3, 3-5.

We'd have to catch them before they make that decision in fall, that energy needs to be allocated to growing roots.

Sorce