Azalea cuttings winter care

[Paradox]

So I have 6 satsuki cuttings I took this year that survived so far. They are still really tiny with hardly any roots, some only have one root.

Wondering if I should keep them inside for this winter only just to give them more time to grow more roots. Afraid if I let them get too cold, they won't make it through the winter with so little roots yet

Thoughts?

 

[Dav4]

I think they'd still appreciate a dormancy but maybe not see temps much below freezing. If you had such a spot where keeping them in the 30s F through the winter was possible, I'd put them there. Otherwise, I'd leave them outside in a protected spot and move them into a garage when real winter cold is coming.

 

[Glaucus]

I had no problems keeping them outdoors when I was still rooting them outdoors. But I never had a truly could winter the year where I was taking cuttings. So even if it is small, if it is outdoors, it can gently go into winter dormancy.
Once it has both roots and winter dormancy, it can freeze solid. You just don't want anything extreme. Like prolonged frozen soil or winter wind, or very low temperatures.
In spring, you have to be a bit careful, though. Cuttings wake up earlier than garden plants and are thus prone frosts that hit after the cutting has emerged dormancy.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

@Paradox sorry for the late reply….

Unless our first year cuttings are strong, we don’t keep them outdoors. Instead they are inside under lights with a heat mat and they grow all winter.

When we do put first year cuttings outdoors they are put in a greenhouse kept at temperatures between 33-45F.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Paradox]

@Paradox sorry for the late reply….

Unless our first year cuttings are strong, we don’t keep them outdoors. Instead they are inside under lights with a heat mat and they grow all winter.

When we do put first year cuttings outdoors they are put in a greenhouse kept at temperatures between 33-45F.

Cheers
DSD sends

Thank you for that reply DSD.
I think Ill put them inside with my tropicals for the winter. I figure one winter wont hurt them.
They are literally tiny cuttings, not even an inch tall and some only have one root so I woudnt say they are strong.
After trying for 2 years, I finally got some satsuki cuttings to take.
Out of the 12 I did this year only half survived so far so I dont want to lose them.

We had a freeze warning last week for 2 nights and the cuttings along with my satuski spent the two nights and day in the garage

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Good idea. Sounds like the cuttings described are hard to strike or late starts.

imho Indoors it appears best to only spray cuttings/media 1-2x daily when in this state, while keeping the cuttings covered yet vented. When the media gets dryish every couple weeks or so soak in water for a bit to rehydrate.

We use 1 tbsp 3% H2O2 in a spray bottle of water with 1/8th tsp Miracid added for the spray. The H2O2 keeps the Fungus gnats down, but not totally. