Simple but Improved Stem Cutting Propagation Technique.
by Joe Real

This winter, I got many extra promegranate and mullberry cuttings and so I fashioned a cheap rooting chamber. This is an old method where you

simply aim to have high humidity and warm temperature while the cuttings are developing roots.


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at 2008-03-05

Indeed, I've initially got 100% of the plants inside the chamber grow. But then come spring time, I began opening the covers slowly for them to adapt.

Slowly, they shriveled. But some of them did manage to recover after the plastic cover was removed. I've got about 50% overall success rates with this

method.

But that is not the technique I am referring to. The above is a little bit complicated as there are numerous steps to do.


Now I still have dormant cuttings as backup, and then it occured to me while I was doing the grafting. Why not simplify and adapt some sealing

techniques to propagating via cuttings that I always use to keep scionwood from drying? So I tried the technique below:

First step, wrap the top 40% of your stem cutting with parafilm, skipping the areas where buds would sprout, just like you would when doing grafting.


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at 2008-05-10




Then simply bury the cutting in your rooting bed as illustrated below. Take note that when you bury the cutting, some parafilm gets buried. The very

purpose is to protect the stem cutting from fungal infections which commonly occurs at the surface, especially at the base of your cutting. By putting

the parafilm, you minimize such infections, thereby increasing your success rates. You can dab the exposed lower protion with some rooting hormone

before sticking them into the soil.


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at 2008-05-10




And here's my rooting bed, which is nothing but ordinary soil. I simply plant them closer together for simplifying my watering. There are several

pomegranates and mullberry cuttings. 100% success rate so far, directly in the soil. They will be dug out next year and barerooted, to be given away

to friends. The advantage of this method is that you don't need a rooting chamber or a misting setup. You simply stick it in the ground and water it

every day without fear of the cuttings drying out before they root.


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at 2008-05-10


Here's a closer look of the Kazerdzke pomegranate. It is starting to push out really well as the weather warms up.

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at 2008-05-10


I also did plant some stem cuttings directly unto the soil, without the paraffin tape. Well, I've only got 20% success rate on that.