Water Bubbler Propagator - Results

The one root of a clematis that I stripped the bark off one side of the cutting (hardwood)
Also, anything that was not hardwood as for the Clematis', did not root.

This third Clematis (all were 'Polish Spirit') - has three nice roots. Once again, I just gave it an evening up haircut and replaced it back into the water for 'better' root production.

Passiflora incarnata - a huge honker of a cutting that developed a huge honking set of roots. This too was given a haircut and will be potted up soon:

Last one (same passiflora): all softwood cuttings. Tough to see, but callousing has occurred and roots are developing at the end of the cutting:

Take care,

Dax

conifers, where is your other thread at? I went out and got everything that I needed and lost the thread lol I'm going to try ths method, I've tried to root my clematis before but have failed, so I'm going to give this a try, sounds pretty simple, just didn't want to loose your thread :) And thanks for all the great info.
Lea

I didn't even look for it considering it was so long in response.

If I missed important details, go easy on me!

Dax

Did you just take the tip cuttings, I couldn't remember where you took the cuttings from, thanks.
Lea

Dax, a couple of questions.

First, was your container opaque? Algae growth was a problem for me using a translucent container with this method.

Second, any liquid fert in the water?

Third, are you saying that you had success with soft and hardwood cuttings, but not semi-hardwood? My experience was that the fleshier the plant/cutting, the better the system worked; semihardwood and hardwood cuttings from "woody" plants did not fare as well as herbaceous tropicals, annuals, or indoor plants.

SB

This message was edited Aug 6, 2006 12:54 PM

Well Stressbaby it all depends on what you're rooting. For example's deciduous azalea cuttings root best early summer when their growth is 100% soft, an evergreen Rhododendron roots best with turgid (flexible but snaps) plant material. I've had best success rooting Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) as spring hardwood cuttings, however some do rot showing split bark at soil level. So it all can depend. A softwood cutting from Hibiscus syriacus I have never tried...

Someone else on that previous thread had success with Rose of Sharon - but I did not. I don't know whether or not I asked what stage they took the cuttings in or not. While I did end up with algae from not keeping the water in my clear glass clean, I did end up with rotted Rose of Sharons. I literally with gentleness was able to strip the "fleshy" tissue right off every cutting.

Lea - in every photo or the opening statements I made explained which type of growth stage the cuttings were taken in.
Here's a summary for you:

Clematis - only hardwood cuttings rooted - all esle failed (I didn't list softwood or semi-hardwood because I mentioned that only the hardwood's rooted).
Different approaches I did with each cutting but in general, I cut below a node (hardwood) and made slit-type cuts on the bark to damage it/promote root formation.

Passiflora ( I have no hardwood) - I used softwood cuttings only and once again either cut directly through a node or directly beneath it. I also injured these (3-4 slits on 4 sides of the cutting and only about an inch up from the node.

Rose of Sharon - "I" had no luck with semi-hardwood (I used semi-hardwood because in general this time of the year if propagating - that's what's used). In fact - if you look at a Rose of Sharon right now, the only softwood on the entire shrub is where the flower bud is extended on a petiole. So in other words, a hardwood cutting would be quite long at the moment.

I don't know much at all about doing this. I've always used potting mixes for medias...

I'm learning as well.

Dax

Thanks Dax. I did find the thread and I'm off to try my Clematis :)

Pretty cool thread ay?

Later folks.

This has got to work and if it does I'll be snipping all of the neighbors clematis and everybody elses, I love it and big lots and the dollars stores have the cheapest trellises, what a dangerous combination lol
I love the thread ;-)

My recollection from previous threads and my personal experience is that a small amount of liquid fert in the water helped, as did making the sides of the container opaque (reduces algae growth).

Thanks stressbaby, and yep, this is pretty worthwhile:)

Dax

I have found that a metal water pitcher sitting in a window that does not get direct sunlight works well for rooting plants. No algae. I believe it is because it is opaque that it works so well. Have used it for Coleus and Sweet Potatoes so far.

Could someone tell me where to find the original thread where the instructions were given on using the water bubbler?

Jesse

Editted to say that I found the thread on how the bubbler was made for anyone who might want to try this. I know I am going to give it a try. Here is the link: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/617812/

This message was edited Aug 28, 2006 5:14 PM

ive rooted cutings like you did for years . but i also dip my cuttings in root tone and i allso use a under water heater to. i get any where from 75 to 85 percent .Regards Paul

Now were thinking Paul. Many thanks!

Dax

Phicks: If I understand right, you used a bubbler, but you also dipped your cutting in rootone. Am I missing something? Wouldn't the rootone wash off?

Do you think that this might work with larger (1/2" -1") hardwoods from trees?

