Ume cutting (good or bad)
- Thread starter junmilo
- Start date
Sputnik 184
Mame
I air layered a Beni Chidori last year successfully pretty much as an experiment. They can be done.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Sputnik 184
Mame
I put the layer on April 2019 and it was removed in August. I just used my usual layering method. A little Clonex rooting hormone on the cut and then wrapped with sphagnum and clingfilm. I was as surprised as anyone to get success. It’s now covered in flower buds. I put another layer on the tree but so far this hasn’t rooted.
エドガー
Shohin
I’ve always wanted to propagate Ume (prunus mume) as well!
I tried last year, during late-spring.. cut off two 4’ long shoots (green, current years', soft to semi-hard) from 2 of my garden/in-ground ume… cut them into 5-7 node-long cuttings and stuck in soil, 3 leaves on top of each cuttings (some leaves cut in half), hand misted, no greenhouse/cover. They browned faster than any other cuttings I have ever attempted! Browned in 1-2 Days lol. (usually, past failed cuttings browned after 1-2 Months).
Trying a few this month again.. one of my young garden ume had an overly long shoot… so I cut it off 1.5 weeks ago, and made 6 cuttings from it, this time they’re inside a new mini greenhouse I recently bought. I peeked inside and 1 is sprouting already (while the mother plant isn’t even yet, hmmm). Hope it works.
Off topic, but, I tried about 50 various softwood cuttings last year in spring too - various acers, azaleas and nanking. Zero out of 50 rooted. They all stayed green for a month or two; but all eventually died. Checked the failings, and no roots and only a 1/3 had weak callous. I think the main culprit was they were not covered in a humid bag/greenhouse (especially needed in dry dry hot SoCal). So, that's why I bought a mini-greenhouse recently.
Anyways.. I am attempting again with lots and lots of azaleas.
Oldest batch is 14 azalea air-layers I started last October. I cut them off 12 weeks later in mid-January to check for roots, and only one or two had short hair-thin roots; but all were well calloused (very similar to the ume air-layers in this thread). Of course, I wasn’t gonna throw them away, so I stuck them into soil/pots and also into my new greenhouse. 3-4 weeks later, they all are still green and also have new little growth.
Newest batch (started Jan 24)... after pruning and removing several branches/twigs from my older satsuki and kurume azaleas, I stuck all the trimmings into soil/pots and also into my new mini-greenhouse… countless cuttings, since it was from a bold pruning session, probably 100 cuttings.
I hope they root this time with my new greenhouse, and wont be an utter 0/50 complete-fail like last year. I think this time with my new greenhouse, it should help big-time with the humidity.
Anyways, I’ve noticed Satsuki and Kurume root very very slowly (for me at lease.. I know many will say "azalea is easy” lol)… way slower than San Jose juniper from my experience (I rooted SJ in 3-4 months and was 11/20 success my first try).
I read Peter Adams method… sounds like the usual hardwood technique (make cuttings right after leaf drop, stick into medium, wait).
One thing I haven't read anyone doing yet on bonsai forums, is doing what fruit farmers do - same hardwood cuttings technique as before, except tightly wrap the upper half of the hardwood cutting (the section above soil) with Parafilm grafting-tape. Then wait until buds/shoots break through the Parafilm.
It totally makes sense when I heard of this method, as it would keep the cutting from drying out and also protect it from fungus.
I also read you’re never ever supposed to water nor mist hardwood cuttings (because of fungus), and are only supposed to slightly moisten the growing-medium just once (then cover in a box, bag, greenhouse) at the very beginning and never again (because of fungus and rot, and also roots wont seek-water/elongate if too wet).
Has anyone ever tried this Parafilm method with hardwood cuttings???
I tried last year, during late-spring.. cut off two 4’ long shoots (green, current years', soft to semi-hard) from 2 of my garden/in-ground ume… cut them into 5-7 node-long cuttings and stuck in soil, 3 leaves on top of each cuttings (some leaves cut in half), hand misted, no greenhouse/cover. They browned faster than any other cuttings I have ever attempted! Browned in 1-2 Days lol. (usually, past failed cuttings browned after 1-2 Months).
Trying a few this month again.. one of my young garden ume had an overly long shoot… so I cut it off 1.5 weeks ago, and made 6 cuttings from it, this time they’re inside a new mini greenhouse I recently bought. I peeked inside and 1 is sprouting already (while the mother plant isn’t even yet, hmmm). Hope it works.
