We stick our softwood cuttings in June in a bed of sand outdoors. In a matter of weeks they are fully rooted Using this Plant Propagation System. We can pull them from the bed and pot them in the summer but I don’t unless I absolutely need them because summer potting can be stressful for freshly rooted cuttings. However, there are ways to minimize that stress.
When I pull them from the sand beit fall or summer I usually put them about 20 to 25 to a bunch like this
Then I put them into a pot like this with potting soil, not sand.
Once in the pot there are two different ways to handle them.
- Rooted Cuttings Pull in the Summer. When you pull rooted cuttings in the summer you have to be careful to damage as few roots as possible. When rooting in sand that is fairly easy because I just take a shovel and shove it under the rooted cuttings then kind of jack them up to loosen the sand, then one by one I can pull them out and shake off the sand. I put trim the tops as you see that I’ve done here. That does two things. One, it keeps them from wilting because it’s the soft new growth that is going to wilt. And two, it stops that upward growth and starts the cuttings filling out with multiple branches down low. Once that is done I place the pots next to the propagation bed where the spray nozzles are still working, this keep the freshly pulled cuttings moist and cool as they harden off. Once hardened off, usually about a week or two at most, they can be potted. But since it’s summer time, she should be shaded after potting until the summer sun starts to ease.
- Rooted cuttings pulled in the fall. I treat them the same way. But since it is fall and they are very close to going dormant I don’t have to put them next to the operating spray nozzles, I can just place them in an area where they get watered once a day. Then I pot them in early spring.
Right, wrong or otherwise I leave my bunches of rooted cuttings sitting out in the weather in these pots all winter long. Keep in mind, I’m in northern Ohio and it was just 2 degrees F. here two weeks ago and it can get colder than that.
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired!
Hi there. I have a Eastern red bud that had died on me this past year. I have now 5 saplings growing out of it. Can I cut them off and do the rooting system with the saplings?
Probably not, they are very difficult to root.
Hi! Thanks for a great youtube channel and blog- I learn a lot!
I have two questions. First- I took some winter cuttings of my Malus toringo, Weigela florida and a couple of blueberry bushes this winter and they looked fantastic in april/may and half of june with new growth of leaves, but then we had a few cold days and all of the leaves dropped from the cuttings. So my question is if there still is a chance that some of them can make it and become healthy plats- or is it necessary with the leaves for it to survive and hence the race is over for them? It is my first time ever trying hardwood cuttings.
My second question is if you cover your cuttings in any way in winter? I live in Sweden and we can have harsh winters here. Would you treat the cuttings different depending on it being a hard- soft- or semi hardwood cutting- OR what growth state they are in?
Thanks again for all the knowledge you share!
Kind regards
/Hanna
Hanna,
The Malus and Blueberry are really tricky. Malus are usually budded or grafted onto a seedling. But . . . that doesn’t mean that they won’t root, but probably not from hardwoods. If your cuttings have no leaves no they are probably gonners. Do more, right now you’re working with softwood or semi hardwood but they are treated the same. See this, http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Thank you!
Hi, Thank you for video and website! I am trying to root Purple Robe Black Locust tree without success. .I have been cutting the branches from the root suckers and putting in water to root. How would you suggest I get them to root, will your technique work?
Thank you,
Sue in STL
Sue,
Most trees are difficult to root and grown from seed or budded onto a seedling. But you can try this. http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
I made some cuttings of Dappled Willow and Euonymus this past year and put them into containers of sand like you show in your videos. Here in Zone 8, we just had about a week of cold weather – as low as 15 F overnight, and no more than 30F during the day. I felt the two cutting containers, and they were rock-hard solid.
I was going to fear for them, believing that they’re going to all die. Now that I’ve read this article (and you’re in a much harsher USDA zone than I am!) I’m hopeful all my cuttings will continue growing when it begins to warm up!
I also started 40 Arborvitaes in potting soil late summer, I put them into a makeshift half-loop ‘greenhouse’ that only kept a temperature about 2 degrees warmer than the outside air. I hope they make it, too.
Will keep you posted
Don
Don,
Your plants should be fine. Right now I have 50 to 100 Dappled Willow in pots on top of the ground, we were single digits a few days ago. I’ll do hundreds more cuttings in March before the plants start to bud out.
