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Basic Propagation
Plumbego 20 months after cutting
When you take cuttings for propagation it's important to
use the right tool. I personally like side cutting type
cutters. They slice through the plant material rather than
crushing it. The "blade and anvil" type crush the plant
cells and may stop the cutting from developing roots. A
good pair of scissors also works well. Every so often it is
good practice to rinse the cutter with a 10% household
bleach solution. This prevents diseases from being
passed on to other cuttings.
use the right tool. I personally like side cutting type
cutters. They slice through the plant material rather than
crushing it. The "blade and anvil" type crush the plant
cells and may stop the cutting from developing roots. A
good pair of scissors also works well. Every so often it is
good practice to rinse the cutter with a 10% household
bleach solution. This prevents diseases from being
passed on to other cuttings.
To get started you need a cutting of some type.
This is a Plumbego cutting about 4 to 6 inches
long. You need to strip off the lower leaf sets.
Stripping off the lower leaf sets creates a
wound for rooting hormone to penetrate the
stem. It also helps to scrape the lower 3/4 inch
of bark from the cutting. Use a dull knife for this.
Leave a couple of leaf sets on top of the cutting
to aid in photosynthesis. I've put together a
small list of plants that you can propagate and
the kind of wood you need. Click here for the
list.
This is a Plumbego cutting about 4 to 6 inches
long. You need to strip off the lower leaf sets.
Stripping off the lower leaf sets creates a
wound for rooting hormone to penetrate the
stem. It also helps to scrape the lower 3/4 inch
of bark from the cutting. Use a dull knife for this.
Leave a couple of leaf sets on top of the cutting
to aid in photosynthesis. I've put together a
small list of plants that you can propagate and
the kind of wood you need. Click here for the
list.
When using powdered rooting compound I like to dip the
end of my cutting in water to help the hormone stick. I've
read that this is an unnecessary step because the cutting
has enough moisture to make the hormone stick. For the
time it takes to dip the cutting it's worth it. When using
liquid rooting hormone wetting isn't required. Notice the
lower leaves have been removed and only a couple of
leaf sets are at the top of the cutting.
end of my cutting in water to help the hormone stick. I've
read that this is an unnecessary step because the cutting
has enough moisture to make the hormone stick. For the
time it takes to dip the cutting it's worth it. When using
liquid rooting hormone wetting isn't required. Notice the
lower leaves have been removed and only a couple of
leaf sets are at the top of the cutting.
The next step is to dip the cutting in rooting hormone.
The cutting only needs a small coating. Make sure to get
hormone on wounds at the base of the cutting. DON"T
cake it on. Tap the cutting to knock off the excess. You
should not use your stock containers to dip. Pour a small
amount into a drip tray or even a small sandwich bag.
This prevents contamination of the entire container. The
drip tray on the right is only about 3 inches in diameter
and has enough hormone for hundreds of cuttings.
Rooting hormone comes in a variety of strengths.
Softwood cutting use the weakest while hardwood
cuttings use the strongest. I use Hormodin #2 for most of
my cuttings and have very good success. Experimenting
with different strengths of hormone is the key to find what
works best for you and your techniques.
The cutting only needs a small coating. Make sure to get
hormone on wounds at the base of the cutting. DON"T
cake it on. Tap the cutting to knock off the excess. You
should not use your stock containers to dip. Pour a small
amount into a drip tray or even a small sandwich bag.
This prevents contamination of the entire container. The
drip tray on the right is only about 3 inches in diameter
and has enough hormone for hundreds of cuttings.
Rooting hormone comes in a variety of strengths.
Softwood cutting use the weakest while hardwood
cuttings use the strongest. I use Hormodin #2 for most of
my cuttings and have very good success. Experimenting
with different strengths of hormone is the key to find what
works best for you and your techniques.
In this photo I'm using a screwdriver to make a pilot
hole in the Perlite. The pot is a 4x4 inch pot. I first
wet the Perlite by pouring water into it, then poke the
hole. The pilot hole helps prevent the hormone from
rubbing off the cutting when sticking it.
I've found that some plants respond better with a
50/50 mix of perlite and peat. The process for
inserting the cutting doesn't change. It still needs to
be damp and a pilot hole made.
hole in the Perlite. The pot is a 4x4 inch pot. I first
wet the Perlite by pouring water into it, then poke the
hole. The pilot hole helps prevent the hormone from
rubbing off the cutting when sticking it.
I've found that some plants respond better with a
50/50 mix of perlite and peat. The process for
inserting the cutting doesn't change. It still needs to
be damp and a pilot hole made.
Now take your cutting and push it down
into the Perlite. For most cuttings the hole
should be as deep as possible (2 to 3
inches). Press the Perlite around the
cutting. I like using Perlite for my rooting
media. You can use very coarse sand,
vermiculite and peat. If you use a
combined mixture, use about 25% to 50%
peat with the others. Perlite alone works
for me, but again you need to develop
your own methods. What works for me
might not work for you. Six to 15 cuttings
can be started in a 4 x 4 inch pot
depending on the size of the leaves on the
cutting.
into the Perlite. For most cuttings the hole
should be as deep as possible (2 to 3
inches). Press the Perlite around the
cutting. I like using Perlite for my rooting
media. You can use very coarse sand,
vermiculite and peat. If you use a
combined mixture, use about 25% to 50%
peat with the others. Perlite alone works
for me, but again you need to develop
your own methods. What works for me
might not work for you. Six to 15 cuttings
can be started in a 4 x 4 inch pot
depending on the size of the leaves on the
cutting.
