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Ohio Buckeye Cutting and Rooting

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Post  Orion Wed Apr 04, 2012 9:31 pm

Cutivating bonsai from cuttings is a time-honored method of propagation. Yet, I've wondered whether or not the size and age of the cuttings factor into successful rooting.

My victim is an Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye) that was taken from a root sucker off an old tree that had been cut down a few years ago that simply refuses to die. Initially, I cut this bulbous blob off with no intention but trashing it. My mother, and with the encouragement only a mother can give, challenged me to see if it would root.

The only option that I could think of was to forego any ideas of soil and deal strictly with its water needs. I took a piece of styrofoam to serve as a platform and cut a hole based on the stock circumference. I wanted to make sure that if roots grow they would do so unhindered, so I ensured the bottom of the stock sits off the bottom of the container. At this point, there's not much to do but keep the water level and climate stable. I'm guessing that if it does take root it'll be around 5-6 months before a home in soil can be considered.

Ohio Buckeye Cutting and Rooting  Dscn1821

Ohio Buckeye Cutting and Rooting  Dscn1822


Ohio Buckeye Cutting and Rooting  Dscn1823


I've seen similar techniques used for tropical and subtropical species, yet I've never seen this accomplished with this type of material. Let me know of your thoughts, experiences, etc. Like I said, this was an on-the-spot project and my expectations are low.



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Post  Jesse McMahon Thu Apr 05, 2012 1:13 am

Cool stuff. I like to tinker as well...keep the updates coming.
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Post  Orion Thu Apr 05, 2012 1:22 am

Thanks for the encouraging words Jesse.
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Post  drgonzo Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:01 am

Its been my experience that few deciduous trees like to produce roots in pure water as the presence of oxygen is necessary to stimulate root growth. Willows being an obvious exception to this. What I have started doing is soaking large (2-3") thick cuttings that have one year old growth coming off them in water and place them in a sunny windowsill until I see the lenticels swell (they look like little white bumps on the bark) this usually follows initial budding out from the one year branches.

I then re-wound the initial cut to expose fresh vascular cambium cells , powder with NAA hormone (Rootone) and stick them in the fines I get from sifting my Turface keeping them always moist and out of direct sunlight.

Normally lenticels provide an avenue for gas exchange from within the vascular tissues to the outside air, bypassing the periderm, But I believe when used in the way I am, they can also provide an avenue for soil moisture to travel back in to the vascular tissues. Keeping even very thick cuttings alive until they can callus and root. But its just hypothetical at this point.


I have a window full of thick Elaeagnus cuttings all rooting out this way. I'm going to try this method out on other species to see if I can get the same trick to work. PM me if you want more details and how this might work for you're Buckeye.
-Jay
You can see some of them here circled in red in this pic I took to send a friend of another tree, notice how thick the cuttings are.
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Post  Poink88 Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:20 am

I think this will work but I (personally) believe using Turface with sphagnum moss (thanks to Jay and Marcus who introduced me to it) will increase your success rate due to presence of more air.

Please keep us updated with this experiment. Smile Good luck!!!

BTW, I love spalted buckeye burl wood with their nice eyes (sometimes red) and dark bluish gray color mottled with cream.
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Post  Orion Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:27 am

Jay and Dario, both thanks for your interest and advice. If Frankenstein actually survives it'll be interesting to see how well, or not it's trainable.

John
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Post  Poink88 Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:30 am

John,

How big is the trunk by the way?
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Post  Jesse McMahon Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:33 am

You're welcome, Orion. You've done the same for me already.

That's some serious Bonsai wizardry, Jay. I'd be curious to know more about the process and whether you're practicing it in the spring before bud break, etc...if you have spare time i'd appreciate any info you could pm me.

On a somewhat related note, a friend of mine who is an arborist just told me that water used to soak and start willow cuttings will act as a good root hormone / rooting stimulant on other cuttings placed into it. Any truth to that one? I wonder what that might do for your process.
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Post  drgonzo Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:37 am

Jesse McMahon wrote:
That's some serious Bonsai wizardry, Jay. I'd be curious to know more about the process and whether you're practicing it in the spring before bud break,


Yes these are collected in late february up my way, before bud break.

Jesse McMahon wrote:On a somewhat related note, a friend of mine who is an arborist just told me that water used to soak and start willow cuttings will act as a good root hormone / rooting stimulant on other cuttings placed into it. Any truth to that one?

Check out my response on this thread for the ins and outs of willow water.
https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t9434-willow-water?highlight=willow+water
-Jay
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Post  Orion Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:55 am

Poink88 wrote:John,

How big is the trunk by the way?

You know, I don't have a clue...give me until tommorrow.
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