Ml_work

Ok, I figured out last night how to upload pics (thank you Phil). and then found all my pictures were too large for uploading. Lowered the settings on my camera (cell phone) and got a couple of the cypress cuttings. At some point someone had ask for a picture. You can see in the picture the one that came out of water for a day is not growing(far right side of pan). I do not know what to do with the 2 good ones, leave in the water or pot.

ML

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noissee

you should keep changing the water to keep it fresh. bald cypress grow abundantly in swamps and flood planes, so perhaps they will surprise you. never tried it myself.

centaura

I'd say you try an experiment. Keep one in the water, and dip the other one in root hormone, put it in fast draining soil, seal it in a clear plastic bag and keep it out of direct sun, and see which one strikes roots. Then you will have tried the two major ways of rooting cuttings and seen which one works best for you and this species. But don't be discouraged if none make it, cuttings are always a gamble.

-Centaura

Ml_work

Centaura,
I was thinking about something along that same. I looked at them today, they are not getting any larger or more leaves. Fact they are starting to dry up. I thought of putting one in some regular potting soil as it hold the moisture better. I did order some root harmone just tonight for another sick plant I am working on.
Not sure if I understand you,
Quote:
"dip the other one in root hormone, put it in fast draining soil, seal it in a clear plastic bag and keep it out of direct sun,"

I understand the dip and fast draining soil.....clear plastic bag? Are you saying to not put it in a pot? just soil in a bag?

I am open for any of the above as I think they are on the way out as they are.

Thanks for the suggestion.
ML

centaura

The main thing that will make a woody cutting successful is to keep it in a very high humidity environment. That stops the leaves and branches from drying out since there are no roots to transport water up into the branches. Please insert 'put into a pot with fast draining soil' into my earlier explanation. If I think about it when I got home tonight, I have a hawthorne cutting that I'm trying to root that I can photo what I'm talking about.

Have you ever bought a fish? When they put the fish in the bag, they fill the rest of the bag up with air and then twist off the top. That's kinda the idea - put the pot with your cutting in it in a clear plastic bag, blow some air into it, and keep it twisted off the top. That keeps the humidity around the cutting at 100%, which stops it from drying out, which in turn helps it keep going with its 'life functions' enough to grow roots.

That would not be a good idea, as that's too moist and your main result is going to be rot before you get roots. Moist sand works, I use turface -which is basically small, hard clay chips. You don't want the part under the surface of the soil to be constantly wet, you just want over all humidity.

Does any of that make sense or clear up my earlier explanation?

-Centaura

Ml_work

Yes, Thank you very much. I will give it a try this weekend. I looked at them today, it was just the one that came out of the water for the day that looked dry. Now all 3 limbs are (the leaves) drying out. If I do not do something fast they will die I am sure. I will keep it posted.
Thanks,
ML

centaura

Yeah, I don't know of anything other than ficus and willow that grow roots well in just water. I don't want to be a downer, but if they're showing signs of decline now, they're probably goners. Nothing against what you did, its just terribly difficult to try to get roots in water off of woody cuttings. But, now you have something to try the next time you take cuttings.

-Centaura

Paul Williams

Ml_work

AAawwww....Sorry about that. I have been behind on the plans that Centaura suggested to me about the bag around mine. The weather here has been so beautiful, each day after work I go for a bike ride, then water my plants (it is warmed up to the point I have to water all outside each day and most of the inside daily) and have not done the planting of the cuttings. I really thought they were past help. I was looking at them just this afternoon and it looks like two of the stems are coming back. The seedlings that I cut them from are doing Great. I plan to put one in a pot and bag it as Centaura suggest and put one in a pot without a bag, leave one in water...may the best Plant Win.
Have A Great Day!
ML

Ml_work

Quote - Centaura:
I'd say you try an experiment. Keep one in the water, and dip the other one in root hormone, put it in fast draining soil, seal it in a clear plastic bag and keep it out of direct sun, and see which one strikes roots.

I did try the experiment, 1 left in the water, 1 in good bonsai soil, 1 in good bonsai soil in a bag. The one in just the soil is dead. The one in the water is dead, but I just noticed today 2 small green dots on the branch! Looks like it could be coming back, I was about to take it out of water but have to wait now and see what happens.
The one in the bag is doing good, should it be able to make it outside the bag now?
The picture shows the original trees in the 4 pot that these came off of. The 2 pine limbs are in the pot to keep the plastic bag off the tree.

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