Pup

This tree is a cutting from the Bunjingi in the critique forum at the moment, it has been in traning 4 years since I took the cutting. It is 4inches ( 100mms) approx.

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G, day I live in western Australia I have been trying for the last 20+ years with some success to grow Bonsai. I am a perpetual learner and an advanced beginner

Paul Williams

Hi Pup
That’s a fine looking result. I have tried cuttings with junipers several times but w/o success. Will you share your method with us?
Good growing
Paul

Pup

G,day Paul.
The method I use is quite simple. I first find what I consider to be worth it. Then I take it paint it with hormone past ( I prefer the liquid and hardwood ) then I prepare the cutting by shaving about 1/4 inch off the bark I then paint the cutting with the hormone. Then in a mix of 50% coco peat ( coconut husks choir peat ) 50% crushed granite ( aquarium gravel ). That is placed in a polystyrene box (vegetable of fruit box ) I then put perspex or glass or clear plastic wrap over the top as a mini glass house.
the polystyrene acts as a heat pad. Also it controls the temps cool in summer warm in winter. Keep it moist and use your preferred hormone watering ie superthrive seaweed extract. I have a 90% success rate with this. Hope this helps Pup

__________________
G, day I live in western Australia I have been trying for the last 20+ years with some success to grow Bonsai. I am a perpetual learner and an advanced beginner

Paul Williams

Hi Pup
I am going out in the morning and get some liquid hormone! Because I have never used liquid, so that is a difference. I am a little dense on what you are saying “then I prepare the cutting by shaving about 1/4 inch off the bark” do you cut a “ring” at the bottom of the cutting? The coco peat & granite I can do that, and putting it in a “glass house” no problem. One other thing is this something that you do in the spring or is summer OK too?
Good growing
Paul

JTGJr25

It looks nice but I'm not a fan of the first left hand branch. I think if you remove it and bring an upper branch down it could work.

I too am not clear on your description of your cutting process. How does the polystyrene act as a heating pad? Can't you just use a regular pot?

Tom

Pup

Yes to the styrene acting as a heating pad, yes you could use an ordinary pot.
I find they are better in the styrene box. It maintains a better temp.

Yes paul I do cut a ring of bark off. I do my cuttings any time I am pruning. I our growing conditions are very good. Pup

__________________
G, day I live in western Australia I have been trying for the last 20+ years with some success to grow Bonsai. I am a perpetual learner and an advanced beginner

Paul Williams

Jan

I have had excellent results with cuttings using plastic soft drink bottles for pots.

First cut the bottle off level, one third of the way down from the top.

Cut some holes in the lid for drainage (I put a small bit of newspaper over the drain holes to keep the growing mix in the "pot" to start with) then invert this top third to form a funnel shaped "pot".

Sit the funnel pot into the bottom two thirds of the cut off bottle and fill with your chosen mix (I use seed raising mix).

I make a drain hole in the side of the bottom two thirds (which will act as a water well) just above the level of the screw thread on the funnel pot so that the funnel pot can wick up water from the well but will be in no danger of flooding/getting too wet.

Fill the water well section to the drain hole level with water. water the growing mix then plant your cutting in the mix in the usual way. Use whatever hormone treatment you usually do. I've had good results with honey as a hormone/anti fungal treatment.

I use another soft drink bottle, this time cut off just above its base, as a glass house over the funnel pot (just sit the cut bottom edge inside the funnel pot rim). I like the glass house to breath so I remove the lid on the second bottle.

If conditions are too hot or cold I sit the assembled unit in an insulated box (usually the kind that vegetables are delivered to the supermarket in) to try to even things out.

I've struck everything from roses to conifers this way with excellent results. With the water well with drain hole to prevent over filling the growing mix always seems to be at the right moisture level and I don't have to be watching that it doesn't dry out. The system also works well for growing seeds - great for the ones that take ages to get going.

When the cuttings have struck, and are growing well, you can see the roots through the side of the clear funnel pot and they are big enough to transplant.

Best of luck with it, as I said this method has always worked well for me.

Jan

I've had great results with this method