North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[jwlehman@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/21/2009 8:44:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, hartmansfruit@msn.com writes:

> The best time to do it is as soon as the leaves fall off in the fall.  You could try it now.  I put mine in a greenhouse with no heat except I have a large box with a heating cable to keep the bottom portion of the cutting you want to root warm with a thermostat.  The books say to leave them under those conditions for about 3 weeks and if your climate is not too severe you can plant them directly in a nursery area outside after the 3 weeks.  I use a rooting hormone such as Dip n' Grow and Hormodin 3.  Some years I have better success than others.  In the hotbed I use a light weight material that will keep them moist but not too wet.  If you want more detail find a copy of Bruce Macdonald's Practical Plant Propagation for Nursery Growers and read the section relating to propagating rootstock.  Be sure to wound the bottom end of the cutting such as taking a couple of vertical cuts with a hand pruner to get better rooting.  When you take to plant them outside some will have roots and others may only be calloused.  Plant the calloused ones out anyway.     
 

I rooted cuttings of Myrobalan much the same way. The cuttings should have been taken about 60 days ago but may still work.  Cut current years growth about pencil size and about 12 inches long. Dip in  rooting hormone about 1 inch, leave it to dry then tie them into bundles, place in a plastic bag were the bottom of the bag has milled sphagnum such that the ends are about 1 inch in moss. Tie securely to retain moisture and store at about 40°  When the ground temperature reaches about 65° next spring remove them from  storage and insert about 6 inches in the ground. 

Air layering should also work.

Jerry