What would you do with these Japanese Maple cuttings?

[Bonsai Nut]

Back on 9/8 I was trimming an Acer p "Ryusen" that I have on my back deck, and I set up one of the small bottle propagators in my office. I have to admit to being pessimistic about potential for results (given the lateness of the season), but imagine my surprise that here we are six weeks later and roots are coming out of the bottom of the upper section.

Now I'm not 100% certain how to proceed. My JM in landscape are just barely starting to turn color for the fall. My gut tells me to remove the cuttings, pot them up, and put them in a sheltered spot for the winter - allowing them to go into winter dormancy. But another side of me wonders if, for this first year, I might be better off keeping the cuttings indoors with my tropicals. I am worried that the cuttings simply don't have enough stored energy reserves to make it through the winter otherwise.

What would you do?

 

[leatherback]

I would plant them up, outside, and let them enjoy the fall sun. Your winters are not that brutal anyway, right?

 

[blackadam]

split batch in half and keep one part for dormancy and one part with tropicals - at least some of them should survive

 

[stubmle]

I like the mixed approach. Don't put all your eggs in one basket &c.

 

[Adamski77]

Back on 9/8 I was trimming an Acer p "Ryusen" that I have on my back deck, and I set up one of the small bottle propagators in my office. I have to admit to being pessimistic about potential for results (given the lateness of the season), but imagine my surprise that here we are six weeks later and roots are coming out of the bottom of the upper section.

Now I'm not 100% certain how to proceed. My JM in landscape are just barely starting to turn color for the fall. My gut tells me to remove the cuttings, pot them up, and put them in a sheltered spot for the winter - allowing them to go into winter dormancy. But another side of me wonders if, for this first year, I might be better off keeping the cuttings indoors with my tropicals. I am worried that the cuttings simply don't have enough stored energy reserves to make it through the winter otherwise.

What would you do?

View attachment 618003

great result... what's the media that you used?

 

[DonielDoom]

I'd put them out, given I had a bit of shelter for them. Personally, it gets pretty packed in my indoor spaces with tropicals this time of year and I don't want to 1) add more to that density and 2) would prefer not to adhere to the watering requirements of small, minimally rooted cuttings.

My curiosity is piqued on splitting them; half in and half out. IMO, the real curiosity would be how the two would grow in their growing season given the dormancy vs not. I'm not well enough experienced or educated in deciduous trees to have an inkling.

Cool to see Ryusen pop like that. I'm excited to propagate mine in the coming years.

 

[Maros]

Faced a similar scenario with Arakawa two years ago. I stored them in the garage, on the window. Cool but not freezing, a lot of light. Four out of 12 survived. Also stored a lot of not potted cuttings rooted in plastic boxes in a dark, cold cellar, temperatures above zero all the time, no windows, and total darkness. This was not so good approach. With your temperatures rarely below 0°C, and I assume rarely much lower, you should be fine with storing them out.

 

[MalsRFun in TN]

I have two larger cuttings in large bottle propagators that are uncovered outside, one OG JM and one Shishigashira. I've been wondering whether to just sink the rooted "top" of the bottle in a nursery pot of garden soil for the winter and remove from the bottle in early spring or do a total repot now. I'm near Knoxville, TN, so very similar weather to Charlotte. They've been outside uncovered with minimal sun for a few weeks. The OG is vigorous, Shishigashira not so much.

 

[BrightsideB]

I think they’d be fine either way. I had cuttings strike end of summer outdoors and went dormant. I figure if you want to get more growth keep inside and bypass the dormant period.

Would make a good experiment bypassing the dormancy on some and letting others go dormant.

 

[Dav4]

I agree with @leatherback. I'd pot them up and get them outside to go dormant naturally, as they need a dormancy and won't do well without it. I'd also prevent any frost or freeze for the next 2-4 weeks if possible to let those leaves generate some carbs for the new roots.

 

[August44]

Back on 9/8 I was trimming an Acer p "Ryusen" that I have on my back deck, and I set up one of the small bottle propagators in my office. I have to admit to being pessimistic about potential for results (given the lateness of the season), but imagine my surprise that here we are six weeks later and roots are coming out of the bottom of the upper section.

Now I'm not 100% certain how to proceed. My JM in landscape are just barely starting to turn color for the fall. My gut tells me to remove the cuttings, pot them up, and put them in a sheltered spot for the winter - allowing them to go into winter dormancy. But another side of me wonders if, for this first year, I might be better off keeping the cuttings indoors with my tropicals. I am worried that the cuttings simply don't have enough stored energy reserves to make it through the winter otherwise.

