Flowering Quince Cuttings Started

[RobertB]

So I purchased this nice little flowering quince, tag said a Crimson and Gold, with the intent of trying to propagate some cuttings from it while starting it on its journey as a bonsai. After some research, it seams like quince does ok propagating from cuttings and even larger pencil thick cuttings or even thicker are possible to start. I personally haven't been that successful with cuttings at all but have been working on it for the past few years.

I found this pretty nice guide for taking cuttings so I sort of used this to go by.

http://www.internationalbonsai.com/files/1708315/uploaded/flowering_quince_article.pdf

I chose some cuttings from the very tips of the shoots. Most of the interior has finished blooming. I did have to pinch 1 flower bud off one of the cuttings.

First I mixed up some soil mix. I started with about a 6 inch container, then placed a layer of 1" size lava rocks at bottom for drainage. Next I filled with leftover bonsai soil. Mix of pine bark, builders gravel, DE and Turface. I then soaked it, let it drip dry then added about a 1/4" layer of sand to the top.

I took about 8-10 cuttings that were about 6 - 8 inches long, prepped the ends per the instructions included in this link, dipped into hormone, then used a wooden chopstick to make a hole in the soil, placed the cuttings about half their length deep then lightly packed around the edges. After all were planted, I placed on my shade bench which gets full sunlight till about 2-3pm right now. I added a large plastic barrel to help preserve moisture around the pot and now I'm hoping for the best. One thing I noticed is that since the bonsai soil was wet, it was hard to pack around the cutting and it seemed like the cutting might have stuck through most of the bonsai soil into the area where the large rocks were. I know some soil settled down into them. So who knows, maybe this will help.

I will update if these take or die. I will try and keep moist till they start growing, then probably remove cover then water like normal. Probably transplant in fall or spring of next year. maybe earlier if they start to grow like crazy.

Quince as purchased last month:


Bloomed out.



Cuttings.



Flat clean board and clean, new razor for prepping end. I also pinched off buds on bottom half of cutting.


Long cut on one side.


short cut on opposite side


All planted up and ready to go outside.


Hope for the best.

 

[Melospiza]

Don't cutting tutorials usually say to enclose the pot in a clear plastic bag that you tie off and open periodically to water? That way, the pot won't dry out quickly.

 

[RobertB]

Yes. I am doing that too, just not shown in photo.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Don't put them all vertical. Lean some of them over.

 

[RobertB]

Don't put them all vertical. Lean some of them over.

Im really just trying to get them to root. I can experiment later with some others. Why you say to lean some over. couldn't you do that once you pull them once they have rooted? just curious.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Im really just trying to get them to root. I can experiment later with some others. Why you say to lean some over. couldn't you do that once you pull them once they have rooted? just curious.

No, you cannot as effectively lean them over once rooted. You give them a better start by leaning them when striking cuttings because the roots start at the angle of the trunk. Also, as they grow, the trunks tend to either turn up or (less likely but possible) turn downward. They don't keep growing at an angle. This introduces good low movement in trunks. I'll try to take a pic when I get home.

 

[RobertB]

ok. Thank you for the insight. This is exactly the sort of things im looking for. I will definitely try that on the next round. My current set up will not allow me to lean them any as I have this large plastic jar being used to cover them for now and provide some extra humidity. I will probably come up with a better rig for the next set up and try that.

Thank you again Stan.

 

[Stan Kengai]

I didn't get home in time to get current pics, but here is a 4 year old azalea cutting from last fall.



Another piece of information, cutting instructions usually list a length to make the cuttings. This standard length is not as important as the number of nodes. Plants that easily grow from cutting can be taken in sections containing only 3-4 nodes. More difficult varieties might need 6 nodes. Additionally (it looks like you might already know this), make the bottom cut immediately below a node. It looks like you were meticulous and did your cuttings by the book. Frankly, in all but the hardest varieties, you can just cut below a node with (disinfected) scissors and stick it in open planting medium and get +50% success rate.

