Water rooting cuttings. Advice welcome

To preface I do not know what I am doing so advice is welcome.

I have a large tub of water and an air stone and pump rated for 20 gallon tank. The mulberry cuttings are from @Botanical_Bryce and @BobVance, Thank you.

Blocked from view are some Advance Loquat Scions from AKME. I put a couple of scions on the Quince Root BA 29C stock and the cutting and the rest of the advance scion went in the tub.

I keep it open to the air and there is a grow light above


To keep bacterial growth down I am thinking of adding a little Oxiclean free, which I believe is the one homebrews buy as an alternative to no rinse brewing sanitizer.

For reference. The last two leaves and the terminal bud on each branch where removed from the quince cuttings. I did not clip the leaves as I have seen in many articals. I think I should go back and do that on several and see if it helps.

Edit 2. I forgot to mention but its visible in the picture I am providing bottom heat.

1 Like

Hi Carroll,
Mulberry’s are a challenge to root. I am trying several techniques with my Illinois Everbearing, including rooting in medium and air layering. Without sealing the buds above water with parafilm or placing a cover on the tub to hold humidity up high, my guess is that the scions will dedicate before rooting. If buds break due to too much lighting before roots form, they will use the scions energy before nutrients can be replaced. Those would be my comments.
Dennis
Kent, wa

My other recent cutting rooting was done with bags for humidity. The leaves where very fragile and moving to open air stunted my figs and killed several pomegranates.
I upgraded to a dome setup and I have remarkable growth on the surviving pomes, I have not yet decided how to or when to transition them again.

I bought the tub with clear top just so I could enclose it but decided against it at the last minute as I think the humidy will stay high enough due to the walls and I was unsure about the added heat could cook them.

Cuttings & How to Root Them - Guides - Growing Fruit

Ok this is actually working out way better then I expected. The Quince root stocks are already developing roots. Quince leaves are all still healthy and thriving I’m sure that’s supporting its success.

The pear on the other hand does not like being cut. The leaves where already exposed to blister something so there turning black and dyeing like crazy.

I am going to upgrade the air pump tomorrow to one rated for 60-100 gallons.

This opens up a lot of possibilities for me. I will of course have lots of Quince rootstock to give a way. But I’m thinking it will be a lot easier to practice summer budding rather then hoping I can find a spot the trees to graft too.

Forgot to mention, all of the internet resources say Quince usually take two months to root from cuttings from hardwood cuttings in winter or softwood cuttings in summer. These are spring hardwood cuttings.