Exposure for softwood cuttings

Exposure for softwood cuttings (post #17376)

kmrsy on Wed, 06/30/2010 - 06:00

Plant Propagation

I've started my cuttings in a clear storage box for years now with mostly good success. I placed the box between the west side of the house and a cherry tree so it got filtered sunlight, maybe a direct hit for a short while.

Last year the tree died and I took it down. It seems to me that w/out the tree's protection the cuttings would heat up too much if I put the box in the same place with a western exposure - too much direct sun. So I put the box on my front porch, eastern exposure but, for the most part filtered by a dogwood tree. I don't think this looks to be enough sunlight.

So just how much light do cuttings in a box need? These are of shrubs - Viburnum, Lilac, Magnolia. Would the north side be better? Any suggestions?

_^..^_ Kitty, neIN, Z5

Hi Kitty Sorry I can't help (post #17376, reply #1 of 3)

by OrganicMan in reply to kmrsy [original] on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 03:24

Hi Kitty

Sorry I can't help you with this but I have a question. I just started trying to do cuttings and I think they all died. I tried some Clematis and some Korean Spice bush. I put them in individual seed pots with a plastic dome over them. And on a heat mat under flourescent lights. Now I would have thought that would have been good. What kind of medium do you plant them in? I used a soilless seed starter mix and I think that may have been a problem. Or should I have tried to start them earlier in the spring when they were just starting to bud out?

It sounds like you have had pretty good results with your efforts.

Just a guess on your light question, I would think they would like a lot of light but without the heat of the full sun. Maybe you could put a lattice roof over them to take the place of your lost tree. I start a lot of plants under lights in the spring and to harden them off for outside I find that the dappled light coming through my large cottonwood tree is a good place to start.( Of course you really don't want to plant one of them just for the shade, stick with the lattice roof. Cottonwoods suck for most of the year, always dropping stuff all over the place. Really messy.)

Mark

Appleton Wis.

Mark from Wis.

P.S. Keep an eye on the "fine GARDENING" mag and articles. It may just be coincidence, but I seem to notice that they get some of thier ideas for articles from these discussions between us all. ;> ) Your question may eventually be answered by them.

cuttings (post #17376, reply #2 of 3)

by kmrsy in reply to OrganicMan [original] on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 19:42

Mark,

I always do softwood cuttings in June here in zone 5; before June the wood is too soft. Much later than June, there's just not much time for them to get enough root system before winter. Other friends have told me that light isn't critical and that shade, being cooler, is better. I usually start mine in a mix of perlite and vermiculite becuase, being somewhat chunky, they offer more pore spaces; easier for roots. I don't have much success with peat.

Here's a link to photos of the method I've used:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmrsy/sets/...

Thanks for your comments. I didn't get much time to deal w cuttings this year after all. Maybe next year will be better.

_^..^_ Kitty, neIN, Z5

cuttings (post #17376, reply #3 of 3)

by OrganicMan in reply to kmrsy [original] on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 16:27

Thanks Kitty. I'll have to try your mix. The stuff I tried is great for seed starting but I think it does have a lot of peat in it

Mark

Mark from Wis.

Exposure for softwood cuttings