Only 1 of this batch hasn’t rooted yet and 2 others are looking a bit weak. So I should have one for you! I’ll message for details of where to send.
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So you can get these rooted by taking the dormant cutting this time of year move them in with the humidity domes and they root? I think I am going to give it a shot. Great head start to the season. Thanks for the video as well, Good work.
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Most of my experience is with Illinois Everbearing, but I’ve rooted some others as well. I’ve had good results rooting dormant and non-dormant cuttings with same strategy.
I sometimes add extra pumice in the mix to help with drainage and despite warnings I’ve experimented with moistening the soil with a dilute miracle gro tomato food (18-18-21) and had strong results as well.
I always use clonex rooting hormone though it may be unnecessary. If I can speed up the process by a couple days maybe the risk of drying out before roots form is lower.
I also wrap tops of cuttings with grafting tape to hold moisture in.
One thing to watch out for is transitioning the rooted cuttings out of humidity too quickly. It can be shocking how quickly the leaves shrivel up if too sudden.
Good luck! Hope to see an update!
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Update: 54 Days In
Had a few fizzle out but the cuttings with bottom heat and in cups seem to look the best to me. The gallon pots are doing well but aren’t as far along without the heat boost for the first few weeks.
Two of the gallon pots lost all 5 cuttings in them so that might have been my error. Possibly opening humidity too quick or too close to the grow light.
Success rate:
Cups - 7 of 13 (54%)
Bags - 1 of 5 (20%)
Gallon pots - 9 of 16 (56%)
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Sad to admit mine were all failures. But I didn’t use a grow light and just had them indoors. I will try again once they are fully leafed out and the weather is warm enough to keep them outside. Live and learn.
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Hey John!
Bummer on cuttings. At least they were free.
Humidity was biggest issue for me initially, then bottom heat seemed to improve things even more. I’ve pretty much always used a rooting hormone, but maybe this season I’ll test with/without side by side.
Which method did you use? Did they show any signs of life during process?
I just used humidity domes and some powdered root hormone. They were in a window that doesn’t get much direct sun. No grow light. No bottom heat. I think those are key. If I do late winter propagating on them next year I will be prepared. The buds stayed green for awhile, but never broke.
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Interesting. I keep mine out of sun/growlight as long as I can to try to keep focus on roots.
Not sure what weather was like for you but maybe cooler temps by window hurt results.
Hope you have better luck next batch.
Also since you have access to the tree, might be a good chance to try an air layer.
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My cuttings took off like a rocket here in Pensacola Florida. The tree grew to about 12 foot tall with a 4 inch trunk and produced a lot of berries in the fall around October in its first season. Most were really small, sweet but not a lot of great flavor. I’m sure the flavor will be better this season. That said I’m happy and pleased so far. I mean this thing grew like it was on steroids. Very pleased with growth, not often you get a tree that grows like this. Thanks
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I think mine started to get white fuzzy mold on them after about a week. Not sure why, too much humidity?
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I just got a few cuttings from world’s best a few days ago.
Some I grafted over regular morus alba, others I’m trying to root them.
Lets see how they do here in a mediterranean climate.
Been looking for these for some years now
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I’ve had same experience using humidity. I’ve heard cleaning cuttings before can help as well as a sterile growing medium. I rarely do either and tend to just rinse of mold gently if it starts.
Next batch I’ll wrap in grafting tape instead and see what happens!
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Was repotting some of the rooted WBM cuttings today and noticed that my cuttings seemed to root almost exclusively from cuts I make on the sides of the cuttings near the bottom.
Full video here: https://youtu.be/LgACEk927iE
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Fairness in evaluation:
Due to how heavily productive this selection is, I find it unsurprising that young plants would not be able to devote enough resources to producing fruit with its full flavor potential. How many of the bland flavor observations have been based on first years production? What I’m interested to know is what’s the flavor like at year three and beyond.
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I will let you know mine is entering the third season. It has grown into a huge 8 ft high bush shape.
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World’s Best and Thai Dwarf are probably the same variety. They both have no flavor, gets tons of fruits, has fruits for 2 months straight. My grafts are 3 yrs old now.
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My World Best experiment is over. It has frozen back every year. Grow like a weed in the summer, but due to the die back it just doesn’t produce much. I live in southern Tennessee. This year was not a particilarly cold or late spring. It just doesn;t work in my environment.
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Yep, but only indoors, cuz’ it does not withstand our winters. So it is not so prolific, and the berries are smaller.
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