Make sure you label your work with plant type,
hormone used, date started and any other
information you think necessary. You might
think you will remember when you stuck the
cutting and all the other details... but you won't.
Use plastic labels and write on them with pencil.
Ball point pen ink will wash off in no time. Labels
have a smooth and a rough side. Write with
pencil on the rough side.
hormone used, date started and any other
information you think necessary. You might
think you will remember when you stuck the
cutting and all the other details... but you won't.
Use plastic labels and write on them with pencil.
Ball point pen ink will wash off in no time. Labels
have a smooth and a rough side. Write with
pencil on the rough side.
Pictured below are two of many ways to keep your cuttings moist. If you only want to
start a few cuttings you can use a pot and bag method. Simply cover your potted
cuttings with a large plastic bag. I've got a couple of sticks to keep the bag off of the
cuttings. A couple of times a day, mist your cuttings with a spray bottle. Don't soak
them. Just get the cuttings damp. If you want to root a large number of cuttings you
can build a misting box like the photo on the right. This particular box is 8 x 2 feet. It
has a hinged lid with 6 mil plastic on top. The plastic lid keeps moisture in and the
cats out. I have landscape fabric under the Perlite to keep weeds from coming up
from below. The watering is done by several 1/4 inch low pressure misting heads.
start a few cuttings you can use a pot and bag method. Simply cover your potted
cuttings with a large plastic bag. I've got a couple of sticks to keep the bag off of the
cuttings. A couple of times a day, mist your cuttings with a spray bottle. Don't soak
them. Just get the cuttings damp. If you want to root a large number of cuttings you
can build a misting box like the photo on the right. This particular box is 8 x 2 feet. It
has a hinged lid with 6 mil plastic on top. The plastic lid keeps moisture in and the
cats out. I have landscape fabric under the Perlite to keep weeds from coming up
from below. The watering is done by several 1/4 inch low pressure misting heads.
I have the large mist box above hooked up to a garden
faucet and timer. These are battery operated and are
available at garden centers for about $40. Depending
on the time of year, different settings can be used, from
"on" for one minute every hour to greater settings like
once a week for 2 hours. These are also great when
you take a little vacation. Warm summer temperatures
require more frequent water. Timers are great and I've
had good results. Larger professional nurseries mist 5
seconds every 5 to ten minutes, but those systems are
expensive. There are a variety of mechanical and
computerized systems. If you have the bucks, go for it.
faucet and timer. These are battery operated and are
available at garden centers for about $40. Depending
on the time of year, different settings can be used, from
"on" for one minute every hour to greater settings like
once a week for 2 hours. These are also great when
you take a little vacation. Warm summer temperatures
require more frequent water. Timers are great and I've
had good results. Larger professional nurseries mist 5
seconds every 5 to ten minutes, but those systems are
expensive. There are a variety of mechanical and
computerized systems. If you have the bucks, go for it.
A note about timers and automatic
watering systems. They need to be
checked often. They can clog with
sand, silt and even earwigs (go figure).
Some of them can go through batteries
rather quickly. The little mist heads can
also pop off if you don't regulate the
pressure. This can be done with the
faucet or by installing shut off valves
on the feed lines.
watering systems. They need to be
checked often. They can clog with
sand, silt and even earwigs (go figure).
Some of them can go through batteries
rather quickly. The little mist heads can
also pop off if you don't regulate the
pressure. This can be done with the
faucet or by installing shut off valves
on the feed lines.
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| Bridge Street Nursery Two miles west of Leaburg. Springfield, Oregon |
One important thing that I have learned is to keep things as simple as possible and learn from what
others have done to produce plants. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. The methods shown on this page
a tried and true. Some simple variations in the process might work better for you, but stick to the
basics and keep it simple. If you ever decide to become a professional nursery person then some
things will necessarily change. The basics are the same however. The scale just changes. But for the
backyard gardener, simple is better. Don't spend lots of money and gadgets. Greenhouses, special
propagation mixes, cutters, chemicals, bottom heaters, shade cloth, artificial lighting and the like are
just not necessary. Go back and look at the first misting setup. It's a simple pot, baggies, some sand
and a little water. Those are the essential requirements for plant propagation.
others have done to produce plants. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. The methods shown on this page
a tried and true. Some simple variations in the process might work better for you, but stick to the
basics and keep it simple. If you ever decide to become a professional nursery person then some
things will necessarily change. The basics are the same however. The scale just changes. But for the
backyard gardener, simple is better. Don't spend lots of money and gadgets. Greenhouses, special
propagation mixes, cutters, chemicals, bottom heaters, shade cloth, artificial lighting and the like are
just not necessary. Go back and look at the first misting setup. It's a simple pot, baggies, some sand
and a little water. Those are the essential requirements for plant propagation.