Here is my set-up

One more

Earlier in life when the kids had a fish tank I ran a similar rooting project. I used a cardboard bridge over the tank into which I placed slots to hold the leaf and stem above the water line. We had similar mixed results from twenty five to fifty percent. In this case there was the fertilizer from the fresh water fish. I'm absolutely sure the oxygen played its part. We did not trim the early roots but that should increase the fibre root mass as your pictures illustrate. This is yet another way to increase your plants inexpensively. The bottom feeders came up and munched on the hair roots to mimic root cuts that may have helped in our case instead of trimming.

Hope my health care providers do not spot their leased compressor feeding some cuttings oxygen. I shall run an experiment with the same cuttings with oxygen and without just to see the time differences it takes them to root. We have a lot of Coleus arriving soon. They seem to root about 100% just about any way one trys to start them.

Doc: I'll be really interested in the experiments. I wonder if you'll sprout roots too! LOL.

I'll stay off that line except to say at age 75 Crazy Horse the Indian Chief was still fathering little Indians. He lived by a water fall and drank nothing but highly remineralized oxygenated water that was fertilized by the animals and fish of the area.....I think. I doubt that he had a bunch of tourist cabins upstream. ]:o)

Thanks Docgipe for the fish tank suggestion. I will try some crape myrtles in my guppy tank tomorrow. I won't use the rooting powder as would probably poison all the fish.

I'll put the crape myrtle cuttings into the water right where the bubble come up. My CMs are just leafing out so I think this is an ok time to root.

Paul

I like the part with the christmas lights in the box. I've been trying to figure put a cheap way of providing bottom heat. Thanks. And I'm going to try the little water heater for the baby fish tank. I don't know but it's worth a try. I'll just keep the fish out. I'm trying to do the pine tree cuttings for my bonsai. Check out the Japanese Black Pine under plastic wrap. It about 6 weeks. Hope it's not too late for the christmas lights.

I am using this method ( kind of) for all sorts of things. The only difference for me is that I have added oasis ( wet foam) for the cuttings. Once they root I plant the oasis and all thus reducing the stress on the cuttings ( from the change of water to soil) and it just breaks down in the soil. so far I have had really good results with passiflora and a few other things, but none with brunsfelsia.
Ibartoo

I forgot to report sooner but my crape myrtles died. They grew some slimey stuff on them which probably is due to my less than pristine fish tank. I may try again with some hardwood cuttings. The angel fish were never seen to nibble at the cuttings but I may try the guppy tank just because it gets some direct sun.

Ive never got hardwood cuttings to go in an acquarium propagator. It really is for softwood cuttings such as brugmansia, clematis, coleus, etc. And it needs to be clean. Use peroxide. And use the air tubes from Walmart. The cuttings should be rooted within two weeks. If not, remove them and try something else.

Remove the fish and put them in a tank of their own.

Gloria125: I think the fish told me to remove the crape myrtles and put them in a tank of their own. Oh well, I know how to root stuff the old fashioned way.

I got a nice result using extra oxygen but would not suggest this be tried by less than professionals with commercial experiece with using oxygen. There could be commercial application of interest. Everything I played with were soft cuttings. At 80 degrees water temperature I got nearly a hundred percent rooting also thought to be faster rooting without records to prove that.

Again....I do not suggest amateurs play with any kind of oxygen. Doing so could become dangerous because oxygen supports combustion....it does not in itself combust. Therefore a cigarette entering the presence of oxygen could become a very serious flame up. A harmless unnoticed electrical short buzz could cause a flame up. Any open flame will become much larger and hotter when oxygen is introduced. Making a piece of toast in the presence of oxygen could get very exciting. Don't play with oxygen in the absence of serious well trained professionals.

I have much experience with oxygen. I will do no further playing with this idea.

Hydrogen peroxide produces oxygen

Need a good high school science person for that one......how does Hydrogen peroxide produce oxygen ?

H2O2 + H2O = O2

You can see the oxygen bubbles when you put the peroxide in the aquarium tank.

That's why peroxide fights infection... provides oxygen.. infection cannot survive where there is oxygen..

I use a lot of peroxide for plants... not a lot in the water.. but often. It will really help a plant that is suffering from too much water.

A little peroxide and superthrive in the water is great for the bubblers.

I've used bubblers quite a bit for just about everything. The only thing I do different is.. as soon as there are roots, they go in soil... I don't wait for more "water roots"...

Great thread!!

ZZsbabiez: Do you root hardwoods on the bubbler?

I thought folks were using a fish pump (an 'air pump'), just moving air through the water. Were folks using an Oxygen tank to provide pure oxygen? (Note docgipe's concern about combustion). An air pump doesn't make the air combustible... Am I totally confused?