Prunus Mume Propagation by Hardwood Cuttings During Early Winter - The Peter Adams Method

[River's Edge]

I’ve been anxiously waiting for the day I can try this peter adam’s hardwood propagation technique and I figured today would be a great day to do that. However, a few days ago I noticed the buds on my trees are swollen.

Kobai
View attachment 409539View attachment 409540View attachment 409541

Peggy Clarke
View attachment 409542

Rosemary Clarke (Won’t be taking cuttings from this)
View attachment 409543

Here’s some context: 3 weeks we had cold weather (near freezing at night) and the week following that we had some oddly warm weather where temperatures ranged from Mid 50s to High 60s. Last week started mildy warm and gradually got to that normal november cool.

Have any of you experienced this? Should I wait until the buds reduce swelling before taking cuttings? Or should I just leave them alone?

If you are referring to flower buds, then they will be removed as part of the propagation process, not allowed to take energy from the cutting. In your climate zone, I would advise waiting a bit for more dormancy. The plants appear to still have quite a few leaves.

 

[Bonds Guy]

Buds are growing on my as well.

Good to know I’m not alone on this. You would think the plant would need some freeze hours before trying to exit dormancy

 

[Bonds Guy]

If you are referring to flower buds, then they will be removed as part of the propagation process, not allowed to take energy from the cutting.

Is this done before or after placing the cutting in the fridge?

 

[River's Edge]

Is this done before or after placing the cutting in the fridge?

It is done as they progress enough to remove them without damaging the leaf bud that will emerge from the same area. This may be before cold storage or during or after. I check the cuttings periodically to maintain healthier conditions even during storage such as changing towels or spraying with the rinse mix to maintain humidity and exercise some fungal control. I let them get started and remove them with tweezers or pinch with my fingers. Rock back gently and pull forward in the direction they emerge to prevent damaging the are where the leaf buds will form and emerge.

 

[leatherback]

However, a few days ago I noticed the buds on my trees are swollen.

All my mumes have swollen buds. They do not reduce back as far as I can tell.

 

[Bonds Guy]

All my mumes have swollen buds. They do not reduce back as far as I can tell.

Hm, so would you suggest extra protection for the winter?

 

[River's Edge]

buds reduce swelling before taking cuttings

I think you may be a bit confused on this point. This is the normal time of year for buds to begin swelling in some climates. The flower buds can be very evident at this time of year. Once they begin swelling they do not reduce in size until the flower is removed or spent. Then the leaf bud develops later in the year for spring arrival.
The sequence can be earlier or later dependant on climate and or the response the tree has to a variety of factors including work done on the tree.

 

[Bonds Guy]

Well I finally did it. Wish me luck

I just realized I forgot to remove the flower buds (Guess I have some more work to do)

 

[River's Edge]

Well I finally did it. Wish me luck
View attachment 411555View attachment 411556
I just realized I forgot to remove the flower buds (Guess I have some more work to do)

If I might make a suggestion. redo the lower cuts, make them within 1/4 inch of the lowest bud on the cutting. Just below that bud. Also make the cuts sharp and clean straight across, then use your rooting hormone. Do not remove the lower bud, Just rub off the outside petals if it has begun to flower. If you have removed it that will just increase the level of root extrusion to a higher point. It works best if the cutting calluses just below the bud site.
The cuts currently appear further below the low buds, and appear to be a bit discoloured which is a sign of possible crushing rather than a clean cut. It is best to use a clean razor blade, exactco blade or very sharp grafting knife.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

@River's Edge Frank have you tried using a fogger instead of misting?

My teacher switched from misters to a fogger this year, and noticed a significant jump in his success rate with a few species. It's too early to make any systematic observations, but it looks promising enough for me to make the expensive switch in anticipation of 2022.

The switch from droplet at ~50 micron to less than 5 microns reduces how 'wet' things are in the propagation house. The contant cloud of fog also naturally diffuses light in a way that seems to have been been beneficial.

Mist vs Fog is of course an old conversation in propagation. You would know better than me how the benefits of fog apply to the propagation of Prunus mume via hardwood cuttings.

Just a thought

 

[River's Edge]

@River's Edge Frank have you tried using a fogger instead of misting?

My teacher switched from misters to a fogger this year, and noticed a significant jump in his success rate with a few species. It's too early to make any systematic observations, but it looks promising enough for me to make the expensive switch in anticipation of 2022.

The switch from droplet at ~50 micron to less than 5 microns reduces how 'wet' things are in the propagation house. The contant cloud of fog also naturally diffuses light in a way that seems to have been been beneficial.

Mist vs Fog is of course an old conversation in propagation. You would know better than me how the benefits of fog apply to the propagation of Prunus mume via hardwood cuttings.

Just a thought

The research seems to indicate that the finer droplets are beneficial if that is a variable creating a problem for propagating the species. The choice will be dependant on the ventilation system designed to go along with the humidity control.
I am still operating on the KISS principle. Hand operated spray bottle combined with lifting the cover and an on/off switch for the fan. Humidity control has not been an issue for me!

