Question About Cuttlings

[MBatcho1]

Hello All,

I just wanted to ask where I might be able to get some info on cuttlings and different types of propagation. I have a few japanese maples near my house and basically took a small branch off, put root hormone on it and stuck it into the ground.

Does this work with most plants and is their a thread that someone can send me to to get more info?

Thanks

 

[CorinneL]

Propagation

Hi there - I noticed no one gave you an answer, and I can't give one either! But as a newcomer to the journey of bonsai, one of the things that has attracted me is the possibility of using many local plants and trees... but propagation is clearly key to that process. I have collected seeds from Mountain Ash that grow here, but am interested in trying to use the 8' serviceberry shrub I have as potential bonsai material.

Is it suitable for propagation by cutting? Air layering seems complicated to me, but maybe it isn't... I could collect seeds if only I could beat the birds to the berries, and it's a very long process then. Any input on this topic would be helpful for sure!

CorinneL

 

[Smoke]

Try reading this

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?1568-Making-Japanese-Maple-Cuttings

 

[FrankP999]

Try Brett's page at http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/cuttings.htm

 

[CorinneL]

Try Brett's page at http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/cuttings.htm

This one has been bookmarked and looks to be quite helpful! It appears my best bet is to wait until next summer to try my hand at semi-softwood cuttings of my Serviceberry. The Dirr and Heuserbook is now on my Amazon wishlist!

 

[Poink88]

Another advise I can give you is to start with more cuttings than you need and allow for some casualties. Also avoid moving/touching them until they are growing fully.

The other side of the coin is that it is so simple that in time you can have more plants than you care for...so be careful.

I think some 2"-3" dia yaupon holly cuttings I stuck on dirt while trimming my collected plants a few months ago took. I did nothing special to them either other than some root hormone.

Good luck!

 

[frozenoak]

Not really pertinent or useful but a couple years ago my grandfather trimmed a crabapple tree in his front yard and stacked the trimmings next to the garbage to be taken out with the trash at the end of the week. All the trimmings had roots three days later and instead of taking them to the trash he sold them to a local nursery (or maybe he traded them for something).

I am looking for the book Propagation of Woody Plants, by Dirr and Heuser, but all I can seem to find by those two is The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture (Second Edition). Is Propagation of Woody Plants out of print?

 

[CorinneL]

Not really pertinent or useful but a couple years ago my grandfather trimmed a crabapple tree in his front yard and stacked the trimmings next to the garbage to be taken out with the trash at the end of the week. All the trimmings had roots three days later and instead of taking them to the trash he sold them to a local nursery (or maybe he traded them for something).

I am looking for the book Propagation of Woody Plants, by Dirr and Heuser, but all I can seem to find by those two is The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture (Second Edition). Is Propagation of Woody Plants out of print?

Nice ending for the crabapple trimmings! As far as the book, the second one is the only one I've ever seen commented about - are they maybe the same thing you just got a shortened version of the title?

 

[frozenoak]

Nice ending for the crabapple trimmings! As far as the book, the second one is the only one I've ever seen commented about - are they maybe the same thing you just got a shortened version of the title?

They may very well be one and the same, I was looking for conformation. The link Posted by FrankP999 references the first book.

 

[IIIROYIII]

I know many have great success striking the cuttings in soil, I have noticed much better results using these plugs:
http://www.atlantishydroponics.com/VIAGROW-Viagrow-Super-Plugs-72-Organic-Seed-Starter-Plug-Tray-5467

I have found that with a bit of water in the bottom the plugs act like a sponge and seem to draw just the right amount of water into the plugs, without necessarily soaking the plug. They also seem to allow plenty of air through them, as they don't break down or compact quite as much as humus based soils.

The other plus side to these is that you can lift the plug tray from the water tray beneath it, without disturbing the roots of the cuttings, and from this simple inspection you can tell which cuttings have enough roots that it is time to be transplanted to a pot (the roots will be growing out the bottom of the plug and into the water beneath). There is no question to which have rooted and which have not.

 

[CorinneL]

I know many have great success striking the cuttings in soil, I have noticed much better results using these plugs:
http://www.atlantishydroponics.com/VIAGROW-Viagrow-Super-Plugs-72-Organic-Seed-Starter-Plug-Tray-5467

I have found that with a bit of water in the bottom the plugs act like a sponge and seem to draw just the right amount of water into the plugs, without necessarily soaking the plug. They also seem to allow plenty of air through them, as they don't break down or compact quite as much as humus based soils.

The other plus side to these is that you can lift the plug tray from the water tray beneath it, without disturbing the roots of the cuttings, and from this simple inspection you can tell which cuttings have enough roots that it is time to be transplanted to a pot (the roots will be growing out the bottom of the plug and into the water beneath). There is no question to which have rooted and which have not.

That sounds like a great plan! Thanks for the tip!