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Buster

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I still have seven cuttings.
Four with roots and three with out.

I through out two yesterday as they were soft and mushy.
I noticed that the ones that I tossed didn't have roots.

So it looks like, the ones that push out growth first do not survive.
The ones that push roots first and then growth do survive.

The ones that have roots are doing great!
Let's hope the other three will eventually send out roots?

Anyone else notice this?

Jerry
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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Jerry, this is part of the hobby. Don't get discourage.
Most but not all of the processes discussed here in the forums are for rooting the cuttings and a majority of the processes are for the purpose of ensuring and expediting the roots. However, using high temperature for expediting the roots will expedite other actions that have adverse effects on the cutting such as rot, mold and early shooting of the cutting and it is a race between the good effect (rooting) and the adverse effects under warm humid conditions.
If one is not in a rush to root fast, there are other safe ways to root. I recently read a post which indicated that rooting activity continue as long as temperature is above 45F (though high temps expedite root formation) but colder temperatures can delay shooting and keep the cuttings nutrient reserves for rooting process. I believe there are some rooting equipment on this principal.
So, using high temperatures above room ambient for rooting creates race conditions between rooting and rotting/mold. We`have the choice between the slow and relatively safe conditions and the risky expedited conditions unless someone has all steps expertly under control.
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Buster

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
I am not discouraged in the least.
If only the four survive to transplanting stage, I will be happy.
You sent me nine cuttings, didn't you?
Four out of nine is 45%.
That isn't too bad for the first time.
The other three could still send roots.
Plus I have my tree that is in the house now.
I have to be carefull I don't run out of room..lol..lol.
I am very happy!!!

Jerry
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Posted Reply with quote  #4 

Jerry, there are worse heart-breaking situation. My first rooted cutting of this winter was doing so fine, good roots and picture perfect erect leaves. It just decided to go and the leaves are drooping lifeless with no real hope. On the other hand I have a plant that was sent last summer as a sucker and took 55+ days in transit, received in almost dried conditions and instead of junking it right away I potted it with no hope but it revived and is thriving in the living room now.


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Buster

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
The three that are not rooting, I put them back in
the furnace room.
They won't have any light, just heat.
I wonder if the light activates green growth and heat
activates roots?
Worth a try eh?

Jerry
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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Jerry
Shoots do come out even in the baggie method when the cuttings are wrapped in the moist paper and it can be dark inside the wrapped paper. It is just the nature; there are shoot buds on the cutting and there is nutrient reserve and the moisture to start the process for the shoot to come alive & start growing. As Al (tapla) mentioned that if the rooting process does not open the channels for the moisture and the nutrients to move up the cutting before the rot starts or the cutting nutrient reserves are depleted, the cutting survival is at risk.
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satellitehead

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 

two related questions:

1) have any of you guys seen cuttings with a little hairy mold on the leaf scars, a nook or cranny manage to survive after potting it up?

2) does mold kill cuttings, or does mold lead to rot, which kills cuttings?


i ask because i had a couple of cuttings with a slight spot or two of mold, but there was no rot.  they had root initials so i didn't want to dunk in 10% bleach solution to kill the little bit of mold.  i potted them up with some sphagnum moss and perlite 50/50 mix.

i no longer see mold, but some moldy parts would be under the SM/perlite mix, so it may be breeding under there?. 

at any rate, most are showing roots at the side of the cup.  they otherwise look healthy.  one or two had some mold at the tip of the cutting, but i dabbed with 10% bleach solution on the moldy spots a couple days ago and they look just fine now with no mold returning.

i wonder if they will be alright.

 

 
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Jason
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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Satellitehead
Once the rooting has started, I prefer to use H2O2 for removing surface mold or from nook or cranny using a cotton swab. I find it useful at this stage of the  progress. See the thread below:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg121459177806.html?8#post

This kind of surface mold at this stage may not kill the cutting when the bark still feels healthy. However, if it is at the stage where the mold makes the bark soft to the push then some surgery may be required. If the cutting has rooted but the mold appears in mid portion above the roots then the top will die. Some imaginative steps will be required to make use of the healthy part of the cutting without the rotted section.
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satellitehead

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 

Perfect, thanks Akram! This is exactly what I was looking for.
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Jason
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