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

[River's Edge]

Will Frank's method work for JM cuttings too? (since JM cuttings can also be difficult to do... at least for me)

As previously noted by the title and my comments, I am simply applying other peoples research and techniques. This thread is not about maples, however a brief comment.
Maples respond easily to hardwood cuttings but the details and timing are different for maples. The best and most detailed explanations for maple propagation by cuttings is described in Andrea Meriiggioli's book Bonsai Maples. Key concepts are timing, varying temperature control and humidity.

 

[JoeR]

Test one. I believe this ume has pink flowers, so if this works I expect to be called prince of pink ume.


I will take more tomorrow, but wanted to stop here and see if anyone has suggestions before I continue with the other ume. This is a total of 233 cuttings from one plant, 4 treatment groups, 50 each, and then 33 bonus.


Materials, all sanitized as well as the working surface


Step one: Remove all of this years growth (as well as some accidental 2 y/o growth)



Step two: cut to 3-10 nodes. 3-4 is best ive read, but some of the internodes on this ume are small, so 3 nodes would be an inch or two long. Then spray with 2-3tbsp/quart peroxide in water as recommended in a post by @0soyoung



Step three: panic for a second that you soaked them too much with the peroxide because the cut ends turned dark


Step four: divide into four treatment groups. One sphagnum, the other play sand- also treated with peroxide solution. One of each will go outside, and one of each will stay in the refrigerator.

 

[Ohmy222]

I would try some just stuck in the ground or a pot outside. I have rooted several cuttings that I pruned in winter and stuck in a flat. Some bud out in the spring. I don't know that I have done this with ume or not but always suspected the 'store in sand' or 'keep in darkness' might not be necessary.

 

[leatherback]

I hope you re-cut the ends on these with a sharp knife. Your secateurs are too blunt and the ends have been bruised.

 

[JoeR]

I hope you re-cut the ends on these with a sharp knife. Your secateurs are too blunt and the ends have been bruised.

Yeah I realized after the initial panic that its trauma, not the peroxide. The smaller cuttings had clean cuts, but the larger ones are too hard to cut with a box cutter blade so I had to leave them as-is.

 

[JoeR]

I would try some just stuck in the ground or a pot outside. I have rooted several cuttings that I pruned in winter and stuck in a flat. Some bud out in the spring. I don't know that I have done this with ume or not but always suspected the 'store in sand' or 'keep in darkness' might not be necessary.

I think I'm going to put the extras in a pot outside filled with 50/50 perlite/bark, my standard grow out mix. Thanks

As far as darkness im not sure. The ones in the fridge will surely stay dark. But the ones outside I think I'm going to bury under the pea gravel in my garden, under benches where the light won't heat up the gravel.

 

[River's Edge]

You may wish to consider the following:
1. Orientation is important.
2. Sealing the top with a coloured sealant helps, otherwise check bud orientation.
3. Single edge razor blade aids clean cuts, helps to use it on a wet board when cutting.
4. Thickness of cutting is directly related to success rate. 3/8 inch good size.
.

 

[JoeR]

You may wish to consider the following:
1. Orientation is important.
2. Sealing the top with a coloured sealant helps, otherwise check bud orientation.
3. Single edge razor blade aids clean cuts, helps to use it on a wet board when cutting.
4. Thickness of cutting is directly related to success rate. 3/8 inch good size.
.

Thank you for the input, but in what way is orientation important? They are all facing the same way in the bag, I sorted them after cutting.

I have a bottle of wood glue i was going to use to seal the top cuts, but it takes a while to dry, and didn't want the cuttings to dry too much. What product do you use?

 

[Canada Bonsai]

@River's Edge have you isolated any factors that promote callous?

some of mine calloused quickly, others have yet to begin. All of my batches were treated quite differently, and i wasn’t able to track this

somebody told me oxygen helps

 

[River's Edge]

@River's Edge have you isolated any factors that promote callous?

some of mine calloused quickly, others have yet to begin. All of my batches were treated quite differently, and i wasn’t able to track this

somebody told me oxygen helps

I have not focussed on that detail as most cuttings callus very easily with my process.

