Cuttings in Water

[quietobserver]

Hello everyone. Thanks for your time, I was wondering if anyone has any experience positive or otherwise, propagating in water. I'm reading old mags and its in Bonsai Today #77 1-2002.

They cut a 9" gardenia with a nice caliper trunk into 3 pieces, take the 2 'cuttings' and make a Styrofoam floatie for them and place them in a water tub with part of the base submerged with some hormone mixed in the water. Used some lead fishing weights to keep it all from capsizing and 5 months later it come out looking pretty good

Any thoughts on this or is this another 'Let's bare root our prized black pine in August' article?.

Thanks!!

 

[Poink88]

It can work on some plants but IMHO, there are better ways to do it. Too many things can go wrong with it fast.

Personally, I'd just plant the cutting in a pot of pumice w/ some chopped sphagnum moss instead.

 

[quietobserver]

It can work on some plants but IMHO, there are better ways to do it. Too many things can go wrong with it fast.

Personally, I'd just plant the cutting in a pot of pumice w/ some chopped sphagnum moss instead.

Thanks. I should have been more specific, I have to go out of town A LOT for work. Auto watering works ok with the trees, but I'm looking to try something new with cuttings. Sticking a bunch through some Styrofoam and leaving them in a tub of water would be EPIC for me if it works.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks. I should have been more specific, I have to go out of town A LOT for work. Auto watering works ok with the trees, but I'm looking to try something new with cuttings. Sticking a bunch through some Styrofoam and leaving them in a tub of water would be EPIC for me if it works.

It works...many times my grandma will put plants in a vase and some will root.

Add some willow sap extract in your water (or simply add a willow cutting) if you try it. It has hormones that encourage root growth.

 

[johng]

I've never done it so I shouldn't be commenting! I understand that sometimes it is difficult to transition the water roots to soil...but that sure wouldn't stop me from trying if I were in your shoes...just not sure it will work with all species.

 

[GrimLore]

Perhaps try putting your cuttings in some 3 inch nursery pots and placing the pots in a Jiffy type empty starter tray(inexpensive) 2 1/2 inch deep or so. When you go away fill the tray and keep the bathtub free The few Azaleas I have indoors all winter and a few other plants that like being damp do very good that way and the water lasts up to 5 days.

Grimmy

 

[FrankP999]

Most ficus will root in water. I have some trimmings from Green Island Ficus that have been growing in a glass of water for over a month with nice long roots.

 

[quietobserver]

Thanks to all. A wealth of info and possibilities. Grimmy's suggestion is interesting as I've had someone recommend similar that involved a lot of pumice low in the 'stick pot' that would kind of regulate the uptake of water from a water source below. Top portion of 'stick pot' basically sphagum peat pumice mix like dario mentioned. Still fascinated by the old article though, quite the hunk of wood on the 'cutting' lol.