2104 - Leaf & Root Cuttings Flashcards
Characteristics of Parent Plant
- True to type
- Free of Pests and Disease
- Growing Vigorously (spring usually best time)
Characteristics of Growing Media
50:50 Peat/Peat Substitute / Perlite (horticultural sand)
- Friable
- Free Draining
- Moisture Retentive
- Well aerated
- Low fertility
- Sterile
- pH 5.5-6.5
Containers and Tools
- Sterilised and cleaned (rinsed with clean water)
- Seed Trays / 7cm Squat Pots
- Sharp, sterile propagation knife
- Labels, china pencil
Aftercare
- High Humidity (except succulents)
- No Misting (except some leaf bud cuttings)
- Gentle bottom heat (18c-21c)
- Avoidance of direct Sunlight
- Regular monitoring for P&D
Leaf Petiole Cutting
- During Active Growth (spring, or anytime for houseplants)
- Cut Healthy leaf at the base of petiole
- place in plastic bag to prevent loss of turgidity
- Carefully trim the petiole to 2-3cm length
- Insert vertically up to the lamina
- no rooting hormone required
N.B - Succulents do not have a petiole, so cut at the base of the leaf and allow to callus for a few hours
Saintpaulia ionantha
Crasula (jade plant)
Whole Leaf Lamina Cuttings
- During Active Growth
- Cleanly remove healthy leaf from plant
- remove the petiole
- Lay lamina on a flat surface and cut through leaf veins at intervals (this will stimulate plantlets)
- Place leaf horizontally on compost, to ensure good contact, use bent wire to pin to the surface
Bergonia Rex Cultorum Group
Part of Lamina Cuttings (Chevron)
- During Active Growth
- Cleanly remove leaf from parent plant
- with a clean knife, slice sections of the leaf horizontally across the midrib
- insert leaf vertically (base down) into compost
Streptocarpus spp.
Sanseveria spp. (mother in-laws tongue)
Part of Lamina Cuttings (Square)
- Place flat on a cutting board leaves are cut into squares
- Each segment must contain a main vein (not necessarily midrib)
- Segments are placed flat on the surface of the compost and secured with pins to ensure good contact
Bergonia Rex Cultorum Group
Part of Lamina Cuttings (Mid Rib)
- Cut off a leaf from parent plant and lay on a cutting board
- With a clean Knife, cut leaf in half lengthwise and remove the mid rib
- making a small trench, place both segments of leaf remaining into cutting compost, back fill and gently firm
Streptocarpus spp.
Leaf Bud Cuttings
Similar to a heel cutting.
Cutting Includes a leaf, a portion of the stem and an axillary bud.
Material must be hardened and of this seasons growth with a fully developed leaf.
- Cut close above a bud and 2-3cm below the node
- wound woody material, to help stimulate rooting.
- medium strength rooting powder
- insert into the compost with the axillary bud above the surface
- reduce leaves by half
Mature cutting may grow on in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Softer cuttings will require higher humidity and may benefit from misting.
Camelia japonica
Clematis spp.
Root Cuttings General
Plant must not be grafted, as the rootstock will be propagated not the scion.
Cuttings taken in dormant period.
Shrub - Rhus typhina
Herbaceous - Anenome japonica
Herbaceous - Papaver orientale
Herbaceous - Echinops
Root Cutting Characteristics of Parent
- True to Type
- Free of Pests and Disease
- Vigorous growth
also
- Undamaged by lifting
- not grafted (growing with its own roots)
Root Cutting Characteristics of Growing Medium
50:50 Peat/Peat free substitute: Perlite/horticultural sand
- Friable
- Well draining
- Moisture Retentive
- Well aerated
- Sterile / Free from P&D
- pH 5.5-6.5
- Low Fertility
Root Cuttings Method (thicker fleshy roots)
- Lift Stock plant
- carefully rinse of soil from roots
- Select a healthy root from this seasons growth (pencil thickness)
- remove root close to the crown as possible
- Important to remember polarity or cutting will not take
- Cut root into 5cm segments, sloping cut at the bottom to remind of polarity.
- discard thin end of root and trim off any fibrous laterals
- preprepared growing media (50:50) use a dibber to make a hole and insert cutting to just below the surface, remembering polarity.
- thin layer of grit
aftercare
- LABEL
- lightly moisten and pace in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame
- do not water again until new roots appear (along with new shoots)
N.B . no more than 1/3 of parent plant roots, and replant as soon as possible afterwards.
No Rooting hormone powder (they are already roots!!)
Enchinops ritro
Papaver orientale
Root Cuttings Method (small delicate roots)
Follow the same method, but polarity is not important
lay roots horizontally on growing media (50:50)
cover with a fine layer of compost, gently firm.
Primula denticulate
