Propagation by Cuttings: Winter Field Notes

comfrey roots are cool, these chunks have been in a poly bag in the crisper and just want to grow at every cut end #comfrey

gooseberry plugs waking up. rooted plugs are similar to how I have then in 2.5" pots, though I think the pot has a bigger root system. brought in a new batch of cultivars for this summer, if all goes well this plant will get a trim in june and we'll be on the way with softwood cuttings.. gooseberry hardwood can be slow to root.

checking temperature in this unheated room hosting hardwood cuttings. just above freezing on top and warm on the bottom, I added some insulation around the bins. so far it’s looking good. finding a space in a cold climate in the spring that’s cold but above freezing is hard, a completely unheated shed or garage could be too cold. my basement is too warm. the root cellar was a thought, but I want to keep it cold through march and a few heat mats are, well heaters. #hardwoodcuttings #propagation

softwood propagation and fall budding around our Manitoba nursery last summer. #propagation

more hardwood cuttings while the weather is right. i’ll double this up and start moving them into pots under lights in a few weeks. gallon pots with some bushy growth by june is the plan. these are mostly stock plants, to be hard pruned for propagation material.. I tend to take nice looking bushes and chop them to pieces. #propagation

hardwood cuttings in a cold room on bottom heat.

sea buckthorn cultivars root with softwood. it takes two growing seasons or 18 months to grow them. the first year the cutting roots, and then go on to harden off and get established in a bed. In the second year they’ll put on some growth and root mass, then they’re big enough to ship. these orange energy from summer 2023 will be ready for spring 2025. #propagation

valiant grape is one of the few that survive -40. cuttings from a friend’s old vine, might be the first time it’s been pruned. fully hardy unprotected over the winters just growing along a fence. these are going into the root cellar for spring planting. #grapes #hardwoodcuttings #valiantgrape

rooting house plants in water. I’ve been collecting vines, various philodendron and pothos cultivars, begonia, Christmas cactus, a few others. I tend to put them in community pots and they can sort it all out. #propagation #houseplants #houseplant #plantpropagation

excited about these elderberry cuttings from @haomaselections . they’re about one week after sticking. I soaked them overnight, set into deep pots with a perlite/peat/vermiculite mix, had them covered for humidity, used some iba talc, and adding bottom heat today, the tops are at room temp. surprised at how fast they wake up and grow, hoping they root as quickly. has anyone else rooted elderberry indoors like this? #elderberry #hardwoodcuttings