Off topic, but, I tried about 50 various softwood cuttings last year in spring too - various acers, azaleas and nanking. Zero out of 50 rooted. They all stayed green for a month or two; but all eventually died. Checked the failings, and no roots and only a 1/3 had weak callous. I think the main culprit was they were not covered in a humid bag/greenhouse (especially needed in dry dry hot SoCal). So, that's why I bought a mini-greenhouse recently.
Anyways.. I am attempting again with lots and lots of azaleas.
Oldest batch is 14 azalea air-layers I started last October. I cut them off 12 weeks later in mid-January to check for roots, and only one or two had short hair-thin roots; but all were well calloused (very similar to the ume air-layers in this thread). Of course, I wasn’t gonna throw them away, so I stuck them into soil/pots and also into my new greenhouse. 3-4 weeks later, they all are still green and also have new little growth.
Newest batch (started Jan 24)... after pruning and removing several branches/twigs from my older satsuki and kurume azaleas, I stuck all the trimmings into soil/pots and also into my new mini-greenhouse… countless cuttings, since it was from a bold pruning session, probably 100 cuttings.
I hope they root this time with my new greenhouse, and wont be an utter 0/50 complete-fail like last year. I think this time with my new greenhouse, it should help big-time with the humidity.
Anyways, I’ve noticed Satsuki and Kurume root very very slowly (for me at lease.. I know many will say "azalea is easy” lol)… way slower than San Jose juniper from my experience (I rooted SJ in 3-4 months and was 11/20 success my first try).
I read Peter Adams method… sounds like the usual hardwood technique (make cuttings right after leaf drop, stick into medium, wait).
One thing I haven't read anyone doing yet on bonsai forums, is doing what fruit farmers do - same hardwood cuttings technique as before, except tightly wrap the upper half of the hardwood cutting (the section above soil) with Parafilm grafting-tape. Then wait until buds/shoots break through the Parafilm.
It totally makes sense when I heard of this method, as it would keep the cutting from drying out and also protect it from fungus.
I also read you’re never ever supposed to water nor mist hardwood cuttings (because of fungus), and are only supposed to slightly moisten the growing-medium just once (then cover in a box, bag, greenhouse) at the very beginning and never again (because of fungus and rot, and also roots wont seek-water/elongate if too wet).
Has anyone ever tried this Parafilm method with hardwood cuttings???
R3x
Shohin
All my attempts failed: rooted cuttings died (only had 2 roots each), fresh cuttings didn't callus and callused cuttings didn't root. The problem is the sand I had was to fine - held water, didn't drain so the cuttings were drowned for some time. Will try again this year. Will do some airlayers on Beni chi dori, took some cuttings to aeroponic propagator as well.
エドガー
Shohin
R3x
Shohin
The failed too. I put them into garden soil but left them outside through the winter. In the spring the flower buds started to swell but didn't push any leaves. I tried putting them into plastic bag to retain moisture but that didn't help either. I did 4 new attempts just yesterday on Beni Chi Dori and I am resolved to leave them there until they produce roots even if it takes more than one year. Will also try the mthod mentioned in this thread: https://www.bonsainut.com/posts/744029/
junmilo
Shohin
Well, here's an update of this cutting. The last time it had leaf was last winter. All the leaves fell off at the beginning of spring and stayed liked this the entire spring/Summer/even now. The shoot is still green and the buds are not dried.
Wonder when it will leaf out again...or will stay this way until next spring.
Wonder when it will leaf out again...or will stay this way until next spring.
Attachments
エドガー
Shohin
Most of my acer p cuttings are like that too... taken in late May, leaves fell off 3 months later, some blackened/died... but, the couple that are still green, are still green with buds alive, but no sprouting yet after +5 months.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Still looks OK.
I took 5 cuttings this spring. At least one of them has rooted, as I saw a root groing in the plastic baggie in which I placed the pot with cuttings. Maybe more than one roots. Decided to wait untill spring before I take the cuttings out and pot them up individually.
Trueblackpercula
Shohin
What a great thread so much so I may try it. There are a few very large mume trees in a park not too far from where I live. Let's see if I take a few cuttings this winter and see how it goes.
Michael
Michael
leatherback
The Treedeemer
junmilo
Shohin
junmilo
Shohin
Here's an update photo..it wants to flower.
Pine_nut
Mame
What’s the latest on this cutting? Is it still alive?
junmilo
Shohin
It's alive and well and flowered.
Pine_nut
Mame
That’s awesome! Do you have a recent picture?
