I didn’t find a thread that talks about this exactly.
As we place our scionwood orders for next year, some of us (well, me at least) are still planning out where we will be grafting.
For me I only have a few trees and rootstock. For extra scion varieties or extra length of scion I may only be able to park (graft) some of them on various trees for possible future harvest and grafting elsewhere.
Have many here simply rooted the scions received through the mail? That way, even though you aren’t on the rootstock you want for a tree, you have healthy wood for harvest in future years.
I was thinking of trying this and keeping the saplings like rootstock in a raised bed for the coming year.
I know it’s no different from rooting cuttings, it’s just the cutting isn’t done in-situ but is the purchased and mailed scionwood.
One big difference is many species will only root if a few leaves are left on the cutting, so scionwood doesn’t really work for those species.
E.g., for avocados, you will generally have around 0% success rate if you remove the leaves from the cutting, even in a misting chamber. Rooting requires accumulation of carbohydrates that will only occur after a few months of photosynthesis in the cutting. You can have pretty good success rates with leaves if you’re patient enough, at least for the Mexican botanical group (formerly and sometimes still called a “race”).
I know for some things, like figs and some mulberries, rooting leafless/dormant cuttings or scionwood is relatively easy. But I think you’ll need to look into every species separately, there’s not going to be a single answer to this question for “scionwood” generally.
The ones I have easily rooted have been: cherry plum(p cerasifera), Adara, and to some degree but not so easy Hollywood. Fortunately all of these create very strong rootstocks. I can say these are very possible with dormant scions. In other cases you might need to air layer tiger roots. Or as others suggest use green scions with only a fragment of one leaf can work, you can of course try many methods until you hit luck
Dennis
Kent, wa
Oh can use willow tea or powdered hormone equally well. Medium or grow bed in an early morning sun, rest of day. Mediums like compost and spagnum moss that drain well but stay moist work best. Since the auxins tend to concentrate in the buds, make sure to have 3 buds buried with only the top bud above ground. This will give a stronger root to tree ratio and will grow much faster. As grow is 3-4 “ long, move to a more sunny location gradually each week until they can take full days sun. Donot rush to fertilize but keep them well mulched.
That’s all I can think of, good luck Phil
Dennis
I use plastic mulch. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of my story. During winter apple pruning, I pick up most of the larger branches, but still leave a lot of trash on the bare ground exposed by removal of the mulch. I should say also that I live on a sand dune. One spring, while clearing the winter brush to apply new mulch, I was shocked to find that some of the smaller twigs had rooted.
I’ve only done with figs but would like to try with any excess pome fruits I have- I had several apple scions last year and tried and failed. will try to sphagnum method of there’s leftover this year coming up.
I’ve only had luck rooting figs and grapes. But I’m going to try rooting my White Heath Cling peach this winter, the tree has gotten old and weak and I haven’t had good luck grafting it due to lack of vigor. Maybe I can root it. Peaches like to callous around 70F so it’s easy to do inside. I am going to use rooting hormone as well of course. If that doesn’t work I’ll look around for scionwood.
I’ve rooted crab apple cuttings after pruning back. Just select a few inches from the bottom bud. Cut that bud a bit; but not off. Gently scrape the bark to barely showing some green. Dip that and bottom bud in rooting powder. Stick in a moistened sand filled pot with other cuttings. Same as burr knot apple cuttings.
Never tried it with left over scionwood though. My guess is crabs and burr knot trees have the genes to grow well from cuttings. Not so sure about other apples.
I’ve gotten “0” out of perhaps 100 apple cuttings stuck in various potting soil mixes in Feb or March in heavy shade. They may callous but I’ve never gotten roots. (Maybe I needed a humidity tent…or maybe the odds are just not practical.)
Yep, bad genetics. I took a cutting from an Aloe Vera plant and put it in an empty cup - no soil, no water. Two months later I looked at it and it had formed roots.