Ok on several post i have talked about getting a gal size clay pot filled with moist perlite. the pot then is set in a drip pan almost full of water.

I have also talked about scoring down the side of the cutting to root a little quicker with more roots.

Now you will see the two pics. the first is of the clay pot with a soda bottle over the top you may not be able to see the cuttings inside. the second pic is of a Celeste cutting that was scored down the side and treated with dip n grow. this was the only cutting i did this way. the rest were treated with dip n grow but not scored. after 17 days the scored one was the only one with roots.

if you look close at the rooted cutting you will notice no roots are comming from the nodes only the score.

Questions or comments

Dave

Dave, why do you score on one side only?

for safties sake. i have scored on both and even gurdled. to have some cutting die back and rot as the bark would slide off. now i score one side not all the way to the bottem eather. i find that this will callus over and root long before nodes do. (atleast for me).

the great thing about this is that as long as the drip pan is almost full just a little moister will leach up to the cutting so its a no hassle. once a week as the water level gets low water the perlite with a cup of water. if you see mold starting take the bottle off. works like a charm.

Dave, what dilution of Dip 'n Grow are you using?

Depends, on average 7-1 . if i have mainly newer wood then 10-1. older wood 5-1. and somtimes i let it soak a min.

Dave,
   After reading your post and seeing the pictures, I got out my clay pot and drip pan tonight and filled the pot with moist perlite and stuck in two Paw Paw's Turkey cuttings that I have been trying to root for two months now.  I did the scaring technique as per your instructions.  And now I'm just gonna sit a wait.....this is the lazy mans way after all.   LOL   :))
   PS.  Did the Dip N Grow routine by the way.

I like it. Where do you guys pick up the Dip-n-grow? Lowes or similar or local nursery?

Check Ebay for the Dip and Grow, that's where I purchased a 2oz. bottle for $11.00 with shipping.

I have started experimenting with a few cuttings and it is decreasing bag and cup time for the cuttings.

I had never used Dip and Grow until it was posted about a month ago by another member, the scoring was also posted, so I thought I would give both a try.

Pictures taken today of the cuttings and their progress. the procedure was as follows.
1. Score cuttings with knife (scrape off bark 1/8 inch wide approximately 1 inch long at 3 places, think potato peel)
2. Brush on Dip and Grow at 10X mix.
3. Place in Zip lock Bag with moist Sphagnum Moss (wrung Completely dry, no visible moisture). store at 76 Deg F.
4. After Callus and initials formation in 8 days potted to 16 Oz Cups 70% Perlite /10% Vermiculite / 20% MG Seed Starting Mix. Place in Rooting Zip lock Bag, Inflate and store at 76 Deg. F.
5.Take Pictures at 20 days for progress report.



Note: The entire bottom of the cup is full of roots (360 degrees).

Edit 12/14/12: I used a standard utility razor knife to score the cutting, scraping off the bark.

Pete, thanks for sharing.  Did you take photos of what the cuttings looked like at step 4 (after 8 days)?

Please don't take this as a criticism, but it looks like your cutting on the right has about 1.25" of cutting remaining above the top bud.  I trim mine off to about a quarter inch or so above buds (cutting them at an angle so any excess water runs off, which I understand to be standard greenhouse protocol for when misting is used).

I've scored the one bottom side just for a little ways up from the bottom where I have it trimmed just below a node and this has worked well.  The following photo shows very clearly how roots are coming from the exposed cambium layer.  The method of scoring an even greater area seems to work even better.

This photo is of one of the Gonsalves trees I wrote about previously, somewhere at between 4-5 weeks.

there is a terminal bud at the top of the cutting in the pic. cell phones dont take goos pics and its positioned in a downward angle. I started another thread talking about misting table prpagation as well, and have to agree that a cutting angled at the top workd great to reduce alot of moister problems. also if you dip the tops in wax i have found this to help as well.

Those are some nice roots. i take it these where done under misting. i used sand in my misting set up. it gave me great results but was so heavy that roots were damaged when i took them out. going with an 8-2 mix of perlite and peat moss next time.

Dave

Harvey,

I did not take pictures at 8 days, I was not planning on posting, but the cuttings were callused and root initials were just starting. I have had much better cutting survival rate (almost 100%) if I wait for callus and root initials to form before placing in cups.