 

[RobertB]

thats a great azalea! I think its the timing thats been getting me. I meant to take some winter hardwood cuttings but our winter was so short but bitter cold, I never got around to it. I think my biggest problem has been taken cuttings during summer and not being able to supply them ample light and misting.

Ive heard that taking cuttings as the tree is pushing can work without the need of misting (at least misting with system) sort of a cross between a winter hardwood cutting and cutting with leaves. As the cutting slowly buds out, it gives time for the roots to slowly develop at same time, ultimately slowing down the growth but driving root growth at the same time (maybe sort of like chopping a tree hard while cutting the roots back to almost nothing). This could be completely wrong. But thats basically what im trying with these quince. Also have a few serissas but these are pretty dam easy to root.

 

[RobertB]

So plants that grow easy from cuttings, when taking a 4 node cutting, do you still plant half the length deep? Are quince considered easy to take from cutting?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

So plants that grow easy from cuttings, when taking a 4 node cutting, do you still plant half the length deep? Are quince considered easy to take from cutting?

Very easy.

 

[RobertB]

Is it true that early summer is the best time or is it now? Or another time? Keep in mind that I live on the gulf coast very near the beach in lower Alabama.

 

[RobertB]

All but 1 are dead. I plan to try some more in a few weeks.

 

[augustine]

If you let it sucker for a year (if this variety suckers but most do) or two you can propagate by dividing the root ball. I've done it but don't know the variety. It was collected by a friend.

 

[RobertB]

I tried taking two suckers from the mother plant this spring and they are not doing very well. I got some other quince cuttings from a friend that I stuck in peralite and those seem to be doing great. All of them!

 

[JoeR]

I’ve had huge, over 1” root cuttings of toyo Nishiki root last year which are now flowering and growing like weeds. USE A CLOCHE. A clear plastic tub flipped over in some shade is perfect.

 

[pweifan]

All but 1 are dead. I plan to try some more in a few weeks.

Sorry to hear that. Did you try again?

 

[EPM]

I read that same article on making quince cuttings. The thing I always wondered was whether or not the article was geared towards those in Japan because if I recall correctly it was a translation of a Japanese article. So what adjustments for climate need to be made? In other words for your area when is the best time to make cuttings and what type of cutting should be used from a quince? I had luck getting some cuttings to root last summer but they were not robust enough to make it through the winter with the protection I gave them. Recently I tried rooting some in water for kicks. The cuttings had already put out some leaves and I cut the flower buds off. Those cuttings started to root but eventually stalled out. I keep reading that quince cuttings easily take but I feel like my experience has been mixed so far. Maybe some of the flowering quince experts on her can outline their cutting process for us. Best of luck if you try again!

 

[RobertB]

I got some other flowering quince cuttings from one of the other members on here and all took in about two months in pure perilite. Misted 3 times a day and covered. Also in shade. I transplanted some out this past weekend and they are doing ok. If it works, I will create a thread later this yr to describe.

I also switched to the dyna grow gel rooting hormone and it seems to be helping. I was actually able to root Japanese maples this spring. First time ever out of three yrs trying. I did know a whole lot more this yr than yrs past though.

 

[Driftwood]

I got some other flowering quince cuttings from one of the other members on here and all took in about two months in pure perilite. Misted 3 times a day and covered. Also in shade. I transplanted some out this past weekend and they are doing ok. If it works, I will create a thread later this yr to describe.

I also switched to the dyna grow gel rooting hormone and it seems to be helping. I was actually able to root Japanese maples this spring. First time ever out of three yrs trying. I did know a whole lot more this yr than yrs past though.

So what do you think is the key?/temperatures, regular mist, substrate, time of year, cutting size?
I'm trying Chaenomeles suckers cuttings today with average temp 9C/48F in 50%akadama 50% peat with root powder in my shed but tomorrow will try to covered. Thx you all for posting.