 

[River's Edge]

Update on hardwood cuttings progress. This is a small group from Spring 2021 cuttings. After transfer from the propagation unit I put them in small colanders for the first summer. I do this specifically for the root formation and development characteristics that colanders can create. For many of us in the Pacific Northwest last summer was a hot one with a " heat Dome effect" that threatened to slow progress of our Bonsai.( 40 degree celsius for several days) My Prunus Mume cuttings reacted to the extreme heat by dropping all their leaves during the summer and playing dead for quite a while, even though the stems stayed green. Towards fall I suspected they were still faking it but might make it.
Today I worked with a group and transferred them from colanders to terracotta Azalea pots. ( if it gets hot this summer they will have a better chance )
I was pleased to find the radial root formation and fine feeder roots in the colanders was excellent for one year of growth interrupted. Also the new buds, leaves and flowers are pushing early so all signs are a go for a good growing year. Here are a couple of photos to illustrate. Sorry about the focus on the roots but the radial spread and amount is evident. A simple shot of the flower and a group shot of transplants. They will be nicely settled with lots of growth by fall Open House.

 

[ragenmoan]

I want to give this a try. How old is the wood these cuttings are cut from, 1, 2 3 or more year old wood? I think it was mentioned a greater degree of success with thicker cuttings also.

 

[JoeR]

I want to give this a try. How old is the wood these cuttings are cut from, 1, 2 3 or more year old wood? I think it was mentioned a greater degree of success with thicker cuttings also.

1 year for sure, 2/3 might be possible but 1 year is certainly best. From my personal experience, the best branches to select are: pencil thickness maybe slightly thicker, apical branches. It is imperative that the rooting end of the cuttings actually make contact with the substrate you're storing them in.

Getting them to callous is easy, getting them to root after that is much more difficult. They will leaf out with decent vigor, but the new shoots are super sensitive and will dry out really quick. They need high humidity or misting without a doubt

 

[River's Edge]

1 year for sure, 2/3 might be possible but 1 year is certainly best. From my personal experience, the best branches to select are: pencil thickness maybe slightly thicker, apical branches. It is imperative that the rooting end of the cuttings actually make contact with the substrate you're storing them in.

Getting them to callous is easy, getting them to root after that is much more difficult. They will leaf out with decent vigor, but the new shoots are super sensitive and will dry out really quick. They need high humidity or misting without a doubt

It also helps if the cuttings are started in a bit larger container so they can remain without transplanting for a longer period. This allows for greater root development and differentiation before being disturbed.

 

[JoeR]

It also helps if the cuttings are started in a bit larger container so they can remain without transplanting for a longer period. This allows for greater root development and differentiation before being disturbed.

Good point, this year I planted maybe 50 in a tray and it was a catastrophe separating them. If probably plant them straight unto 4" pots personally. I did 50/50 peat perlite, what did you use?

 

[River's Edge]

Good point, this year I planted maybe 50 in a tray and it was a catastrophe separating them. If probably plant them straight unto 4" pots personally. I did 50/50 peat perlite, what did you use?

I am old school, I use the components they will be in for most of their development in the first 10 years. Mix of Akadama and pumice. I do adapt grain size for stage of development to ensure optimum moisture retention for the stage. So smaller grain size in the beginning, larger as the plants mature and become much larger. Typically I prefer to use fine in the centre for the cutting and small surrounding the area. I use the method of filling the pot around a small pipe and then filling the pipe with fine as settling in the cutting. The pipe is then withdrawn slowly allowing the fine to settle lower and top up the surface. This allows developing roots to move from finer substrate to coarser substrate and develop further/thicker without disturbance.
For simplicity I use a small section of 1 inch PVC for this purpose. About 2-3 inches in length. Hope the explanation makes sense.

 

[ragenmoan]

Cut up some branches, sealed the tops with cut paste, stuck them into a moist sphagnum moss/pumice mix and ready for cold storage in the fridge. Thing is, the leaves had not fully dropped off and the flower buds are already starting to swell. I think I did this correctly. Should I pinch off the flower buds? Wish me luck!

 

[River's Edge]

Cut up some branches, sealed the tops with cut paste, stuck them into a moist sphagnum moss/pumice mix and ready for cold storage in the fridge. Thing is, the leaves had not fully dropped off and the flower buds are already starting to swell. I think I did this correctly. Should I pinch off the flower buds? Wish me luck!

View attachment 466298View attachment 466299

It is not necessary to pinch off the flower buds, and better not to risk damaging the area beneath the bud. I have never bothered with that step.

 

[jszg]

Something worth trying for Prunus mume: an old trick I used for roses. It works pretty well for even stubborn cultivars: it only failed (on roses) for me when pathogens grow faster than callus tissue. If someone is willing to mail me ume pieces I'd give it a try

Wrapping cuttings

If you haven't already discovered it, The Rose Hybridizers Association and its Forum are great places to learn about many things concerning ...

pushingtheroseenvelope.blogspot.com

Wrapping refresher...

Now the weather is finally cooling, many of us can begin experimenting with wrapping cuttings. There are a few questions which have been pre...

pushingtheroseenvelope.blogspot.com

money shot of the callus tissue:

Pushing the Rose Envelope

2012 Wrapping Update... I wrapped my first cuttings Christmas Eve, with a second batch on New Years Day. All very good takes. I'm on the f...

pushingtheroseenvelope.blogspot.com