I have a trumpet vine. I needed to move it, and during the relocating, I also cut its woody upright trunk about 3 feet up, and it was about 6 feet — the woody part. It had a lot of leaves, or branching growth. I wonder what would I have to do to start a new plant from this part I’ve cut off?
The best way to propagate the top part of your vine Campsis radicans) is with semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings.
North Carolina State University Extension has good general information on propagation. The Royal Horticultural Society’s page about Campsis includes information on various propagation methods.
Is it possible to graft a walnut scion onto a maple tree?
The book, Plant Propagation edited by Alan Toogood (American Horticultural Society/DK Publishing 1999) says that Juglans regia and Juglans nigra, grown for their edible nuts, are usually whip-and-tongue grafted. You would “use a slightly narrower scion than the stock so the thinner scion bark will align with the stock’s cambium more easily.”
I was not able to find any information on grafting a walnut scion onto a maple, but here is an article (pdf) on by William Reid, which has detailed information.
This publication from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, entitled “Propagating deciduous fruit plants common to Georgia” (1999) indicates that whip grafting or ring budding will work best for walnuts.
I am trying to grow roses from cuttings. They are sprouting little leaves but are still under empty soda containers for humidity. When I took a few out of the containers, they promptly shriveled up and died. Should I leave them for another month? I don’t want to tug to see if they have roots, as that will disturb them. Do I apply foliar fertilizer?
I have listed a few useful webpages about propagating roses from cuttings below.
To answer your question about leaving them under cover, I think you probably should leave them for at least a brief while, given the very cold weather. I don’t think you need to apply foliar fertilizer at this stage. The resources below should offer some additional advice on caring for your cuttings.
John Fisher’s book, The Companion to Roses (Salem House Publishers, 1986), says that roses grown from cuttings may take longer to flower than those budded on rootstock, but (if they survive the process) they may live longer and will not sucker. Some roses are easier to propagate from cuttings, such as ramblers and Rosa rugosa, as well as some climbing roses and large-flowered roses.
According to Fisher, cuttings can be taken as early as August. You should choose young shoots with ripened wood that have borne flowers, and lateral shoots rather than leaders. He recommends selecting those shoots growing low on the shady side of the plant, and those with leaf joints that are close together. Make a clean cut just below a leaf joint. The cutting should be about 9 inches long with 2 leaf joints in the top 3 inches. Cut off the tip that has borne the flower and the leaf immediately underneath it. Remove leaves (but not buds) on the lower 2/3 of the cutting, since this is the part that will be planted in the ground. The soil should be a mix of loam and sand mixed down to a depth of about 9 inches, in a pot or V-shaped trench. Before planting the cutting, poke a hole in the soil for it to go into. Moisten the bottom end of the cutting with a cotton ball, and dip it in rooting hormone (or willow water). Put the cutting in the soil and press the soil around it firmly. If you need to protect it from frost, cover it with leaves or sacking during the winter. By summer, it should have formed a root, and should be ready to plant in the fall.
The information below may differ somewhat from these directions, but you may get a general sense of how your methods compare, and whether you want to try any of the methods suggested.
University of California Cooperative Extension
Morrison Gardens
The Southern Garden
When should I cut back angel’s trumpet and can I replant the part that was cut?
I’ve checked a book called Brugmansia and
Datura: Angel’s Trumpets and Thorn Apples by Ulrike and Hans-Georg Preissel.
It has a whole chapter on growing angel’s trumpets from cuttings as well as a
section on pruning them, which should be done after they bloom. As you probably
know, they can’t take freezing temperatures, so people often prune them in the
fall to make them easier to bring into a greenhouse (for overwintering warm) or
41-50 degree room (for overwintering cool). The important thing to remember is
to confine your pruning to the flowering part of the plant, so you don’t have to
wait as long for more flowers. The book says you can tell the flowering part of
the plant by looking closely at the leaves–the flowering part has an
asymmetrical leaf base on each leaf, but the base of the “vegetative” leaves is
symmetrical.
The cuttings you take can be used to start new plants, and the success rate will
vary depending on the time of year (spring and summer cuttings work best) and
the variety of angel’s trumpet you have. Viruses can be a problem, so keep your
shears very clean. You can often get them to form roots by placing them in a
jar of water so that only the lowest 1.5 inches of the stalk are under water.
Alternatively, place woody fall cuttings “about 10 inches long…in a mixture of
peat and sand, in vermiculite, or in pumice… temperature between 53 and 64
degrees… Many of these cuttings will form roots by the following spring. For
root development the cuttings need the same light levels as for good growing
conditions… It is a good idea to pot all cuttings into a nutrient-rich soil as
soon as possible after they have formed roots.”
We’ve lived in the Northwest for years and love madrone trees. Yesterday, we “rescued” two madrone trees from a construction site with the hope of transplanting them to our Seattle garden. After reading more information on madrone transplanting, I don’t think it’s an easy task. Do you have more information on this subject?
I’ve seen several references to madrone trees being difficult to transplant.
This one is from Wikipedia: “The trees are difficult to transplant and a seedling should be set in its permanent spot while still small. Transplant mortality becomes significant once a madrone is more than one foot (30 cm) tall.”