A bear smashed my Weigela 6 months ago. I tried saving it, I couldn’t but did manage to have 8 rootings, keeping them carefully outside. Some were soft rootings, some hard. I’m in Western NC, zone 7a. I brought them inside in little pots and now have four left. I like the idea of all rootings in one big pot, is it too late for that and will they do better outside, or should I wait until the threat of any more frost is over. Thanks… love you videos.
Karen,
If they are still dormant they’d probably be better outside in a protected area so they stay dormant until spring.
Thanks for this info, Mike. I rooted about 30 Rose-of-Sharon cuttings last summer and still have them in pots. I don’t plan to plant them till next spring. and was worried about them being outside. all winter. We are in the southern tier of NY state, Steuben County, and it can get pretty cold here also. Should they be watered during winter or let nature take its course? Thanks.
Jay,
I’d just dig a trench and bury pot and all til spring, they should be fine with no extra water. Snow cover is great for them.
Hi Mike I live in northern Nevada I started some Russian olives starts in sand now when I pot them do I leave them out all winter? I’m just wondering about the roots freezing
I’m very new to this thank you
Veronica,
They should be fine, all of my rooted cuttings stay right in the sand all winter long.
Hi Mike, I’m confused. In the instructions above it’s unclear about potting the roots after they are pulled from the sand. It says to put in pots after pulling them 1-2 weeks later to pot them. Can you clarify that for me?
Julia,
If the cuttings are not dormant when pulled I put them in bunches. 25 to a pot and put them in a protected, shaded area where I can wet them several times a day to let them harden off before potting because of the shock of removing them from the sand. It’s really best to pull them when dormant, but not always feasible.
I am in zone 5/6. I want to ship a grape vine and several wolf berry plants bare root to a friend in zone 3 or 4. I’m trying to figure out when to ship.
Should I wait to ship them until my friends are able to dig a hole in the ground and plant them or is it a better idea to ship them sooner and have my friends heel in the plants?
If you can give me advice I would very much appreciate it!
Thank you!
Laura,
You should ship them while they are still dormant. Here in Ohio that means that I would have to ship before April 15th if not sooner.
OK. Thank you very much!
Hello I am thinking about going part time nursery business. What plants or trees should I start with and where can I buy them.
Another question is have you ever bought from Spring Meadow Nursery and how was it.
Gordon,
You can buy just about everything you need in the way of plants at true wholesale prices in our members area. That’s why we allow people to test drive it at just $7.00. Will be open soon. http://backyardgrowers.com/join Here is our list of plants that are easy to grow and sell like crazy.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2022/03/21-plants-that-are-easy-to-grow-and-sell-like-crazy/
Hello Mike, I am in Oregon and I am starting a plant nursery. Do you know good nurseries online / In Oregon that are wholesale with low minimum prices? What plants should I be starting with that are easy and sell? I do not want to grow something that I will be stuck with and can’t sell.
Ben,
If you are serious about this you need to test drive our members area. http://backyardgrowers.com/join, I can’t answer your questions here publicly but I and the other members will quickly and easily answer those questions for you as a member. We have tons of sources, including our own members who sell hundreds and hundreds of plants daily in our buy/sell area.
Thank you for responding. I’m thinking about joining and see how it is. When will the backyard growers open?And do you have any senior discount for me??? Please , thank you.. I WOUld really appreciate it and be blessed.
Ben,
Most of our members are seniors. But the value is so great as a member that the price quickly becomes an irrelevant thing. And you can test drive it for 30 days for $7, it doesn’t get any better than that. Email Duston about getting in. I know it opens again in March, but he might get you in sooner if you want. [email protected] or [email protected]
So Mike, is there any way I can buy any of your Lion’s Head cuttings? please reply, thanks
Roger,
Off course Lion’s head has to be grafted so you’d need root stock. But I really don’t have any for sale. We do have members, http://backyardgrowers.com/join
, that do sell scion wood at this time of year.
I was wondering about this and if super duper cold weather, like we’ve had this December, could freeze and kill the roots in the pots. I put my pot cuttings in the ground and piled soil around them hoping they survive. Isn’t there a danger of plants in pots having their roots killed in zero and below temps?
Joan,
As long as the plants are hardy in your area and the roots stay moist and not soggy they should be fine. It’s an amazing thing to watch, little tiny cuttings starting to make leaves after a really harsh winter.