log cutting info for newbies

In case you missed this last year. I am sending out some really thick, sometimes short cuttings. Start those this way.

'from post last year'

" was afraid to try this, but was sooooooo easy. I took the large cutting, cut where I knew for certain I would have a bud on each cutting. Stuck it half the thickness in soil, watered well, and left alone. I did put them right under the lights. I wish I'd cut smaller pieces, I think I'd have twice as many. But look how nice and straight she's going to grow!!"

Brugmansia (Eric) said.....

Just a suggestion, once shes a bit taller, try slowly covering those babies with dirt. If you do this correctly you can get the green new shoot to form roots. Cut diagonally into the soil at this point will give you a rooted green shoot 1-2 ft tall and the nodes still under the soil will produce more shoots and hence more plants.

Excellant picture tiG.

So glad that you brought this back up again and it is a great picture tiG.

Thank you tiG! I need all the info I can get!

Great picture and thanks for sharing it once again.

Great idea, thanks for the info. I want to make sure I do it correctly though.. do I place the cutting like a duck on water? Kind of part of the way in the dirt?

yes, that's right. I usually do half above, half below.

just realized after I said that and looked at picture that maybe I don't put it 'half', but almost lol!!! duck in water is a good description, I just wiggle it around and get it seated good.

Nice,gotta try that
Pebble
Dharlan
Twinlakeschef
Ponditis
Brugnanny
Smbeaser
Alyssum
Mamajen
Shirley1md

purpledatura and other seeds are on way!

Vredfish need your Addy The Root.

Hey Doc, if they aren't something that was posted here to start with, some of those people might not come over here to read this post. Better put it on the same forum the seeds were listed on to begin with. JMHO...........

Thanks for sharing this tiG. I'll definitely give it a try. Jan.

going to post rooting instructions here for those getting them in mail.

this is what I do, others do it differently.
If it's woody, I put in water until you see white 'nubbies' form, these are pre-roots. Change the water every day. Then pot up as usual and don't overwater.
If they are green semi-woody, I put them 2-3" into the pre-dampened soil mix and ignore. DO NOT overwater, that is the number one killer of cuttings. When it's put out new leaves, bring into bright light and grow as usual. there are a ton of threads here about how we all start them.

I've just this year done green wood in water. Had really good luck. Last year I couldn't get one to root in water to save my soul. Always did my hard wood in soil until this year when I tried some huge cuttings 2-3 ft. in a five gallon bucket of water and they rooted very well too. Maybe I should be watching the calendar when I do these things and it works. :-)

Thanks tiG I wondered about this, I will have to try it now.

Brugie . . how much water do you put in your glass that you put the green cuttings in?

TiG, thanks for the info. This will be my first try on brugs. So I need all the help I can get. It sounds easy to grow. Am I going to get a new addiction????(hehehe)

It's in the bag. If you have a cutting, addiction is imminent.

Frannie, I use about two inches, but no more. Just be sure to change it often. Mine are on the kitchen table so I don't forget. They get a little bit of morning sun and stay warm there. I also have some on the heat mat in the computer room and under grow lights. It seems to be working right now.

Thanks tiG!

I wondered about that, seeing the other discussions about air layering, etc.

in the boxes that went out this morning there were a lot of big short cuttings that will need to be started this way.

I've rooted some of the log-style cuttings in water, too. I have saved some of those plastic trays Wal-Mart is packaging their meat in now, and I've cut fairly thick sections of wood to a length that fits into the tray, just long enough that I have to press them firmly into place. (This keeps them in the same position all the time, lol!) Then I add just enough water to submerge almost all of the cutting---more like a 'gator in the water than a duck on the water. Once my new shoots get 2-3 inches tall, I take it out and cut it into sections with my pruning shears and pot 'em up.

Thanks everyone for all the info. TiG I have all the starts you send me in water and they look like they are going to be rooting soon! You sent me very nice starts.
Thanks Brim

you're welcome. enjoy!

Am I doing it wrong. Put mine in water and then potting soil but upright. Now they have several shoots going up.
Do you strive for a single trunk or several trunks.

Tig got my cuttings today and will try some your way like a duck. Too short for gator's HAHA . You might elaborate a little bit on what to do to achive the right trunk. Do you prune as a baby or wait. What is desirable, etc.

I personally don't prune one done this way until it is about 3-4' tall. Then I do take off the lower leaves when it gets that big and any root shoots. All the ones I did that way grew almost perfectly straight and were great alley trees.

The one's I have already started and are leafing now from upright starts. They have several side shoots now. How do you do those.