Which rooting methods work the best with the short green cuttings ?
I've got a rectangular fish tank...a bubbler...a heat mat...lights...plastic cups (blue..couldn't find red)that's a funny!] orchid moss, rooting harmone....vermiculite (sp?) and pro mix for potting . So...what do you have the best results with doing for hard to root cuttings? I sure would appreciate any suggestions as I've grown 2 brugs from seed...but the cuttings I got recently are the first I am dealing with and I'd like to find the best way to go. Helen
rooting cuttings
Gammy,
I just rooted some by cutting them into logs between nodes, and half burying them in potting soil... here's my results. When the sprouts were big enough, I covered the logs with more dirt.
I also rooted 2 cutting in plain water, changing the water every few days... took about two weeks to get enough nubs and roots to pot them up last week.
The water/peroxide method didn't work for me.
angel_tree_baby... has a method using a pickle jar that she has had Fab results with.. I will look around for it ..or hopefully she will pop in..They can be Brats!!!
This is a post from earlier...from atb.. Hope this helps..
It sounds like you got a very green cutting. Most cutting I get I cut off all the leaves except a few small ones at the top. If there are only large ones at the top you can cut the leaves in half. Moisture will evaporate from the leaves and dehydrate the cutting. The reason the green cuttings go limp is the green part of the stem loses more moisture via evaporation than brown woody stems.
Once all your leaves are cut off and since you already have it in dirt, you can mist the top of the cutting and place a clear platic bag over it all. Put in a few sticks or something to keep the plastic off the cutting. Place this in indirect light or shade. Hopefully it will perk up and you can slowly 'wean' it out of the back.
With very green cuttings I usually place them in tall pickle jars etc. with just an inch or two of water in the bottom and cover it with plastic wrap and put under grow lights. I have rooted them as small as a few inches that way. Different people have different methods though.
I have learned many methods over the last six weeks from brug mavens. I have tried the jar and H202, the bubbler, orchid moss in plastic cup and soil. What has worked best for me is, the bubbler for a week or so until nubbies start to appear. Then into the orchid moss for at least two weeks. Then I check for roots. If I have a root or several, I then transplant into potting soil. They are all doing well. The ones in the jars with H202 started to rot before ever getting a nubbie. I just cut off the rot part and put into a bubbler.
I know lots of people use the jar and water method with great results. As Kylie said people use many methods. You will just have to try one or two and see which works best. I liked the bubbler because it kept the water moving and oxygenated, which i think cuts down on the rot. They really took off in the moist moss though. Mine like that best. Now the ones in the soil are growing fast. I have a Maya cutting that is real questionable, in moss right now. I hope she survives.
Good luck. Jeanne
The taller pickle jars or tall shot glasses work good for tall skinny green cuttings
For little tiny ones you can use little medicine cups. This one holds about 2 tbsp. I was just experimenting with this one. Probably you won't want to really root anything this small lol.
Roots showing on the tiny one.
Once they come out of very humid conditions, you need to wean them a little at a time. I just slowly pull back the plastic a little more each day to see how they tolerate it.
