Softwood cuttings?

I know you've heard this a million times, but I can't find it on the forum.

I want to propagate some stuff that says do it from hardwood cuttings or softwood cuttings. I guess the soft wood are the new ones? I don't know what to do after I find out what those are. I can do the ones I can root in water, but don't know how to do any others. Even if you know somewhere I can go to read about it, that will be great too.

The short answer is, take a cutting of the newest shoots on your plant. carefully remove leaves, except for the top 2-4. (So that the cutting doesn't have to support very many leaves) Dip the bottom or dust it in rooting hormone of some kind and plant it in some potting soil. Many people put it in a plastic bag at this point to keep the humidity up, or mist the plant 1-2 times a day. It does take awhile for rooting to occur on most soft or hard wood plants. When you see new top growth, give a gentle tug on the cutting. If it holds firm, it is probably rooted. You will get better info I'm sure, this is just the Reader's Digest version!

That sounds great to me. I can even understand it.!!! Gotta get r ooting powder and I'm on my way!! Thankyou

Does it matter what kind of soil to use. I wanted to try some cutting of lavatera, tree mallow.

I've read sand works best, because it drains so well. I generally use potting soil because I always forget to buy the sand when I go to town.

I am doing rose cuttings right now and wonder what method would work best ? have done the baggie 'thing' before.

I've had success with rose cuttings just using rooting hormone and potting soil. Don't recall weather I put a bag over the pot or not.

I've rooted brugs, hawaiian schefflera, begonias, and hibiscus that way (softwood cuttings) and it worked! I used Miracle Grow potting soil.

I think I will use sand and also shredded coconut this time just to see which roses root faster.Will let you know.

If your question was "what do they mean when they say "green, or softwood" cuttings, "semi-hardwood" cuttings, or "hardwood" cuttings LorraineR, it's pretty straight forward. If you go out in your yard and look at any woody shrub at this time of year you'll see very green stems at the end of a new branch. That's "green", or softwood cutting propagating material. Track back down the branch a little further and you'll find a mix of that green softwood with some brown (usually; sometimes grey, but it doesn't matter). That transition zone is the "semi-hardwood zone. That's the area to cut for "semi-hardwood' cuttings. Keep going down that same stem until you come to "real" bark. That's your "hardwood" cutting area. They really aren't "hard and fast" rules (I've successfully violated all of them), but they are good guidelines to greatest success.

I have just tired some Crepe Myrtle cuttings. Is it normal for the leaves left on the cuttings to wilt. Should I throw those away and try again?

How many did you leave on. Now, mind you, I am not an expert, but I think they've told me to take all the leaves off but the top ones and when you put it in the pot to root, put it down far enough that at least 2 of the nodes (where the leaves were) under the dirt.

Isn't that right, you guys? I think when you are trying to get them to root, they need to use their energy to grow roots and the leaves take up a lot.

Thank you stonoriver, got that now. If I can just figure everything else out, but I noticed I've been having lots of success, so maybe I'm learning. Just went and looked at my jasmine and saw what you're talking about!!

I don't have a whole lot of leaves, but more than 2. I'm going to do some more with less leaves.
Speaking of Jasmine, I have some cuttings I took and put them in water and they are doing fine (not roots but look healthy) I took some of those cuttings and potted them up and they started to die. I left some in the water so I didn't lose all of them. Any suggestions to get roots?


corrected pitiful spelling

This message was edited Jul 22, 2008 6:56 AM

I did the same thing. They stayed fresh in the water, but never got roots.

I did finally get some to root in the pots. Don't know why, they weren't green, but not really hard bark either.

Someone help us? lol

I took my Jasmine and put them in my bubbler. I hope this works.

Now you gotta tell me what a bubbler is? LOL

You never heard of a bubbler? In short, it's a bucket with an air pump in it. You put your cuttings in there and it helps to root things . I THINK I read about it on the burgsmania forum. I tried with some brug cuttings I rec'd once and they did really good. I read it could be done with a lot of things.
I took a cheap deep plastic bowl, bought an air pump from WalMart in the fishy section, ( you have to buy hose too), put the hose in the bucket and then put your cuttings in there. The air help promote the rooting I guess.
I plugged the end of the hose w/ a screw, poked holes in the hose with a safety pin ( to disperse the air better) and alse used bolts as weights to keep the hose from floating up. Put my cuttings in there and now I'm waiting patiently. I went out to ck on them this afternoon and they look fine. Pretty and green. No signs of stress. I also have some camellia cuttings in there too.
I'll keep you posted if you want.
Dawn

Please do. I have a little pump I could use. I'd like to hear how it does!! Do you have a picture of it?

