Pull up Cuttings to Check, or Leave Them Undisturbed? 

Same , I think I might kill it

You are not alone 😂

It just feels like to me if I pull it up it will set back the growth process, I’m probably wrong

i check for green stems , and pull on them after 4 weeks to check , Cuttings requre patience ,cause enthusiasts growers then to disturb the process

Thanks Linda.

Happy to hear you putting your skills towards saving this old shrub!

Thanks Colleen - and happy to hear you enjoying the hobby!

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments Evlyne!

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you for responding. ☺️

Thanks so much Martin!

Thanks Linda. That's what I'm hoping for! I appreciate the feedback

Yes, I’ll 2nd what Linda said! Much appreciated info in your videos.

Very much my pleasure. Thanks for watching

Thanks so much - and I'm super excited for your success with camelia cuttings!

Thanks - well if you've succeeded with other cuttings, I'm sure it's just a matter of trial and error before you lock down roses as well.

Hi Arthur. In my climate (despite the current heat-wave) I wouldn't hesitate to prune now on a well-established rose. It depends on your area quite a lot. I'd generally prefer early summer over fall unless you're in a punishingly warm summer area.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm 👍

I'll look to do so - although in this case, the method applies to any time you can find semi-hardwood growth on your roses (which is a pretty long window in a mild climate). I usually get going in mid/late spring, just as I'm seeing the first strong flush of roses for the year.

Thanks Tom. They're definitely suffering a bit in the heat, but only one more day until more reasonable weather. Good to hear about your ground layered roses - interesting method!

This is what I could find that seemed the most "on point" to your concerns: www.thehcpa.org/hcpa-responds-to-concerns-about-the-safety-of-quat-disinfectants/ I think many warnings are there to cover legal liability, and to make you cautious. Caution is a good thing - but used as directed, they're relatively safe.

20 hours! Nice. Everyone should start with sweep potato as a confidence booster!

Thanks for sharing! I've been having a hard time finding slips or seed potatoes and have been feeling pretty tempted to take cuttings from the 2 sweet potatoes I have growing. Sounds like I've been wasting time thinking about it.

@@boprosplumbing I don't have room for a bundle of 25 mail order so I buy a 4 or 6 pack in a garden center and unlike other veggies or annuals where I get short stocky and branchy, get the tallest ones. Then take long cuttings to above a bottom leaf. The leaves get cut in half to reduce transpiration. I rooted the latest in water outside at 88° . Roots at all internodes gave 2 or 3 rooted pieces per plant plus the rooted original. The rooted stem tip and mid cuttings go in shade until they get more roots to supply the top. Some others get planted just as they are and laid out sideways to root further along the stem. Of course if you plant the sweet potato as is you get the benefit of a rooted plant with plenty of leaves to make food for the newly damageg root system. You get quick top growth and length and take extra cuttings a little later.

@@johnc6228 awesome, thanks for the pointers, took a screen shot, I'll be giving it a try, my 2 donators have a few vines like 2-3 ft long, so they're ready. Do you use hormone or are they setting roots that fast without?

@@boprosplumbing No hormone necessary. I rooted them outdoors because it was a very hot week and the water stayed warm a long time even at night. You can use soil but it's harder to control wilting. The roots can get long fast but the 3" or longer succulent water roots don't transplant well and need more attention. Cooler water and night temps slow it down. For growing vegetable and bedding plants, cool nighttime temperatures in relation to daytime, called the negative differential keeps plants shorter and stockier but in this case the warm day and night together speeds up the root formation of sweet potato, basil and Coleus, or germination of Marigold, Zinnia or cucumber seeds for example.

Good to hear about your success Irene! As a matter of preference, I'm going to keep on pulling and checking for roots - it gives me all sorts of timely feedback that I wouldn't have otherwise.

Hi Kenneth. I made a video about roses in warmer climates, and some of the recommendations might work for you: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-trejh_2m9uM.html

I've worked into a routine of checking each day to mist and look for rooting at the same time.

