Propagating Japanese Maples via cuttings

[ysrgrathe]

I'm about to try my hand at cuttings (Japanese Maple cultivars). This is the procedure I intend to use; I would love any feedback on the approach because I am not experienced in this.

1. Sterilize all propogation surfaces using household bleach diluted 10:1 with water.
2. Prepare 10:1 dilute bleach solution.
3. Prepare Captan solution at label strength.
4. Prepare 10,000ppm IBA dip-and-grow solution.
5. Take scions from new growth in early morning when turgid. Cut with straight razor and wound 1". Remove all fleshy growth, shorten to 3 nodes if necessary.
6. Dip scion in bleach for 5s, then Captan for 5s, then dip-and-grow for 5s.

I plan to utilize these mist sprayers in two different ways.

First method: aeroponic cloning. The scions will be suspended in a constant spray of water containing NPK and DynaGrow Pro-tekt. Water pH adjusted to 5.8. There is no substrate.

Second method: humidity dome with timed mist. I have read the best substrate is 1:1 peaterlite, but I'm afraid it will become completely waterlogged under the timed mist. Thoughts?

Timing: I've seen everything from now to late June for softwood cuttings. Right now my scions are nowhere near the "size of a pencil" that I see referenced in some texts.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Do you have any evidence that this works?

 

[0soyoung]

For acer palmatum 3,000 ppm IBA is better.
Dip in a solution of 2tbls 3% hydrogen peroxide per quart of water is the same as Zerotol at recommended strength and can replace both Captan and bleach PLUS less hazardous and eco-friendly since peroxide breaks down to only reactive oxygen (which does the sterilization work) and plain ole water.
I'm just a hobyist, but I haven't seen that damaging the cut end has any significant effect on acer palmatum rootability.

Interested in learning whether the cost of an aeroponic cloning unit is worthwhile versus the low tech plastic terrarium (bag over pot) which the misted humidity dome ought to emulate.

btw, you could mist occasionally with the 3% peroxide solution and likely avoid all fungal and bacterial issues.

 

[ysrgrathe]

@jeremy_norbury I don't. This protocol is mostly from Dirr, "The reference manual of woody plant propagation." Dirr mentions sterilization but doesn't offer a clear protocol, so I cobbled that together from other sources. @0soyoung thanks for the advice on that front.

Interested in learning whether the cost of an aeroponic cloning unit is worthwhile versus the low tech plastic terrarium (bag over pot) which the misted humidity dome ought to emulate.

I too am interested which is why I want to directly compare aeroponic to terrarium.

 

[Heavy_Set]

I have some JM maple cuttings in my "cloning machine" right now. They have been in for a week tomorrow and there are already little root nubs starting

I wasnt expecting to see anything happening this soon. My "house plants/magic flowers" usually dont start showing roots until the end of week 2....

Hopefully i will have 24 strongly rooted JMs in a few weeks!!!!

 

[ysrgrathe]

After 3 weeks, all of the cuttings on the aeroponic setup have failed. In contrast, all of the cuttings in my mini fog bench are looking great.

I thought I would post a video of my setup in case others are interested. One important note: I have drilled drainage holes in the propagator; these are essential because enough fog is being pumped in to pool up on the floor.

@Heavy Set do you use a humidity dome with your aeroponic cloner? I did not, and I think maintaining high humidity is necessary for JM cuttings regardless of what the manufacturer claims.

 

[JoeR]

Constantly moist leaves are best for JM in my very limited experience. I got this in maybe 2-3 weeks? in my propagation chamber. I have been quite successful with my simple inexpensive setup so far. I had no strategy when I struck these; I trimmed my maple and put a few of these in there with no rooting hormone and 3/5-ish of the leaves removed. Everything I have put in there has rooted or is working on it, with the exception of junipers. I think its too wet for them.

 

[eferguson1974]

My aquaponic system roots cuttings quickly. Idk about JMs but everything I have tried works. But I root cuttings in gravel mixed with good soil and usually dust the last inch in hormone. And remove most of the leaves. Maybe its because of living next to a rain forest, but the times Ive used bags, everything died. But in the shade most things grow roots.

 

[Eric Group]

Ya'll are making this WAYYYY more complicated than it needs to be. I have grown hundreds of JM from cuttings the past few years using little pots with perlite.
Here is how complicated it is:

Cut branch from tree
Put in perlite
Water
Wait

60-70%++ success rate.
I have rooted cuttings from tiny little twigs up to 1-2 inch girth branches.
All this fog machines, misters, complicated formulas of bleach solutions for sterilization and what concentration of root hormone ( completely optional)... Pffftttt... Waste of time and money.
But, if it makes you feel better/ like you are more of a horticulturalist or something?? Go right ahead... Buncha voodoo mumbojumbo if you ask me. The results stated are no better than mine from what I can tell... And if they are a little better with some fancy get-ups... At what COST? lol.