 

[JoeR]

@River's Edge have you isolated any factors that promote callous?

some of mine calloused quickly, others have yet to begin. All of my batches were treated quite differently, and i wasn’t able to track this

somebody told me oxygen helps

Are you storing them bundled up like that? I debated doing the same to keep the different cultivars separate but in the same bag.

 

[River's Edge]

Thank you for the input, but in what way is orientation important? They are all facing the same way in the bag, I sorted them after cutting.

I have a bottle of wood glue i was going to use to seal the top cuts, but it takes a while to dry, and didn't want the cuttings to dry too much. What product do you use?

Orientation in terms of keeping the cuttings in an upright position, even when in cold storage. Wood glue will work just fine, and a sealant applied right away prevents desiccation. I use the following sealant, purchased online from kaneshin.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Are you storing them bundled up like that?

yes. i also used MUCH less sphagnum moss than you. For about 300 cuttings, i put not more than a fistful of damp moss. This may have been a mistake (@River's Edge ?). My thought was that the sealed (?) bag just needed stay high humidity

I have high success rates taking cuttings during the growing season - i’m trying to this for fun so please don’t rely on anything i say

 

[0soyoung]

i’m trying to this for fun so please don’t rely on anything i say

Did you know that there is not an emoticon for (blowing) raspberries?

 

[JoeR]

Orientation in terms of keeping the cuttings in an upright position, even when in cold storage. Wood glue will work just fine, and a sealant applied right away prevents desiccation. I use the following sealant, purchased online from kaneshin.

You know, if I had actually taken the time to think about it, I would have realised why thats important. I'll fix that tomorrow

How long does it take for the kaneshin product to dry? Also you apply it to just the top of the middle segments, or the bottom end of the cutting as well?

Good thing I didn't do them all today, appreciate the input as always folks

 

[JoeR]

yes. i also used MUCH less sphagnum moss than you. For about 300 cuttings, i put not more than a fistful of damp moss. This may have been a mistake (@River's Edge ?). My thought was that the sealed (?) bag just needed stay high humidity

I have high success rates taking cuttings during the growing season - i’m trying to this for fun so please don’t rely on anything i say

I'm willing to rely on anyone who had good success and posted their technique lol, not much else to rely on as far as these go.

I'm not sure about the humidity. Theres probably a reason the old Japanese method specified sand, and I suppose that may be because the sand holds moisture against the whole cutting.

 

[River's Edge]

How long does it take for the kaneshin product to dry? Also you apply it to just the top of the middle segments, or the bottom end of the cutting as well?

Never measured it , I do not apply sealant to the bottom. Depending on your process you may choose to use rooting hormone. Research has shown some benefit!

I'm willing to rely on anyone who had good success and posted their technique lol, not much else to rely on as far as these go.

You have mentioned the Peter Adams method, and the old Japanese method. Both methods include important detailed steps. My approach began with their steps and has adapted over several years of modifications to continue improving success rates. Humidity is important!
Here is a picture indicating the progress four weeks after planting. ( indoor setup) These are Kobai a pink cultivar. Leaf stage after flower buds removed! You can also see the difference in progress if you compare cutting size ( thickness) .
.

 

[JoeR]

Never measured it , I do not apply sealant to the bottom. Depending on your process you may choose to use rooting hormone. Research has shown some benefit!

You have mentioned the Peter Adams method, and the old Japanese method. Both methods include important detailed steps. My approach began with their steps and has adapted over several years of modifications to continue improving success rates. Humidity is important!
Here is a picture indicating the progress four weeks after planting. ( indoor setup) These are Kobai a pink cultivar. Leaf stage after flower buds removed! You can also see the difference in progress if you compare cutting size ( thickness) . View attachment 346514
.

Sweet thanks! Definitely going to fix these ones and take more now that I know.

I havent found the information directly from them, just read second hand information on here, so alot probably got lost in translation. If you know where to find it let me know

 

[River's Edge]

Check the early posts in this thread, I believe I included a lot of detail in my posts beginning around post #21 onward! The first post in the thread indicates the source of Peter Adams method.

 

[JoeR]

Check the early posts in this thread, I believe I included a lot of detail in my posts beginning around post #21 onward! The first post in the thread indicates the source of Peter Adams method.

Ahh sorry, I read through the thread a few days ago and forgot that you mentioned it was in the book!