Yoshino and Weeping Yoshino Cherry Bonsai Propagation

[ILO]

Hi Y'all, I am in my 3rd year of growing out potted trees so I can eventually develop them into bonsai. In place of purchasing further stock, I would like to begin propagating via cuttings and air layering. To start, I would like to try my hand with my yoshino and weeping yoshino cherries (pictures attached).

I would like to develop the weeping cherry into a triple trunk design with secondary branches coming off each for a total of 6 main branches. This was my first tree and I am quite pleased with how it has developed naturally with minimal intervention. However, the branches are already too lanky prior to the spring growth so I would like to cut these back for more vertical growth. I would assume cuttings would be better for their current size (~1 - 1.5cm). I plan on using vermiculite, rooting hormones, sealed ziplocks, and heat pads indoors to stimulate growth, but I am open to any other suggestions.

For the traditional yoshino cherry, as you can see it is putting on good growth for a traditional orchard cherry, but it is way to straight and boring for a cherry bonsai. I believe I will have to take a drastic air layer and cut down to the bottom two or three branches while cuttings down the branches above the air layer for cuttings and to ease the load on the roots post-cut. I would like to hear y'alls thoughts on this. I have sphagnum moss and rooting hormones that I planned on using with a sealed ziplock as well.

I have also attached a pics of most of my trees minus my oaks, maples, and junipers as a bonus. Might post the rest if people are curious.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Gabler]

Bump.

Anyone growing cherry?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I grow prunus varieties but my cuttings tend to be very, very weak every time.
So instead I do air layers and those work pretty well. Just after flowering, cut a ring of bark and wrap that ring in damp sphagnum. By june there should be roots enough to separate.
Don't repot for two years after that. Their root systems can only take a little abuse.

 

[ILO]

I grow prunus varieties but my cuttings tend to be very, very weak every time.
So instead I do air layers and those work pretty well. Just after flowering, cut a ring of bark and wrap that ring in damp sphagnum. By june there should be roots enough to separate.
Don't repot for two years after that. Their root systems can only take a little abuse.

Thanks for the reply! I'm glad to hear that's your method as that is pretty much what I did for the traditional yoshino. I figured i would continue taking air layers from this main tree if the first works, and use the propogations as bonsai material. I took some cuttings from a branch I had to take off, so we'll see how they do.

In addition, I trimmed the weeping cherry so I can shape the new growth this year. I took cuttings from this and the other cherry, and placed all of them in vermiculite with rooting hormone in a sealed ziplock.

I have attached pictures of the above for y'all's reference. I will update this chain with the results as we get into late spring and summer.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Anyone growing cherry?

Yes

Cherries

Below is a list of 17 varieties of Cherry, Japanese Cherry (i.e. Sakura, or so-called 'Cherry Blossom'), Flowering Almond, as well as Nanking Cherry currently held at Canada Bonsai.In development are pre-bonsai, bonsai, as well as larger potted trees for gardens and landscapes.Garden centres...

www.canadabonsai.com

I don't understand if @ILO 's question is about design advice or propagation. Regarding the latter, cuttings can be taken mid-may to mid-july. I use 100% humidity, and a heat mat. 40% shade cloth and a 6mm polyethylene which diffuses light. substrate is 3 parts perlite, 1 part coco husk. (When I take cuttings in winter, I use akadama instead of perlite, because akadama stays humid for longer and the longer that I can go before the first watering the longer the rooting hormone will be present before being washed away). When taking cuttings in May-July, I let them grow all year and repot the following Jan/Feb (as opposed to maples and many other deciduous, which get repotted 6 weeks or so after taking the cuttings).

 

[ILO]

Edit: Double reply and can't figure out to delete on mobile.

Oops!

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Yoshino can be produced from cuttings, especially from young plants. The recommendation is cuttings taken in June- July than May. 8000 -10000 ppm IBA.

Use firmwood cuttings (young but hardened up) as extremely soft cuttings tend to rot.

Medium varies from 1:1 peaterlite to or sterilized 60:30:10 pine bark:top soil:sand.

Mist or use humidity chamber.

Ref: The Reference for woody plant propagation

You are correct and cut down is indicated on the Yoshino. Would both air layer and take cuttings. However the best air layer might come from the area where two branches junction.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[ILO]

Yes

Cherries

Below is a list of 17 varieties of Cherry, Japanese Cherry (i.e. Sakura, or so-called 'Cherry Blossom'), Flowering Almond, as well as Nanking Cherry currently held at Canada Bonsai.In development are pre-bonsai, bonsai, as well as larger potted trees for gardens and landscapes.Garden centres...

www.canadabonsai.com

I don't understand if @ILO 's question is about design advice or propagation. Regarding the latter, cuttings can be taken mid-may to mid-july. I use 100% humidity, and a heat mat. 40% shade cloth and a 6mm polyethylene which diffuses light. substrate is 3 parts perlite, 1 part coco husk. (When I take cuttings in winter, I use akadama instead of perlite, because akadama stays humid for longer and the longer that I can go before the first watering the longer the rooting hormone will be present before being washed away). When taking cuttings in May-July, I let them grow all year and repot the following Jan/Feb (as opposed to maples and many other deciduous, which get repotted 6 weeks or so after taking the cuttings).

I was asking for both design and propagation advice, sorry if that was not clear

From your and Deep Sea Diver's reply, it seems like I should try taking cuttings in June as well. I have plenty of cutting potential so I will try that as well, and will compare the results.

Thank you all for your replies, greatly appreciate it!