Gentle air flow (or at least decent vent holes in a humidity dome) are a good idea. Watch the moisture level in the potting soil to start - it doesn't need to be soaking wet.

If they are rotting it's definitely too much water and/or not good drainage so that will probably help a good bit. Try using a spray bottle and spritzing them instead of watering them outright or leave a couple leaves on and only water them when they look like they are starting to wilt. When it's cooler outside I put a Ziploc bag with one corner cut off over the top of my pots and usually only water them once really well when I first start them unless I see they are totally dry. I don't put any of mine in direct sunlight so they don't typically dry out with the bags on them. I had a lot of trial and error when I started rooting cuttings, but those are things that I've found work for me. In my experience, it's better to let them dry out a little vs overwatering. It actually isn't a bad thing to let them dry out some once they have roots bc they grow a stronger root system instead of a bunch of near the surface roots. I totally get it though. That's why I don't grow succulents bc I love them to death. Literally.💀😂

@@cindycook679 Help! I've tried 2 sets of spruce/pine cuttings with no success so far. First 10 cuttings was low height mother cuts, liquid rooting horomone, indoors in potting soil no lights but decent indirect light half with plastic covering half without. All died. Next was 10 cuttings all with plastic covering in pure pearlite and very dilute liquid nutrients. 4 weeks all but one cutting all brown, dead and mold developing. On the one cutting that still has green needles no roots have formed.

No. I haven't experimented with any fungicides

Hi Benjamin - I've only casually cut roses for bouquets, so I haven't paid a lot of attention to which ones make long-lasting cuts. I'll see if I can gather some recommendations and put a list together.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I haven't done too much with conifers yet. I toured a facility, and it looked like they went with the "low and slow" approach. Low temperatures, part shade, infrequent mist, good air circulation. They said it would take months for some varieties to root.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Hmmmm thanks for the tips. I definitely cooked them outside then and did not have enough air flow. I read must be high humidity greenhouse type environment. I also may have taken the cutting wrong not leaving a node at the bottom. I don't have temperature controlled area for plants yet so. Cool. On to try 3 I suppose.

Hi Gen. Sure. Sometimes it takes a while for the plant to feel "settled" with its roots and stem growth before it will put energy into flowering.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank You!! I look forward to you channel!

Something in the range of 80%

Wow. 2 days is pretty fast! I'd keep going with it - even if you did a little damage to early roots, the cutting can recover.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you so much.

As soon as you confirm callus/early rooting, you can begin to transition away from high humidity. I check the domes daily to see if they need a bit of mist, but don't do a proper watering until they're rooted.

I use promix at time with good success. It depends on the kind of cutting you want to take - I prefer semi-hardwood active season cuttings, and in my climate those are usually in late May onward.

I've had the same jar for 16 years. It still works. So, I keep using it.

I hear that the active ingredient will become less effective over time - but haven't tested it side-by-side with fresh hormone powder.

Yes, we propagate 250+ varieties, with some of those being hybrid teas.

Thanks Theo. Yeah, there's a lot of information on Helpmefind about 'Koenigen van Danemark' - and even though it's still mainly referred to as an Alba, it's parentage has been questionable from the start. "Atypical Alba" is one quote. Some just dump it into the class of Centifolia because of presumed mixed Damask parentage. On the topic of the video, I'm sure my overall patience level shapes my approach - but I do like the more timely feedback. When I'm able to see the atypical callus formation (as on 'Topaz Jewel') it tips me off to a) check my rates on the rooting hormone, and b) give another try to the technique of scoring cuttings. If I'd just left them to root, that's information I wouldn't know. In the case of 'Koenigen' I'm sure you're right - I would have seen a widespread failure in the variety within a matter of weeks. And I would have wondered if I did something wrong with moisture or lighting along the way somewhere. However, now that I've checked the tray and found brown bases on virtually all of the cuttings within the first 7 days (and because I'm still near enough to those 7 days to recall the conditions with certainty) I feel pretty comfortable in concluding the growth stage/hormonal balance of the cuttings is the likely cause. I'm sure a patient, meticulous grower could find a way to draw the same conclusions without looking at the base of the cuttings. For me, the timely hands-on feedback is a part of the learning process.