What would you do?

View attachment 618003

I have been reading about the method u used there and wondered how you keep fungus from taking over with all the moisture around the leaves.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

great result... what's the media that you used?

100% screened pumice fines. No organic matter.

I have been reading about the method u used there and wondered how you keep fungus from taking over with all the moisture around the leaves.

I soaked the cuttings in a mixture of water with about 10% hydrogen peroxide mixed in. I use the same mixture when I cold stratify seeds in the refrigerator. Otherwise I keep them in very bright indirect light - no direct sun but otherwise as bright as possible. And I use 100% inorganic mixes for cuttings. Note: this is my first time trying this, so I am by no means an expert.

 

[August44]

100% screened pumice fines. No organic matter.


I soaked the cuttings in a mixture of water with about 10% hydrogen peroxide mixed in. I use the same mixture when I cold stratify seeds in the refrigerator. Otherwise I keep them in very bright indirect light - no direct sun but otherwise as bright as possible. And I use 100% inorganic mixes for cuttings. Note: this is my first time trying this, so I am by no means an expert.

When u say 10%, do you mean 10% of a 3% H2O2 mixture? Also, does that reduce damping off of seedlings?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

When u say 10%, do you mean 10% of a 3% H2O2 mixture? Also, does that reduce damping off of seedlings?

Yes exactly. Add one part of 3% H2O2 to 9 parts water. Soak the cuttings for 30 minutes. Rinse and plant. I believe it helps but I have very little experience with Japanese maple cuttings.

I use this same mixture when I soak seeds overnight prior to putting in the refrigerator for cold stratification. Between soaking in this solution, and using paper towel or sphagnum moss for the seeds, I have not been experiencing fungus issues with my seeds.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Now I'm not 100% certain how to proceed. [...] What would you do?

overwinter with japanese maple bonsai (or, ideally +2 to +4C)
repot with japanese maple bonsai in feb? march?

I've done late cuttings before. I had losses over winter but not a ton

I'd go into this thinking if they die they die no big loss, take more in May/June

 

[shimbrypaku]

Yes exactly. Add one part of 3% H2O2 to 9 parts water. Soak the cuttings for 30 minutes. Rinse and plant. I believe it helps but I have very little experience with Japanese maple cuttings.

I use this same mixture when I soak seeds overnight prior to putting in the refrigerator for cold stratification. Between soaking in this solution, and using paper towel or sphagnum moss for the seeds, I have not been experiencing fungus issues with my seeds.

I have done the same with the zip lock bag method for maple cuttings, I mix up hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and mist the plants twice a week.

When I see new growth I use a clonex spray.

Thanks

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

If the cuttings have not been hardened off, would harden them off in the room they were struck, then harden again to outside. Likely take a month to get to outside full time... or more. They'd have a bit of a chore to catch up to the paradormancy stage of the trees outside.

If these cases I follow the Brits!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Newish in Oregon]

Back on 9/8 I was trimming an Acer p "Ryusen" that I have on my back deck, and I set up one of the small bottle propagators in my office. I have to admit to being pessimistic about potential for results (given the lateness of the season), but imagine my surprise that here we are six weeks later and roots are coming out of the bottom of the upper section.

Now I'm not 100% certain how to proceed. My JM in landscape are just barely starting to turn color for the fall. My gut tells me to remove the cuttings, pot them up, and put them in a sheltered spot for the winter - allowing them to go into winter dormancy. But another side of me wonders if, for this first year, I might be better off keeping the cuttings indoors with my tropicals. I am worried that the cuttings simply don't have enough stored energy reserves to make it through the winter otherwise.

What would you do?

View attachment 618003

Interested in learning more about your bottle propagators. Found some similar designs but not quite what you're using. Can you provide directions or a link to same? Thanks

 

[Bonsai Nut]

FWIW I placed nine cuttings in that propagator back in early Sept, and today I pulled them out and only three had any roots. However those three all had pretty decent root mass, so I potted them up and placed them in a protected area in my garden. If I got three cuttings to root out every time I used these bottles, I would consider it a "win".

 

[leatherback]

If I got three cuttings to root out every time I used these bottles, I would consider it a "win".

Doyou have such low rooting percentage in general with AP, or is this particular variety hard to root? Most AP cuttings I get 90+% rooting?