Cuttings?

[Stormwatcher]

Could anybody explain how you take a cutting from a tree? I'm assuming full size - do you just... cut a branch off it, stick it in the ground, and hope it grows? It's gotta be more complicated than that lol.

I do remember that when I was in high school, the Envirothon team was working on improving the[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpehocken_Creek_(Pennsylvania)]Tulpehocken Creek/River[/url] near me, and they basically took willow stakes and put them in the ground. However, Dad says that it doesn't work like that for everything, just trees that grow fast and try to take over, like ailanthus and forsithia.

Edit: Gah! My link didn't work! >: (

[hunter s. thompson]

I rooted a meyer lemmon cutting, it took about 60 days give or take a few.

heres how I rooted it

the cutting should come from the new growth of tree,or parts that are not hard wood.I found some nice new growth on the top of the tree that was about 5in long and took the cutting at a 45.I filled up a glass bottle with water and droped in a fish tank air stone attached to an air pump and placed the cutting so the cut is just below the water line.
leave it next to the window and top off when necessary,oh yea and wait its gona be a while.

but keep in mind that meyer lemmon is fairly easy to root as far as trees go,depending on which species some are very difficult to produce roots from

[Gnome]

Storm,

Could anybody explain how you take a cutting from a tree? I'm assuming full size - do you just... cut a branch off it, stick it in the ground, and hope it grows? It's gotta be more complicated than that lol.

Yes there is more to it than that. Some species roots best from younger (soft wood) cuttings, taken early while others do better from older material (semi hardwood), generally taken a little later. Some can even be rooted from fully mature (hardwood) cuttings taken in late fall or early winter. You need to research the species in question.

Humidity levels are important as well. Commercially, overhead misting systems are employed. I have had the most luck keeping things under glass or plastic enclosures. There are also rooting hormones that help encourage rooting although they are no substitute for good cultural practices. Bottom heat is another method used to increase success rates.

I do remember that when I was in high school, the Envirothon team was working on improving theTulpehocken Creek/River near me, and they basically took willow stakes and put them in the ground. However, Dad says that it doesn't work like that for everything,

Your father is correct. Willow is noted for being easy to root, even large branches. In fact Willow water is sometimes used to aid other species in striking root. Many species are a more difficult than Willow, with some being nearly impossible. So again, you need to know your victim.

Norm

[Stormwatcher]

It's a Chinese maple as far as I can tell - I'll upload pictures this week to be sure.

Do I need to worry about the thickness of the branch? Shouldn't it be the approximate thickness I want my trunk to be on the future tree?

[Gnome]

Stormwatcher,

I can't say that I ever heard of a [url=https://www.quarryhillbg.org/acerpentaphyllum.html]Chinese Maple[/url] (Acer pentaphyllum) before, apparently they do exist but are not common. Do you by any chance mean Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)?

Norm

[Stormwatcher]

Lol, ok it must not be the Chinese Maple, because it looks an awful lot like pot! I think I would remember that. It does look a lot more similar to Japanese Maple.

Pictures when I get home and can either take some, or download off my camera.

Edit: It's red, btw, and while the one I like is bush-like with small branches, the parent tree is the size of most of the "native" maples in PA: Norway, red, silver, and the occasional sugar. The red seems to only be on the places it gets a lot of sun, because deep inside the branches, the leaves are still green.

[Stormwatcher]

[img]https://lh5.ggpht.com/_ZEhs-R3nElo/SlOXNTdoJQI/AAAAAAAADR8/pVi3XnlBx_0/s512/IMG_3152.JPG[/img]

[img]https://lh6.ggpht.com/_ZEhs-R3nElo/SlOXOlBE_AI/AAAAAAAADSA/LRAofLAEqiU/s512/IMG_3153.JPG[/img]

[img]https://lh3.ggpht.com/_ZEhs-R3nElo/SlOXPkpZALI/AAAAAAAADSE/feWveB_Oovw/s512/IMG_3154.JPG[/img]

Sorry it took so long - last week I was pretty much absorbed in the long hours of a craft show and didn't have time for much else.

So assuming it is a Japanese Maple, is it possible to take a cutting? Do I worry about cutting on new growth? Does the thickness of the branch I cut (which I assume would become my trunk) matter? Or should I just get one of the seedlings from the parent tree?

[UglyGeezer]

Just as a point of interest about the Willow tree. Willow is full of hormones that do help rooting, which is how they were able to do what they did with the simple cuttings.

If you take some fresh twigs from a Willow tree and put them in a bottle of water and soak for a few days you have a natural rooting booster, to use as well as whatever mediums you choose to do your rooting in.

[Stormwatcher]

Ok, so first I have to go find a willow...

then it's as simple as cut and "paste"? Just pick a nice branch with the thickness I want for a trunk?

[Gnome]

Storm,

It looks to me that you do indeed have a Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum, possibly Bloodgood which is a named (cultivated) variety.

Ok, so first I have to go find a willow.

Not a prerequisite but an aid, just as commercial rooting hormones are.

Just pick a nice branch with the thickness I want for a trunk?

No, you will have greater success with this years growth which will obviously be younger and thinner. If you want to 'cut & paste' a larger branch you need to research a technique known as air layering. With this method you can indeed root larger, more mature sections and cut years from the process.

Or should I just get one of the seedlings from the parent tree?

That is definitely an option, albeit a slow one, as are cuttings though. You should know that seedlings will not be identical to the parent tree so, even if you knew the cultivar name, you could not correctly call your seedlings by the 'proper' name, IE Bloodgood, or whatever.

Norm

[Stormwatcher]

I looked into air layering - it looks cool, but I don't think I have the time for that yet. It seemed like Japanese Maples might take a while to grow roots through the moss, and once you actually separate the new plant from the parent plant, it seems like it's pretty fragile for a while. And I've only got about six weeks... <sigh>

It can't hurt to try all three methods at one point - air layering, take a cutting from this year's growth, and trying to grow some seeds. If they all work, awesome. If not... well that's why I'm trying all of them.

seedlings will not be identical to the parent tree

That's ok, I'm not worried about things being technical. I already know it'll look pretty similar because the bush I want to take a cutting from is a seedling from the tree I would take seeds from.

[Stormwatcher]

Or, you know, I could just stop being stupid and go see if the local nursery has one? <headdesk> lol. I've been seeing these all over the place, they can't have all come from seeds.

[Gnome]

Storm,

Or, you know, I could just stop being stupid and go see if the local nursery has one? lol. I've been seeing these all over the place, they can't have all come from seeds.

That is certainly another option. Try to avoid grafted trees if you can. Maples intended for landscape use are often grafted and the union is not always well done. If you must choose a grafted tree look for one that has a low, well matched graft. Here is an example of the kind of graft to avoid. Something like this probably will not improve with age.

[img]https://www.actionvideo.freeserve.co.uk/acerpsangokaku.jpg[/img]

Sometimes you can find cutting grown Maples but you have to look carefully, the lower trunks are often wrapped making getting a good look difficult.

Norm

[Stormwatcher]

Ok, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!