I had to cut back a Tartarian Honeysuckle earlier this month due to snow (path got higher, twiggy honeysuckle drooped lower, one too many facefulls of snow…). So of course I stuck some pieces to see if they would root. Some directly into the cool/cold greenhouse bed, some in a pot, some buried in soiless mix (latter two inside by stove). Today I dug out the buried pieces. Nothing on the young branch end pieces (pretty small diameter) but the two large diameter 2 or 3 yr old branch pieces were well callused - at both ends!! Well, I wanted callus but really… Just thought that was interesting. Anyone else have this happen? One medium small piece with a small bit of callus had a root! Buds were popping so I’ve stuck them all in the greenhouse bed (35-55 degrees) to hopefully slow down the upper growth (shaded from the sun). No buds on the bed or pot stuck ones have any green showing. It’ll be interesting to see how they do down the line. Sue
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I pulled out the buried apple and pear cuttings today and to my delight all six (3 of ea) were likewise well callused, heavier on the bottom than top but all had some both ends. Unfortunately, all top buds were growing or showing green. This isn’t root guarantee but it’s closer than I’ve ever been with my simple methods. I stuck all in a pot, plastic bag on top in the cool/cold greenhouse. Hope springs! Sue
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Mid July update. In the end, out of 22 honeysuckle pieces stuck 1 made it to the rooted-growing well stage (in the garden nursery bed now). And that one was from the batch simply stuck in the back of the greenhouse bed (soil 42-55 deg, air 35-55 deg). The groups fussily callused and potted, and those potted in a warm location first all fizzled out at some point. To be fair, this was a rough trimming of a bush and I doubt all were viably live to begin with.
Over the past years I’ve stuck many dozens of hardwood fruit tree cuttings (apple, pear, plum, cherry) in various manner, none have grown roots. I think I’m finally over doing that, though it was fun to try. I have had success with the reported easier groups - gooseberry, haskap, elderberry, aronia, willow - most oftem simply cut and stuck with no fussing. It’s all an adventure. Sue
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