According to Native Plants in the Coastal Garden (April Pettinger, 2002),
“Arbutus seedlings do not like to be transplanted because they have a single,
long taproot.” However, she does suggest they are not difficult to grow from
seed by planting the whole berries in fall where you want the tree to be, and
pulling up any extra seedlings that arise. According to Propagation of Pacific
Northwest Native Plants (Robin Rose et al, 1998), the seedlings will grow only
a centimeter a year at first.
Even if the trees aren’t looking great, it might be worthwhile to plant them and
see if they come back from the roots, as they tend to have an underground burl
that can re-sprout after the original trunk dies.
You might also try contacting the King County Master Gardeners, whose phone clinic can be reached at 296-3440.
How would you propagate Abelia x grandiflora?
According to the American Horticultural Society’s Plant Propagation
edited by Alan Toogood (DK Publishing, 1999), Abelia may be propagated
from softwood cuttings in spring, from greenwood cuttings in late spring,
and from semi-ripe cuttings in early to late summer. “Cuttings… root very readily in a closed case or mist bench. Softwood cuttings from the first flush of root growth in 2-4 weeks. In colder regions, do not pot greenwood cuttings taken after midsummer; prune cuttings into a bushy habit, but allow new growth time to ripen–if not well established, they overwinter badly. Keep semi-ripe cuttings taken in late summer
frost-free. Plants flower in 1-2 years.”
Here are links to general information on propagation from cuttings:
Plant Propagation by Stem Cuttings: Instructions for the Home Gardener, from NC State University
Propagating Plants from Stem Cuttings, from Rainyside Gardeners
How can I propagate the Schisandra fruit vine?
It does not sound like the easiest plant to propagate from seed. Cuttings or layering might be less challenging. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association has a guide to growing Schisandra, including propagation information. Here is an excerpt:
“Propagate Schisandra by seed, cuttings or layering. The seeds can be planted in prepared seedbeds 1/4-inch deep in the fall soon after they ripen or indoors in March. Dry seeds need to be soaked overnight. In Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West, Steven Foster and Yue Chongxi say that in China an acid scarification process is sometimes used, because the seeds have such a hard coat.”
Plants for a Future’s database includes propagation details for Schisandra chinensis:
“Seed: best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in a greenhouse in the spring. Germination can be slow and erratic. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for their first 2 years. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.
“Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 – 8cm with a heel, August in a frame. Overwinter in the greenhouse and plant out in late spring.
“Layering of long shoots in the autumn.”
I have a Magnolia wilsonii in my garden, and this year there
is a definite profusion of seed that followed a long flowering season (I’m collecting more every day). What is the best way to sow and grow these?
According to the American Horticultural Society’s Plant Propagation,
edited by Alan Toogood (DK Publishing, 1999) you can collect fresh seeds
in the fall, and thoroughly clean them (the book recommends using a
fungicide to prevent rot or damping off). To extract the seeds, gather the
ripe cones and dry them until the fleshy fruits come away. Soak them in
warm water with liquid detergent for a couple of days to remove the outer
coating. Once softened, drain the water. Remove any flesh still attached,
and dry the seeds with tissue. Sow fresh and overwinter in a cold frame,
or mix with moist vermiculite, sand, or peat, and store in a plastic bag
in the refrigerator for 2 months before sowing. Seedlings may be
transplanted the following summer, and put back in the cold frame for a
second winter.
Another method is to stratify the seeds for 3-6 months at 41 degrees
Fahrenheit, sow under cover in spring with bottom heat (68 degrees) for
germination to take place in about a month. It will take plants grown
from seed from 3 to 10 years to flower, but some species take much
longer.
Texas A & M University’s horticulture department has an article on starting Magnolia from seed. The article focuses on Southern magnolia, but should still be relevant. Here is an excerpt:
“The seeds should be collected as soon as possible after the fruit is mature which is usually mid-September or early October. The cone-like fruit should be spread out to dry for several days until they open. The seeds can then be shaken from the dried cone or fruit.
“If the seed is to be kept for any length of time, the red pulp should be allowed to dry enough to lose its fleshy character, placed in sealed containers and stored at 32 to 41 degrees F. If stored over winter at room temperature seed will lose its viability. The seed should be cleaned before planting or stratifying. To remove the fleshy seed coat, soak the seed overnight in warm water. Remove the seed coat by rubbing against hardware cloth or window screening. After cleaning, the seeds should be sown immediately or stored for 3 to 6 months at about 40 degrees F and planted in the spring. An excellent way to stratify seeds is to use a polyethylene bag and place alternating layers of a moist medium such as a sand and peat mixture and seeds in the bag. Tie the top of the bag and place in a refrigerator at about 40 degrees. The medium should be just moist enough to stick together but not so wet that it will drip if squeezed by hand.
“Whether sown in the fall or stratified in the refrigerator and sown in the spring, the seeds should be covered with about l/4″ of soil and mulched to prevent drying. Seedbeds should be kept moist until germination is complete. Partial shade should be provided the first summer for seedlings.”