Thanks Jennie. It's always a balance of moisture. You want enough to keep the cuttings from drying out before rooting, but if you keep them too wet, the rot organisms get the upper hand.

Good advice - they'll bake in direct sunlight

One possibility is the concentration of the rooting hormone - too much can encourage callus, but not rooting. Is there a chance that's the case?

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm it’s possible they had too much rooting hormone left on them initially. There’s not visible rooting hormone still on the stem and I’ve not reapplied it. Do you suggest rinsing them with distilled water to get off any residual rooting hormone? Or else what should I do?

Do you think checking on them too frequently might cause this? I don’t know how long I’m supposed to go between checking them it’s not every single day for every single stem but it’s often multiple times a week. I’ve been trying to abstain recently lifting out the ones with the most callousing and checked on them after leaving them undisturbed for a full week and the callous is just larger

Very nice. Just think of callous as a very early stage of rooting - they all go through that stage, and the faster the better!

Hi Anita. I did a little something about the following steps in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SSQDMvjkdb0.html

I hope I understand your questions right. The spent flowers are no advantage to the plant, and can be deadheaded freely even on younger shrubs. I sometimes take cuttings from young plants as well - it depends on how well they're establishing and whether I think they can "spare" the stem I'm taking off.

Thank you, Jason. We have -17°f winters up here and the 5 roses i planted last year had to tough it out through a really cold Spring (even with heavy mulch). I just wanted to make sure i gave these beauties the best start possible. 'Neptune', 'Francis Meilland' and 'Sugar Moon' have turned out to be stunning. My 'Oh Happy Day' is not the apricot color advertised, but pretty nontheless. Thank you again for your expert advice. The internet community is lucky you're here. 🌹

I've always found extra nutrients to decrease my chances of success. I've used promix with the BX, and it seems to cause no problems for me (on roses) - overall, promix and sunshine mix give me good consistent results.

Thanks RandyI love your plant choices, and I'm so happy that's you've been enjoying propagation. The Rootmaker products look interesting. I've tried a few "air pruning" type products in the past, and I haven't been overwhelmed by the results, but you can always hope that the newest/best design will make a noticeable difference.

I do it this way because it improves my chances - I'm sure you can find a way to propagate directly in the ground, but I like better control of the growing conditions.

Not a problem: yellowing of leaves is a pretty normal reaction to plant stress. It means the stem has decided to pull back nutrients from the leaves to conserve resources, and is often followed by leaf-drop. If you maintain the newly cut stem in reduced light and sufficient humidity, it reduces stress, and can delay or even avoid this reaction altogether. If the leaf does yellow and fall, it doesn't mean your cutting will fail for sure: it can still develop callus and roots in the meanwhile, and then send up new leaf shoots.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you so much! There is so much to learn from you channel, and you explain things very well. Its like being a research assistant and learning in the field.😀

I keep some leaves on - aside from continuing photosynthesis it also apparently helps to send rooting signals to the base of the cutting.

Good luck!

Thanks. The idea of cauterizing the cut almost seems to arise from a comparison to injury in animal tissue, where bleeding needs to be stopped. When taking a cutting for propagation, the node is chosen because you're trying to expose parenchyma (think stem cell) tissue that will create undifferentiated (callus) tissue, then roots. If you used heat to "seal" the end, you would presumably damage the exposed parenchyma cells, and delay true callus formation.

Turning black is usually a sign of rot. This is probably oversimplifying, but when you see your cuttings go black it usally means there was too much moisture in the humidity dome or soil. If it goes brown and dry, it means too little - and if you get it just right, it stays green. A heating mat can speed things along - the usual temperature of approx. 75f or 23c is okay.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you so much! As you said that turning black from the bottom means there is too much moisture in the soil, will the heating pad help reducing some moisture? I have made couple of holes in my humidity dome. Should I keep the heating pad on all day or for certain number of hours?