I took some pics yesterday. When I get a chance this weekend I'll post them. I'll see if I can find that thread too.

Here is a link to a discussion about it

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/523147/

Has anyone used a root pot. DH and I saw Paul James "gardening by the yard" on HGTV use it. I would be interested in knowing whether or not it works. Never mind, I am determined to get some of those cute little pots and see for myself. The pot comes in two parts. You are supposed to take some of the bark off, fill the pot with damp spagnum moss, close it up, and keep it moist. When the pot is full of roots, voila la! cut the stem off under the pot thingie and plant it your new plant.

no, havent heard of that one Pam, will have to ck it out.

Thanks for the information on "the bubbler". That is very interesting!

I used a small fishtank from K-Mart as my bubler a few years ago for Brugmansia's.They rooted faster it seems but someone suggested to keep the varieties separate.Don't know if that applies to mixing other cuttings ?

I can't wait to see it. I have a little 10 gallon aquarium I could use.

Does anyone have a picture of the rooting pot.? Man, I never knew there was so much stuff to help. Is there a site to see it?

Here's one:

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&cat=2,47236&p=46938

Here is my home made one

Jasmine takes a long time to root in water, usually a month. Be patient and keep changing out the water.

Thank you Lili. I was wondering if I should just give up but now, I'll wait.

Good move, pdoyle! I've had things completely die off all the way up to the end tips, then come back to form really healthy specimens. Don't pitch them until the end growth shows no sign of life, but then it's time. Pitch it, and try again. When that end tip browns, the thing is dead...

Oh boy, now there is something else I can't possibly live without!!! Gotta have one!

Just bought a product called gel2root made in the UK. It is a joined six pack of containers (2½" x 2½" by 2½" tall) Idea is to insert cuttings into a hole punched in foil covering of each pot. The pots contain a "patented rooting gel" and can take - supposedly - up to three cuttings each. I plan to try it with some Boxwood cuttings.

If it works.

Has anybody had experience with this product?

Oooooppps - forgot to attach link: http://www.planterspride.ca/en/product_details.php?id=69

This message was edited Jul 29, 2008 4:53 PM

cool, but it looks like the product is no longer in stock or available.

Got mine at the local Menard's store, attached the link just to get a pix in the posting.

Thanks! We don't have such store here. Have an email to the company to find out who might carry it around here. Thanks for the info.

Yeah, looks like Menard's is a midwest outfit.

Did find other sources: http://www.groworganic.com/item_WOT209_Gel2Root_Pack_of_2.html?welcome=T&theses=3235614

http://nga-gardenshop.stores.yahoo.net/14-1010.html

http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/14-1010.html

marsh

Ric and I were just talking today about hard and soft wood cuttings. I haven't had the best luck with them, mostly I think because they take so long to root and sooner or later they get forgotten and dry out or I over do the water and they rot.
He was talking about how they use to root Roses. They would take the cutting and then slit the stem slightly from the bottom maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch and place a grass seed in the slit then dip in rooting hormone, pot and place in a plastic bag. It's a very old way of doing roses and I think they had very good results with it.
The rooting ball is just a new twist on an old technique. Take your stem and make a small diagonal cut in the stem. Don't go more than half way through the stem. Lay something small like a piece of toothpick in the cut crossways just to hold it open slightly. Then wrap some damp peat moss or potting soil around the area and wrap in plastic wrap to hold it in place. Tape it securely at the top and bottom. Like a baggie full of dirt around the plant. Both of these methods are pretty similar and easy.
I was wondering if anyone read the article about the potato sling? I thought I saw it somewhere here in DG but was in a hurry and didn't really do more than a quick glance. I think they said it was a really good way to start wood cuttings. If I got it right you put your cutting into a potato and then plant the potato with the cutting in the ground. Did anyone see this?

I'm definately going to try both of those techniques. Haven't heard of the one using a potatoe.

My mom used to use potatoes a lot to start cuttings - especially roses.

Just stick the rose cutting in the potato and plant - like you said.

I tried to find the article where I saw that but couldn't find anything. I have a few woody type plants that I would like to try taking cutting from so I will probably try it.