Separated & re-potted cuttings today

[エドガー]

Just sharing... Separated and repotted my cuttings today

Was planning to do it in spring, but was impatient lol.

26 azaleas (hino crimson, tama no hada, shukufuku)

27 poms (toyosho, omi, evergreen’s red dwarf)

3 firepower nandinas


This is actually my 3rd batch/attempt at azalea cuttings. The first 2 tries never made it this far (to repotting several months after starting/sticking them).

1st attempt didn’t use enclosure for humidity... and 2nd attempt got eaten by rats.


None of the J maples made it (I tried 5 or so cultivars). Only ones alive are Kiyohime and are bright green. I was planning to repot them too; but was surprised all of them still had No roots after 6-7 months... yet they’re still very green and budded.

 

[エドガー]

I made mini cages for all my azalea cuttings.

They decimated 60+ cuttings before this batch... so I wanna give them a fighting chance this time around.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Who or what is 'they', the ones that got your cuttings?

 

[エドガー]

Rats

 

[Shibui]

Great to hear you have had some success. Don't be disappointed about the JM cuttings not striking. It is quite common for them to grow new shoots and look good even without roots. I don't even bother to try JM any more as even the few that grow roots seem to die off soon after transplant. Azaleas are relatively easy.

What size mesh is it? Looks large enough for many rats to slink through those holes. Rats are also great climbers so I would close the tops. I use a welded mesh with 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch (aviary mesh) for most of my exclusion covers. The welded mesh is a bit more expensive but a little stronger and easier to work with. 'Bird netting' is similar woven wire mesh to the one you have but with smaller holes that will stop rats and birds.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Rats

A lot of people aren't familiar with the fact that though squirrels are uncommon in Orange County, tree rats are very common. We're talking about rats that live in trees, or if you're unlucky, chew their way into your attic and set up huge colonies in the walls of your house. I battled them constantly for 24 years.

 

[エドガー]

Great to hear you have had some success. Don't be disappointed about the JM cuttings not striking. It is quite common for them to grow new shoots and look good even without roots. I don't even bother to try JM any more as even the few that grow roots seem to die off soon after transplant. Azaleas are relatively easy.

What size mesh is it? Looks large enough for many rats to slink through those holes. Rats are also great climbers so I would close the tops. I use a welded mesh with 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch (aviary mesh) for most of my exclusion covers. The welded mesh is a bit more expensive but a little stronger and easier to work with. 'Bird netting' is similar woven wire mesh to the one you have but with smaller holes that will stop rats and birds.

I know I know, the holes are big. My rats are big as squirrels though. I have heavy duty 1/2" welded square too, I use for in-ground planting in the front yard. It's tough to cut though; to make 30 mini-cages. Also making tops is extra work, x30.

They're there just as a slight preventative... like if they run into the mesh while walking their trails, they're likely to pass onto something easier. It's not lettuce, fruit, etc... it's azalea and that's low on their priority list. It's much better than nothing... and it's better for them to run into metal wire, instead of a naked, bare, fully exposed twig cutting.

 

[Shibui]

Here's hoping your little cages help.
As @Bonsai Nut has mentioned there are several different species. We only have the smaller black rat here which is probably the tree rat mentioned. They are happy to live in holes in the ground or in walls or roofs or trees. Brown rats are much bigger but generally prefer city living and mostly stay close to the ground. Maybe that's the ones you have.
I mention the mesh size because all animals are actually quite a lot smaller than they appear and can fit through smaller gaps than most people imagine. If the head fits the rest can usually follow. I have had foxes squeeze through 3" holes to get my poultry. Mice can flatten out to get through very thin openings. Never underestimate the ability of pests to get into somewhere you don't want them.
Here's hoping your rats have not developed an addiction to azaleas.