ORStudios
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Direct sunlight when growing bonsai cuttings

Hello

This might seem like a strange question but I am new to growing cuttings from my bonsai. I bought myself a couple of plastic propagators and a few weeks ago and I have attempted to grow I set of cuttings in one of them. Initially I placed a mixture of elm and maple cuttings in the propagator and then placed the propagator outside in the garden. After a few weeks the cuttings and the leaves have dried up. Now have have kept them watered so I am wondering if the issue has to do with direct sunlight.

The propagators come with a clear plastic lid that I thought would act as a barrier to the sunlight. Would this be the case? I have tried again with the a different set of cuttings but this time growing them in the shed with and using the shed window as well as the propagator lid.

I would really like some advice on how to go about growing them.

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GardeningCook
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Unfortunately, what you are doing is cooking them, regardless of how well-watered they are. The plastic doesn't act as a "sunlight barrier", but rather intensifies the heat. When I start putting any type of seedlings that I've started indoors outside, the plastic seed-tray cover always comes off unless heavy rains are predicted. In addition, any seedlings (or cuttings) are always started out in light shade.

Do a websearch on "propagating maple cuttings" & you'll get lots of sound blow-by-blow methods on how to do it correctly. Methods that can pretty much be used on any type of deciduous tree.

ORStudios
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Thanks for the response, it sounds like I might have been giving them too much sunlight. If I am to place the propagator in a shed, do I still need to take the lid off or can I leave it on to help with humidity?

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GardeningCook
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A shed? "Light shade" means outdoors in light shade, not in a building. Did you look up "propagating maple cuttings" online? Here a few to start with, but there are many more worth reading with different methods/perspectives:

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/start-cutt ... 41878.html

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-maple ... 45504.html

https://www.gardenguides.com/115164-prop ... tings.html

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t1105 ... y-cuttings

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Gnome
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ORStudios,

You should look into something called a "Nearing frame". Even if you don't build one it should give you some insights.

imafan26
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Thanks Gnome. I never heard of a nearing frame before. It was another new thing I learned. I just root cuttings under my bench. It works as it keeps the cuttings moist and out of direct sunlight. As long as the weeds don't invade too close to the bench the cuttings do fine.



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