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Honey is an antibacterial, so it will protect the cut end. Are you putting it into soil or water?
If water, if there are any willows around, cut a couple ends off and stick those in the water with your cutting. Willow has a growth hormone in its sap.
No willows but Ive heard about that too... I just wondered if honey was as good or better than root powders or gels... Ive only tried some evergreen leafy plants just now and have them in soil indoors.. do I have to cover them if inside for two weeks.... Im new at this..
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Honey may protect the cut from disease but will not promote root growth. The hormones (powder) are extracted from willow, and while many plants will root without it, the success rate is improved by using it. I have rooted cuttings and done air layering, and use rooting hormone except for those plants/trees that root readily in water or without it such as ficus, hibiscus, geraniums, coleus, grapes, and of course, willows.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dizzybint
Whats air layering please.. and thanks for advice..
I do bonsai as a hobby, with over 100 trees, and air layering is one propagation method to start a small tree that looks old. It's done by cutting a 1/2" ring of bark off of the selected branch. Then rooting hormone is applied, and wet sphagnum moss or perlite is wrapped around it with plastic wrap to hold it in place. The moss or perlite is kept damp 24/7 and roots start to grow from the bark on the high end of the cut out ring. When the plastic wrap is filled with roots, the branch with roots is cut off and planted into the ground to be a new tree or shrub. Normally this is started during the early summer growing season but may take more than one season.
Honey may protect the cut from disease but will not promote root growth. The hormones (powder) are extracted from willow, and while many plants will root without it, the success rate is improved by using it. I have rooted cuttings and done air layering, and use rooting hormone except for those plants/trees that root readily in water or without it such as ficus, hibiscus, geraniums, coleus, grapes, and of course, willows.
Hemlock: I have tried getting geraniums to root in water.......no success. Could it be that the geraniums are from seed versus cuttings?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,642 posts, read 81,351,757 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hittheroadjack;36https://www.city-data.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=36184997184997
Hemlock: I have tried getting geraniums to root in water.......no success. Could it be that the geraniums are from seed versus cuttings?
That won't matter. Try taking the cuttings in the morning when it's cool. You should use cuttings without blooms or buds, and cut just below a leaf node at a 45 degree angle. Then you should leave at least 2 leaves on the cutting, removing lower leaves, and it should be 4-6" long. Too long and it may fail. Keep in a bright, warm but not hot place such as a window sill (inside). I have never had one fail to grow roots, usually within a week they start.
One problem when using water is a flat cut that stays flat on the bottom of the glass/jar so the angled cut is important.
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