A pretty stable temperature in the low 20's (C) is fine. The heating pad may help to evaporate some of the moisture over time, but mainly it's there to encourage faster root development so that there isn't time for the rot to take hold. Your better bet is just to introduce less water into the potting medium or choose a lighter propagation mix (maybe with a higher % of perlite)

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you! I mixed 1/3rd perlite to 2/3rd peat moss when I potted the cuttings. Should I mix more perlite in the soil mixture?

Thanks for asking. We came through the heat all right - a little bit of plant damage is nothing compared to what the folks up in Lytton had to deal with.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I can imagine, truly. Pigeon Forge, about an hour away from us, burned down a few years ago. It was devastating. I'm glad you are well, though.

My pleasure!

Thanks!

I find using a heat mat ‘faster’ but not always better. An aside: I go to he thrift store and buy heating pads for humans. They are usually $2 or so and have thermostats. I find just ‘a touch’ of heat best for rose cuttings ( higher heat for annual seeds, etc).

Hi Robert. You can always try softwood cuttings - they're not too different in method. In fact, many times when I'm taking the semi hardwood, I slip in a few softwood cuttings (from higher up the stem) and have reasonable success rooting them.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thanks Jason! If this heat wave ever ends I’ll try that!

Good question. I have 3 answers, all particular to my situation: 1) I just need more propagation space right away. It's not a matter of either/or - I'm doing both. 2) Many RU-vid viewers have responded that they don't want to (or can't) set up timed mist. To keep making prop videos where I only discuss timed mist would be excluding those viewers. 3) There are some advantages to the controlled environment of indoors. Early in the season, when I'm still getting very cold nights, or like now, when we're going through a heat wave - my greenhouse temperatures fluctuate wildly. I deal with it, but it's also nice to have a more stable, controllable environment to alternate into.

This was also my exact question. I grow seedlings indoors over the winter, and now all the cuttings are under mist outside. I was wondering, should I also be doing them indoors?

@@dougatfuto5 i also started to use both but timed mist its great cause there more light which makes them root faster.i do 2/3secs every 10mins mins.

Thanks so much. I haven't tried camellia yet - but from the instructions I've seen, it looks like it takes a medium/high rate of hormone (somewhere between .4% and 1.0%) and it still is relatively slow to root.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you Jason. Looks like I will be shopping for options locally and online.🤙

Ho Kathy. Congratulations! I suggest you transition them to outdoor gardening conditions - it might take a "hardening off" period of up to a week in a bit of shade/shelter to see how they react.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thank you again for your advice.

Hi Carmen. Have a look at the hybrid musks and ramblers - each of those groups contains roses that do well in part shade. I grow the repeat-blooming rambler Ghislaine de Feligonde in fairly deep shade actually.

Awe, thanks I’m going to check your version out. Thank you so much for responding back to me, much appreciated. 👍❤️😊

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I searched this rose out on your site it’s beautiful, is the springtime the best to order?

Semi hardwood. In most cases, from the stem just below the flowers at the time of bud/bloom

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thanks so much Jason. I very much appreciate your timely responses and advice. Perhaps, as soon as Canada reopens her borders, my wife and I will plan a trip to visit the area and your rose farm. Warren

My pleasure Javier.

I'm trying out an IBA water soluble salt (dissolved in water) as a long-soak. Previously I was applying as a talc-based powder

My pleasure.

Thanks. I've dealt with the topic as part of the own-root vs. grafted debate: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ADu5d0Jt4GQ.html And it's true that some HTs and Floribundas were never really selected for vigor on their own roots. I can name a few that I've tried repeatedly from cuttings - to have them fail to root, or fail to perform well on their own roots. Distant Drums. Nostalgie. Double Delight. Maybe a few others. On the other hand, there are dozens that I produce regularly on their own roots that range from good to excellent on their own roots.

They're just the clear storage bins you'd find in t a store like Walmart. The sprayer is something I found at the local hardware store.