No offense taken! I did not process the cuttings, they were rooted as they were received from a generous forum member.  I usually leave the top end long because they die back to the next node, and the additional length has not affected any of my cuttings negatively. I am a backyard gardener and was not planning on using a mister, but once the plant is placed outside, I usually cut the top at an angle for rain runoff.

I removed the bark in three (3) 1/8 inch wide by 1 inch long strips equally spaced around the cutting, between the lowest two nodes. The bottom end of the cutting was about 1/2 inch below the lowest node. the entire lower portion of the cutting was brushed with Dip and Grow.

I posted to comment on the scoring and hormone treatment, so far it works!

Edit: The plastic Ziploc bag performs the same function as the Soda Bottle (I don't drink soda, so am soda bottle poor : ) I usually remove the "green house"  (plastic bag or humidity dome) after 4 weeks, or after roots are visible and can support leaves.

Dave, my comment about the stem above the bud was directed to Pete regarding post #8, photo on the right, plant on the right.  There might be a bud there on the other side, but I don't see growth to indicate it.  I was just making it more as a point.  Seeing that made me think that the top might start rotting.

The cutting I showed was done in a cup of perlite and sphagnum moss (no step 1 with bag), having an inverted cup or soda bottle of the top or maybe in a tub (I don't remember, as I do it both ways.  When I do misting it's in my greenhouse or shadehouse later in the year when it's warmer (this photo was in February and my greenhouse is barely heated and gets down into the 40s most nights).

i think scoring makes all the differance in the world. no matter my rooting method, or cutting for that matter they all get the treatment.

What do you guys use to make the scoring on the cutting. Last night I used a grafting knife, and that seemed to work fine. Then I read another post from a member who said "think potato peeler". Seems like that would remove a pretty wide strip of bark.  I'm just starting to use this technique, so I'm asking you guys what you think is best.  Thanks.

Nine times out of ten i just use the blade on my fiskers pruners and scrape down the bark on the one side. somtimes i use a knife. but whatever gets the job done.

I wouldnt think scoring would be new. but somthing i decided to try that worked really well for me.

Dave

Dave,

I believe your posted rooting method will work better for summer (green) cuttings. I have used the summer rooting method posted on this forum with very good results. The summer method is pictured below from the post. Maintaining approximately 1 inch of water at the bottom of the bottle and maintaining a moist environment inside the bottle was the key to success. Roots are formed above the waterline.  Your method would ensure the required environment. I will be trialing your method, with a few modifications next growing season, for rooting found fig cuttings. The major modification will be to use a clear container to monitor root growth.

Thanks.


http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/file?id=1181110

well sir if what i have done can lead to somthing better by all means please keep us posted. always looking for better ways to do thing, thats why i started doing this scoring thing.

Dave

My way of rooting figs is in 20-24 ounce foam cups e/w (approx) 2-3 parts potting soil
with 1 part perlite, and I'll never, ever dare disturb them veeery fragile new roots.
I just waaait some more time before potting them up [root ball & all] when I feel the time is right.

I hear that george, in the past i have been tempted to go and carfully remove a cutting to see if there was any roots forming. i fight the urge but dont always win. with this batch i have declared victory thus far as i have not messed with them one bit. I have some rares potted up in a perlite potting mix in clear cups on the freezer. first time i have ever done the clear cups. but i would rather look at the cup to see roots rather than kill the only cutting of a kind that i have. the ones in the bathroom have been there for about three weeks. some are pushing out new growth, some are not. but all the cuttings still look great. so i figure just keep em warm and happy until spring hits. (which should be enough time) i will be able to plant outside in end of march early april. plenty of time with no need to go tugging on cuttings.

sounds to me like a gel. i get the dip and grow liquid. mix it how i want it in a pill bottle then dip the cuttings in for 20 or 30 sec each. gels dont need mixed.

mine didnt come with a mix cup, just had some papers saying dulit to this for woody and this for med wood and so on.

Looks like you bought the powered version.  I would say to dilute somewhere between the "woody" and next level...sometimes this is called semi-hardwood and/or first year growth.  Next time, make sure you get the liquid...available at most hydroponic stores in 2oz.  That is more than enough for several years unless you are into production mode.

I got the liquid, i dont do powders. i got a 16 oz bottle of the stuff and am almost out. had it a little over a year but i do ALOT of propagating. but mine didnt come with a mix cup. i usualy mix at about 7-1  most of the time. it recominds on the bottle 20-1 fo new (green ) growth. 10-1 for simi hard wood and  5-1 for hard wood. got the bottle right here.