Desperately Need Help on Cuttings!

[armetisius]

60 pages of some riveting information! It looks like something [B]@armetisius[/B] wrote Really though there's lots of good information.

Vin,
I thank you for the compliment; or at least that is how I will take it.
Though I would truly like to be able to compile such a piece; my
organizational skills are not up to par to do so. However the rest of
the book, sans the micro-propagation sections, is located here:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/ph final.html

And this particular faculty member, who is not the author but apparently
uses this text to teach from, has some very interesting articles of his own
on various other aspects that might prove useful to some of our other
members -such as the grafting article on page two of his articles index
and some cool info on Mycorrhizal Fungi; check his work out.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/?s=davies&submit=Search

Once again thank you for considering me capable of such a work. My
gardening journals read like high farce comparative to this work.

 

[armetisius]

I have taken hundreds of cuttings. Tried different media, different species, different set-ups, etc. Out of all the cuttings I have taken, I have had one root. A cherry. I also have some seiju cuttings in a tent with perlite that I think are rooting so maybe they will add to my score. I just cant win! I need serious schooling on taking cuttings. I would like to know your timing, what hormone you use, media, light, tent or not, how many leaves you keep, and water/misting schedule that you use for taking cuttings! I would like a general rule of thumb; however, some of the species I am specifically looking for are: -Chinese juniper; -Citrus; -seiju elm; -Japanese Maple; -Trident Maple; -Bald Cypress; -Sparkleberry; Thanks for anything you can help me with. I hope this will be a good resource for me as well as others.

Still one of the better works on the subject--still in print--is Michael Dirr's: The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture, Second Edition
You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=michael+dirr
One of the best twenties I ever spent.
Feel free to PM if there is anything I
could be of asisstence with.

 

[JoeR]

Still one of the better works on the subject--still in print--is Michael Dirr's: The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture, Second Edition
You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=michael+dirr
One of the best twenties I ever spent.
Feel free to PM if there is anything I
could be of asisstence with.

I actually already have that book now but thanks anyways!

 

[armetisius]

I actually already have that book now but thanks anyways!

Well then there are only a hand full of other suggestions I can offer.
1) get a subscription--on line is fine--to HortScience. Covers 25 years of journal dedicated to ALL things horticultural research and breakthroughs.
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/
2) Same name--NOT same group--under publications tab to articles. Some good stuff to be gleaned.
http://www.hortscience.com/
3) Join the International Plant Propagators Society--Like 50+ years of research on just those topics you want to learn from:
http://www.ipps.org/
4)Check under the Southern North America region on their website. Still can't UN-SEE the kid on their splash screen/slideshow obviously in a borrowed/only tie.
http://sna.ipps.org/
5) Get a pocket notebook. One of those little wire bound notepad. Questions, observations, etc. go in it.
6)Now this next one is well timed--off season--BUT must be handled carefully. Google plant nurseries near Hamlet, NC. Pull that link to your bookmarks toolbar.
You will need it again. Call your county extension agent and build a relationship with him/her. Be surprised at all the stuff he is allowed to just hand you.
Conversationally find out who the older nurserymen/growers are in the area--including those no longer actively growing but still around--go see them. Use your
bookmark to find them. Take your questions/notepad with you. Take coffee with doughnuts, pastries, etc.--Plant grower seems to equate to sugar junkie; get there early in the day.
Make it clear you are NOT looking to become competition but just want to learn what their experience has taught them through the years. They are your sensei/s.
Much more locally useful. What I do to root junipers may not work there and vice versa. Or may not work as well--by volume--as what he can tell you. There may,
usually is, some variation [tweak] to media/misting schedules/hormone treatments that work best in your area. They are the ones who will know it. They are also the
ones who will probably have "something" sitting on the back lot that has been there for years that you can buy for 5-10% of original retail. Best way to locate beautiful
OLD plants with character for bonsai. Visit all of them REGULARLY. Even those you don't get along with at first. "Why should I tell him [waste my time] all this until
I am sure he is serious about learning how to . . ." Plant people freely share what they consider common knowledge/sense; however, it takes knowing them to get all the
"little bits" that they don't share with the common people but tell other "growers" even if only amateurs. USE your notepad to remind you of your questions and to note
what they say. Vanity will loosen a tongue by virtue of "he actually does WANT to know this." Also if they are still actively growing/selling it always helps to know "hey
the truck from "whoever" will be here next week"--inside track for first "picks" of the new stock from other nurseries. Do NOT bicker price on something new that he did
NOT grow. He has price+shipping tied up in those. His real profit is from what he grows. He will respect you more for knowing/realizing that fact and acting accordingly.
Read that as: "I'll cut him some on the price of this because he paid full on those 'whatever' that I got from 'whoever'.

Best advice I can give you. Good luck.