Cutting Propagation

Plant Propagation
Advantages of Cutting Propagation
#1 Integrity of characteristics (cloning).
#2 Economics: it’s cheaper to root a cutting
than to graft or bud a plant.
#3 Avoidance of graft incompatibility problems.
 Types of Cuttings
 Leaf cuttings; of little
value in woody,
ornamental plant
propagation.
 Leaf-bud cuttings Making root
cuttings
 Stem cuttings
 Softwood/Herbaceous
 Semi-hardwood
 Hardwood
 Deciduous
 Evergreen
 Root cuttings
Basic Principles of Cutting
Propagation
 Proper Selection/Care of Cutting
Wood
 Select current season’s growth from young
plants or rejuvenated plants. Avoid stems with
flowers.
 Use healthy, disease-free stock plants.
Softwood
Cutting
 Keep cuttings cool and moist until they are
stuck.
 Plastic bags, wet burlap, ice chests
 Plan your propagation so you can stick all the
cuttings the same day they were taken.
 Leftovers should be placed in the cooler
overnight.
 Sanitation
 Harmful pathogens and other pests can enter
the system in the following ways:
 Propagation facilities: greenhouse, flats, pots, knives,
working surfaces, water system, etc.
 Propagation medium: the medium you stick the
cuttings in.
 Stock plant material: the plants that the cuttings are
taken from and the cuttings themselves.
 Propagation Facilities
 10% solution of Clorox bleach in water (1:9
dilution).
 Pots and flats should be soaked for 30 minutes, then
rinsed.
 Physan 20
 Greenshield
Label for
Physan 20
 Propagation Medium
 Generally speaking, bagged propagation media
and media components are pretty clean and do
not require pasteurization.
 Stock Plant Material
 Stock plants that have insect and disease
problems should be treated with the proper
pesticides before cuttings are taken.
 Cuttings should be disinfested prior to sticking.
 5% solution of Clorox bleach in water with liquid
detergent.
 Rinse

 Fungicide drench with a broad-spectrum fungicide.

 The Propagation Medium
 Since most cuttings are propagated under
intermittent mist drainage is critical.
 A general, all-purpose medium for cutting
propagation:

2 parts coarse perlite : 1 part sphagnum peat moss

Softwood cutting
propagation in
flats at Spring
Meadow Nursery
 Propagating in Sand
 Many large nurseries propagate softwood and
hardwood cuttings in sand.
 Use a coarse, sharp sand.
 Disinfest the sand between cutting cycles.
 Methyl bromide
 Vapam

 Basamid
Propagating in sand
 Sticking Methods
 Ground level beds.
 Flats filled with medium.
 Small pots filled with medium (direct sticking).
 After rooting, cuttings can be shifted up to
larger pots or transplanted directly to the field.
 The Propagation Environment
 Light
 Proper temperatures
 Air temperature
 Medium temperature

 High humidity
 Since cuttings do not have roots, but may have
leaves, transpiration must be minimized or the
cuttings may wilt.
 Ability to lower humidity after the cuttings have
rooted.
 Air Temperatures
 Air temperatures in the propagation facility will
vary depending upon the type of cutting you
stick.
 Softwood cuttings: around 70 degrees F.
 Hardwood cuttings: around 40 degrees F. with
bottom heat.
 Maintaining Air Temperatures
 Shade
 Whitewash
 Saran

 Ventilation
 Fog Cooling
Saran

Shading
Compound
 Greenhouse with
“open ventilation”
 Fog Cooling
 1,000 pounds of water
pressure.
 0.006 inch orifice
diameter.
 Droplets 10 microns in
High pressure diameter (less than one
fog nozzle tenth the diameter of a
single strand of hair).
 As the fog evaporates the
air is cooled.
 Medium Temperatures
 Optimal medium (basal) temperatures in the
range of 70 – 80 degrees F. for softwood and
hardwood cuttings.
 Reasons:
 Faster rooting
 More uniform rooting

 Bottom heat
 Electric propagation mats
 Hot water system
 Electric
propagation mat
Biotherm bottom heating
 Intermittent Mist
 Water forced through a small opening under
pressure hits a deflector and sprays out in a
circular pattern.
 Large, coarse water droplets immediately fall
onto the cuttings.
 Regulated by a misting controller.
 Minutes between “on time”.
 Seconds of burst duration..
Misting Nozzle
Deflector Pin
 Reasons for Misting
#1 Maintain humidity.
#2 Evaporative cooling.
DGT mist nozzle

Phytotronics
Misting Controller
 Hardening-off
 After cuttings have rooted they need to be
“hardened-off ”.
 Lower humidity (reduce mist frequency and
duration).
 Lower temperatures (softwood cuttings).

 Brighter light.
The End