I was rooting softwood cuttings over the summer. Now, in March, I’ve been using dormant root cuttings. They seem like a better method so far.
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You got any pics chestnut? Id be interesting in seeing exactly what you are doing… How much heat are you using? Ill be trying this once the ground thaws a bit, still hard as a rock here near the C border!
Here’s a picture of my heat mat setup in my mudroom. The heat source is non-LED christmas rope lighting with a thermostat controller. I keep it set at 75f. I don’t know if the root cuttings need the bottom heat or not. In the picture, all you can see are cuttings of various things. The root cuttings don’t look like much, just a couple leaves pushing up. The mist system in the summer is outside and a pretty different setup.
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Thanks, what type of substrate is that? Are all the cuttings CJ?
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50/50 perlite vermiculite. No, the cuttings are not CJ for the most part, thats just the setup for my indoor heat mat. The CJ cuttings that aren’t roots are outside in the summer.
Why a 50/50 mix (vs say straight perlite)? Do you think staight peat moss would work? I’d like to try this …
I never use peat moss. I think it is an ecologically irresponsible product. Here is an Article I wrote about peat moss.
I had already decided to try root cuttings this year . Since they sucker from the root it seems the easiest way . Good to hear someone has success with this method .
I would try coir, so the pH is not out of whack. I love peat, It is such a wonderful product. But I use coir mixed with horticultural DE, just a little, it’s mostly coir.
I like you can get it sterile. Great for air layers, and seed starting. I understand why some feel peat is bad to use, what I don’t understand is why one would use perlite instead? As it’s mining is very destructive or can be, and then put in a blast furnace that spews thousands if not millions of pounds of carbon dioxide in the air? Plus it is non-renewable resource with an estimated 700 million ton’s left. The dust can cause cancer too. That’s OK I guess? I mean if you really care about the environment why would you use such a product? Sorry, a discussion for another thread.
Good point on the perlite, maybe I will be able to replace it one day if I can find a good alternative for my potting mixes. Perlite is quarried not too far from where I live. It looks like a gravel pit, certainly not the best thing in the world. I’ve used bio-char in my potting mixes to substitute perlite, but the pots are really heavy.
The perlite/vermiculite mix works really well as a substrate for rooting cuttings, but so does sand (which is also quarried). I’m not sure if anything is totally innocent, but to me, peat moss strip mining in the boreal forests is just too much for me. Thanks for bringing this up, its important to consider.
What about just sand? I see that mentioned in some things i read. “Coarse” sand?
Good call on the pH … i wonder how much that matters? I have a huge bale of peat moss so that is why i’d use it. I use it for my blueberries.
Yeah, I often use pure sand for rooting cuttings. Its too heavy for the setup I have in my mudroom, but I use it in my mist outside.
A reasonable choice and price is not much more than peat. Amazon has it with free shipping for those with Prime. Jet.com has various size packages with 15% off for new customers. Coir isprobably not a good choice for Carmine Jewel Cherries since recommendations are pH between 6.5 and 8.0 but would be very good for blueberries and other plants that like an acid soil. I haven’t used it but will give it a try.
With blueberries I want the best results, so I use peat. I recently bought a bag of Black Magic potting soil at Home Depot. it is coir and perlite. I use it as a seed starter mix, and for air layers. Expensive at 20 bucks, but a bag will last me a few years. It’s a huge bag too. Black Magic also sell a peat moss mix, but it’s buffered, so not for blueberries.
I found this…think i’m going to get some sand and go that route.
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For anyone that might know, how important is bottom heat when trying to root cherry cuttings in your opinion? Will it significantly increase success? What temp is optimal?
I’m going to do Krymsk86 cuttings. I’m going to use a black heat mat. I always start seedlings using one and it always seems to speed everything up.
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I know with pepper seeds heat helps tremendously. I have it at about 80F. i would start there and see what happens.
I got about a dozen k86 cuttings under a heat mat now. While digging for a root, i actually broke off another couple inch shoot that was growing up…so i potted that up (it had a few roots on it so it should grow)… I put a few cuttings in potting mix…we’ll see how they do…the other stuff is in sand. I’ll report back any findings.
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