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Post by mnjrutherford on May 24, 2009 14:37:53 GMT -5
I gots a question about propogating my grape friends. I've got about a dozen strong canes sprouting from the base of a concord grape. I realize I need to prune them, but rather than prune and toss, I would like to turn them into new plants. What say you about how to do?
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Post by grungy on May 24, 2009 16:03:33 GMT -5
Mj, get a bucket of dirt. Cut your canes off near the soil line. Starting at the tip end count back 5 sets of leave. Cut cane off just below the 5th set. Strip the leaves from the bottom 3 or 4 set. Plunge the cane into the soil. Continue down the cane (I am assuming these are new canes, every 5 sets of leaves. If they are old canes use only the tips of the cane. Water the bucket well and set in a shady location. Water occasionally to keep the soil moist. Come fall bury the pot in your garden. (It helps prevent drying and frost heaving.) Come spring knock out the soil and canes and separate the new "babies". You either can plant them out next spring or pot them up for another year. Remember if they are in pots to bury the pots in your garden. Lots of luck. You should get somewhere between 60 - 90% strike rate.
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 24, 2009 21:21:25 GMT -5
ooOooo I am going to do that tomorrow! Well, maybe... If I'm able to bend over that is! Spent a day weeding, now I walk with an ouch... ;o)
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Post by grungy on May 24, 2009 22:41:42 GMT -5
Leave the first and maybe the second leaf sets above the soil line. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 25, 2009 8:36:59 GMT -5
Yes, quite clear! I'm trying to root lavender using hormone root compound. Then it occurs to me, why? This stuff is apparently quite dangerous given all the precautions that are on the label, so why am I fooled into using it? Is it really necessary? Probably not, but I haven't learned different... YET!
Speaking of which, a very kind friend graciously sprayed nearly my entire garden with liquid Sevin. She then left the remaining supply for us to use. How do I safely (there is such a thing?) get rid of this stuff?
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 25, 2009 10:53:48 GMT -5
Another thought! Some of canes will have cut tops. Would dipping the tops in beeswax (pure) be a good, bad, or indifferent idea?
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Post by grungy on May 25, 2009 12:21:22 GMT -5
Indifferent. They may bleed for a little while, but self heal.
Do you happen to have any willows near where you live?
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 25, 2009 15:36:15 GMT -5
Yes! We have a planted willow directly in front of the house, about 200 ft. from the location of the grape vine in question. Why? I'm suspecting a very interesting bit of knowledge coming my way!
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Post by grungy on May 25, 2009 22:35:04 GMT -5
Cut some of the tips from the willow (say pieces 3 or 4 inches long), put them in an enamel or stainless steel pot with enough water to cover them well, simmer them for about 15 minutes, then let them steep until the water is cold. Drain the water off into a jar or vase and use that water for starting your cutting in. Works as good as most of the commercial rooting hormones do and is a whole lot cheaper. Some of the old timers actually left the willow chunks in, but I don't find it necessary.
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Post by kitchengardener on May 26, 2009 2:09:42 GMT -5
Hi Grungy,
That's great! When you say 'use that water for starting you cutting in' do you mean to leave the cutting in the water jar for a few days and then pot up or water the cutting pot with the liquid?
Cheers,
James
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Post by canadamike on May 26, 2009 2:29:42 GMT -5
I use a different version. I cut small pieces of eillow tips and zap them in the blender. I ends up in a yellow liquid very fast.
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 26, 2009 6:03:28 GMT -5
Wow... That sounds awesome, I'm all for it. I want to hear the answer to James question before starting though. I'm thinking you mean to leave the cuttings in the jar with the water.
My questions are:
1. Can I put them in my north facing or south facing window? Or outdoors? we have north and south exposure porches as well.
2. Should the liquid be changed or merely added to?
Mike? I like your idea as well, but by not adding the heat, wouldn't there be a chemical variance to the resultant "potion"? Is that variance good, bad, or indifferent for the cuttings? How would your method answer to the 2 questions I put to Val?
To both of you, I very much need to propagate some lavender and some rosemary as well. Would your methods work for those plants as well?
I am eagerly awaiting your replies, this is fascinating!
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 26, 2009 6:08:22 GMT -5
FORGOT TO ASK! How long do the cuttings remain in the liquid?
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Post by plantsnobin on May 26, 2009 7:50:12 GMT -5
You can just dip the ends into the water, like you would commercial rooting hormone. I haven't done the research myself, but it has been shown that too much hormone actually inhibits root development, so I wouldn't soak them too long. But the truth is, grape vines are really pretty easy to root. You can wait till fall/early winter when you are pruning anyway, stick the cuttings where you want them to grow and by spring they will root. With the lavender and rosemary, you want to wait til growth has hardened a bit, you don't want them to soft or they will rot. You can dip them in the willow water, stick them in potting mix and keep out of direct light. You don't want to mist silvery leaved plants while rooting, but keep the soil mix moist. Plenty of air circulation. Use cuttings 3 to 4 inches, strip off the leaves that would be below the soil line, with 2 or 3 nodes buried. You say you have a northern exposure porch, that should be a good place to root most cuttings.
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 26, 2009 9:14:18 GMT -5
Well I'll be darned. That sounds almost to easy! I've got the willow cooking right now. I confess, between the time it took me to read Val's post and get to cutting the willow, I forgot that I was supposed to get only 3 to 4 inches. I got about a foot or so instead. I sure hope that isn't going to be horrible?
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