Best rooting powder / compound for hardwood cuttings?

[Danllan]

Any suggestions? I want to propagate some particularly prolific nut and fruit trees from some hedges to use as gap fillers elsewhere. Now seems a good time to get this done and I am generally ignorant on the subject.

Thanks in advance.

 

[pgk]

Any suggestions? I want to propagate some particularly prolific nut and fruit trees from some hedges to use as gap fillers elsewhere. Now seems a good time to get this done and I am generally ignorant on the subject.

Thanks in advance.

Wife who is particularly green fingered does not use any, just a good quality gritty compost. She has not had any better success with the hormone rooting powders. She leaves hardwood cuttings for at least 12 months before potting on.

 

[Exfarmer]

Any suggestions? I want to propagate some particularly prolific nut and fruit trees from some hedges to use as gap fillers elsewhere. Now seems a good time to get this done and I am generally ignorant on the subject.

Thanks in advance.

No expert but i think you need soft cutting for rootingas you will find in late spring

 

[renewablejohn]

Not a fan of rooting powders have always found cuttings dibbled around the circumference of unglazed clay pots with an open compost works very well.

 

[ImLost]

Tips On How To Make Willow Water

Did you know rooting cuttings in water can be sped up by using willow water? Willow trees possess a certain hormone that can be used to enhance root development in plants. Learn more in this article.

www.gardeningknowhow.com

Make your own?

 

[Bogweevil]

Clonex Rooting Gel.

The only one that contains an approved hormone, the others have other ingredients which may or may not have any effect.

 

[Danllan]

Hmm, thanks all, it's all now entirely straightforward...

I'd heard of the willow idea before, however the suggestion of adding boiling water is a bit dubious, since that that would seem likely to denature any hormones...

According to the RHS, the best time to take hardwood cuttings is after leaf fall, or before bud-burst in the Spring. Which goes to show how a wrong idea can get set in one's head - I was under the impression that the ideal time was after a Winter frost.

 

[Bogweevil]

Any suggestions? I want to propagate some particularly prolific nut and fruit trees from some hedges to use as gap fillers elsewhere. Now seems a good time to get this done and I am generally ignorant on the subject.

Thanks in advance.

Fruit and nut hedgerow plants are not that easy to strike as cuttings but there are often plentiful suckers which can be severed with a sharp spade and also seedlings occur which can be lifted.

 

[Danllan]

Fruit and nut hedgerow plants are not that easy to strike as cuttings but there are often plentiful suckers which can be severed with a sharp spade and also seedlings occur which can be lifted.

Yep, done that with some, and plashed some of the nuts too, with an idea of spreading them that way and allowing for cutting and lifting too. I'm hoping to get as many new ones as possible, just to spread the 'best' around quicker.

 

[zero]

Yep, done that with some, and plashed some of the nuts too, with an idea of spreading them that way and allowing for cutting and lifting too. I'm hoping to get as many new ones as possible, just to spread the 'best' around quicker.

Mice can be a problem with nuts. I had some acorns germinating in a seed tray a couple of years ago, checked them one morning and a few had been nibbled!

 

[lloyd]

How about plant some Holly trees in one or two months time.
Need to make sure you have a proportion of male trees
Within a certain distance of the female trees to have loads of berries .
Great demand for quality holly.

 

[Danllan]

Mice can be a problem with nuts. I had some acorns germinating in a seed tray a couple of years ago, checked them one morning and a few had been nibbled!

True, so can small children when they pull up the cutting 'to see if the roots have grown yet'...

How about plant some Holly trees in one or two months time.
Need to make sure you have a proportion of male trees
Within a certain distance of the female trees to have loads of berries .
Great demand for quality holly.

Yes... but... I don't fancy eating any part of a holly... what I'm looking to do is spread the shrubs and trees that provide the best fruits and nuts for eating.

 

[lloyd]

True, so can small children when they pull up the cutting 'to see if the roots have grown yet'...


Yes... but... I don't fancy eating any part of a holly... what I'm looking to do is spread the shrubs and trees that provide the best fruits and nuts for eating.

You could mix it up a bit if you have a big enough area .
Holly trees can live upto 300 years where as apple trees ???
I'm putting in between 50-100 in an area for evergreen screening .

 

[Danllan]

You could mix it up a bit if you have a big enough area .
Holly trees can live upto 300 years where as apple trees ???
I'm putting in between 50-100 in an area for evergreen screening .

Holly tree could live for a three thousand bloody years, I'm still not eating them.

 

[yoki]

Moisture during the first couple of summers is the key.

If they're going in places where it's not going to be practical to water them in a dry spell, then make a wee nurse bed somewhere to propagate them in and that you can give them water until they develop enough of a root system of their own to be able to cope with a bit of drought.

Also bear in mind that it's a painstakingly slow way to reproduce something as opposed to grafting where possible.

Against that, it can be quite satisfying.

I had flowering currant in several hedges which never got the chance to stretch it's legs thanks to the hedge-trimmer so I propagated a few cuttings and transplanted them out to the woodland where I now have several standalone flowering currant bushes growing unhindered.

Good luck!

 

[Bury the Trash]

Moisture during the first couple of summers is the key.

yes focus on the type of growth medium ( the PH of it as well dont forget) and adequate moisture supply anything else is a waste of time and money.

 

[yoki]

yes focus on the type of growth medium ( the PH of it as well dont forget) and adequate moisture supply anything else is a waste of time and money.

I didn't mention growing medium as I assumed he'd be aware of that, but yes, crucially important too.

 

[Exfarmer]

True, so can small children when they pull up the cutting 'to see if the roots have grown yet'...


Yes... but... I don't fancy eating any part of a holly... what I'm looking to do is spread the shrubs and trees that provide the best fruits and nuts for eating.

good luck with the squirrels !

 

[Danllan]

Moisture during the first couple of summers is the key.

If they're going in places where it's not going to be practical to water them in a dry spell, then make a wee nurse bed somewhere to propagate them in and that you can give them water until they develop enough of a root system of their own to be able to cope with a bit of drought...

Good luck!

 

[yoki]

I know what you mean but all it takes is one dry snap and they're gone, can rain the rest of the year if it wants but they ain't coming back.

I lost three apple tree cuttings a couple of years ago which were in their second year and in a nurse bed six feet from the back door. What with work, shearing, hay making, etc, I just forgot to water them for a few days and they were toast.

No moisture, no life.