Same techniques I use have worked on JM, Trident Maple, Juniper, Chojubai, Crepe Myrtle, Azaleas (harder, not as high percentage, do better with some peat added), Elms of all kinds, Japanese and Chinese Quince, Zelkova.... Virtually any tree you can root from Cuttings. I even have JBP cuttings in their second season now still with green needles and little new buds starting to grow! Haven't dared to look to see if there are roots yet, little buggers have tricked me before!! LOL

 

[petegreg]

May I ask you what JM cultivars you have been successful to propagate from cuttings?
I've done some green and atropurpureum, no joy with deshojo, Sango-kaku, arakawa... I try to keep it simple and clean, but reading this thread with interest, what if?

 

[Eric Group]

May I ask you what JM cultivars you have been successful to propagate from cuttings?
I've done some green and atropurpureum, no joy with deshojo, Sango-kaku, arakawa... I try to keep it simple and clean, but reading this thread with interest, what if?

Palmatum
Kotohime
Arakawa

 

[M. Frary]

Buncha voodoo mumbojumbo if you ask me.

Me too.

 

[petegreg]

Thank you @Eric Group , I'll continue trying and sticking eth cut off into the soil.

 

[Heavy_Set]

After 3 weeks, all of the cuttings on the aeroponic setup have failed. In contrast, all of the cuttings in my mini fog bench are looking great.

I thought I would post a video of my setup in case others are interested. One important note: I have drilled drainage holes in the propagator; these are essential because enough fog is being pumped in to pool up on the floor.

@Heavy Set do you use a humidity dome with your aeroponic cloner? I did not, and I think maintaining high humidity is necessary for JM cuttings regardless of what the manufacturer claims.

I do not have a dome over the cloner, but the room it is in stays at 70% humidity. I have lost a few but I believe thats my fault from twisting them once they were in the neoprene plugs.
The rest have nice roots and will be planted once I can get over to visit my "dirt guy" to pick up some crushed hydroton.

 

[Heavy_Set]

Ya'll are making this WAYYYY more complicated than it needs to be.

Not too complicated for me. I already had the machine so all it involved was
1. cutting the cuttings
2. sticking them in the machine
3. switching the power switch from the off to the on position
And for my first try at this, I have 20 out of 24 strongly rooted in just over 3 weeks : )
I imagine if I were a bit more careful I would definately get 100% success.
The real test is if they will survive out of the machine and into soil......to be continued ; )

 

[Eric Group]

Not too complicated for me. I already had the machine so all it involved was
1. cutting the cuttings
2. sticking them in the machine
3. switching the power switch from the off to the on position
And for my first try at this, I have 20 out of 24 strongly rooted in just over 3 weeks : )
I imagine if I were a bit more careful I would definately get 100% success.
The real test is if they will survive out of the machine and into soil......to be continued ; )

I realize my comments came off a bit harsh and accusatory- no offense was intended towards you or the OP, but I was more talking about all the solutions and cutting with a razor in early morning while growth is turgid.... All that stuff? Come on man... Totally unnecessary. Cloning machines in general are not needed unless perhaps you are working with a more difficult species to root.

Take Hornbram or Pine for instance... Practically impossible to root them from most accounts! Putting a JM cutting in a cloning machine is overkill... Let's put some stuff in those fancy machines that are HARD to root and see what happens!

 

[Heavy_Set]

I realize my comments came off a bit harsh and accusatory- no offense was intended towards you or the OP, but I was more talking about all the solutions and cutting with a razor in early morning while growth is turgid.... All that stuff? Come on man... Totally unnecessary. Cloning machines in general are not needed unless perhaps you are working with a more difficult species to root.

Take Hornbram or Pine for instance... Practically impossible to root them from most accounts! Putting a JM cutting in a cloning machine is overkill... Let's put some stuff in those fancy machines that are HARD to root and see what happens!

No offense taken, I have some in 4" pots of perlite aswell.
My next attempt will be some blue larch cuttings.
The JMs were first because nobody around me locally has any that arent waaaaay overpriced IMO or have really bad grafts.
I am brand new to bonsai and the propagation of trees but I have many years experience with woody plants.
Hopefully some of that knowledge will transfer to trees.

Trial and error and error

 

[BethF]

Eric, you're going to have to teach me your secrets. I've managed to air layer a maple exactly once, and it took two years. Right now, I'm on my third try at layering a winged elm.

 

[JoeR]

I realize my comments came off a bit harsh and accusatory- no offense was intended towards you or the OP, but I was more talking about all the solutions and cutting with a razor in early morning while growth is turgid.... All that stuff? Come on man... Totally unnecessary. Cloning machines in general are not needed unless perhaps you are working with a more difficult species to root.

Take Hornbram or Pine for instance... Practically impossible to root them from most accounts! Putting a JM cutting in a cloning machine is overkill... Let's put some stuff in those fancy machines that are HARD to root and see what happens!

Then again, what can it [using a specialized setup] hurt though? What, will it increase your success rate?

 

[ysrgrathe]

No offense taken. I might be in the same boat as Beth though -- I've tried cuttings in the past without success. In fact I'm getting mold now on hardwood cuttings that I stuck in bags -- so some of us clearly need more guidance than just sticking it in a pot! I don't doubt it's the kind of thing that if you have enough experience you understand the variables and control them appropriately.