Bought some brugs i had wanted for a while. Arrived with bark soft. I went through the normal 911 brug treatment. They went to bubbler for 1.5 days and started to mush. I pulled them all and went to moss rolls. They continued to go south so in desperation I watered them directly with mixed bayer systemic fungicide. It seems to have worked. They are slowly turning the corner. They are a week old at my house.
1) Temperature for cuttings ??? I found mine like it cool outside better than in the house.
2) Is there a beneficial water mix ?
3) Should I break open the roll to check them and approx days in?
4) Just how dry before watering again? Mine seem to dry fast they are in a bucket on top of an inverted clay pot.
5) Supplemental artificial light hours? They are outside now.
6) Misting regular water or a mix.
Jim
Brug Roll Questions
I am shocked that you have them as you put it "turning the corner". I have never been able to get them back once they have started to turn. I would keep an eye on them. If even one is going bad and the rest are good it could contaminate the others. Soft bark is usually the kiss of death. Many cutting fall to this fate when cut during the winter months when days are short.
You will get as many answers to your questions as there are people growing brugs. Everyone seems to have a system that works for them.
For me, when I take fresh cuttings I put them right into damp sandy soil mix. If I have cuttings that have been taken for a few days, I put them in water for about 24 hours, then into the soil mix. Last April I had 64 cuttings that had been cut for 5 days, I lost just one. I also will make a fresh cut at the bottom of cuttings that have been cut for a while, guess that comes from working as a florist for so many years, I think a fresh cut allows water to be absorbed by he plant better.
I have lost many many cuttings taken late fall and winter, rarely any when taken spring and summer. I prefer to wait.
I would think they would need leaves or roots to take up anything systemic?
I use the moss rolls and have found that works great. If one goes bad, they don't all rot like in water. You can just pull out the yucky one and the rest are still fine. At least, so far.. that's what I have experienced with a couple hundred cuttings.. I only put 3 cuttings in a roll though.
Mine do much better outside.
I water/mist moss cuttings with superthrive and liquid kelp.
You should be able to see roots out the bottom of the roll.. don't open it.. if you have to you can move the moss away from the bottom without removing it completely to peek for roots or nubbies.. but hey, if they don't have them, there is not much more you can do about it!
Drying fast is a good thing. You should be able to tell if they are still damp inside by the color of the moss. To completely dry, it takes a LONG time. They will NOT dry out if you are misting them.
I'm not sure about the light issue.. that is a good question. I think natural light is sufficient, maby supplemental outside artificial lights would be good.. but not mandatory. :)
I mist with the same mix I water with.. if there are leaves.. if no leaves, I don't mist .. there is plenty of humidity from the damp moss...
This is my 2cents... I am by no means an expert... I have lost many a cutting in winter just like everyone else. I've just had better luck with the moss than I did with water.
Except for when I chop a cutting, throw it in water outside and don't look at them till they are growing huge. With that method? Never lost a one, even when I had to break the ice out of the bucket! LOL It's just too bad that it's too hard to pay money for a cutting you really want and throw it in a bucket of water outside in the cold... instead, we pamper them to death..
Thanks, I have done a few hundred of my own in the last month. I am right at 100%. Cutting quality is the reason. I checked my rolls today they are creeping along. I have saved a bunch in the past they were always purchased cuttings. It takes a good sterile environment to do it. The rapid drying is because of the clay pot it likes to pull the moisture out. They do pull water in without roots or leaves. Remember the old celery and food dye experiment?
I have gone to moss with everything just for fun now. Everything seems to be doing good from about 100+ brugmansias, chalice vines, and passion flowers. I like the portability of the cuttings. If there is a possible freeze I can grab the 5 buckets and bring them inside. I am going to try a bunch of stuff now like hardwood cuttings of Esperanza, night blooming jasmine, Confederate rose and whatever needs to be tried.
ZZ sorry on the spot pollen. It was a must have for my cuttings which are the sick ones.
I'm glad to hear it's working good for you. I have a lot of other stuff in moss too.. it's so easy and clean, etc. I just love it.
I have a ton of clear plastic sheets that came off my gh panels, it's perfect to make strips with and it's almost sticky.. so just a piece of tape, and whammo.. brug burritos. LOL
I use the orchid moss for my airlayering. Works very well for that process. I should try it for cuttings too next time.
You have the advantage of being where you have warmer temps and a muck longer season, here in NNy the plants spend half of the year in the house, I think that adds to the stress.
I've lost numerous cuttings in the winter - even though it's relatively warm here. Come Spring I have better luck. I think part of it is the lack of light in the winter makes them want to be dormant. That's why I switched to air layering. If its not successful, the wound you made usually heals up, and nothing is lost. It's great for chickens like me.
I had great results till the GH blew down and they all got soaked and very cold..then warm in the house a few days then back out to the GH.. I lost several after that.
Oh well, more to shop for in Spring! LOL
I used Orchid moss for my expensive imports and regular Sphagnum long fiber for the rest as a test. I like orchid better but then I ordered a big package of sphagnum along with my monthly vermiculite. It came in a 2' x 5' package. So there is a lot of log rolling there. LOL
I have also done the direct cut to ground and bury one end about 18" with rooting hormone.( about 30 as a test) Now this works real well also. I wonder if it makes deep roots? I will have to dig one up in the spring. I does keep the dogs when they are playing from knocking them down with a 18" base and 6" above. I like propagating, I think it is the most fun of all aspects.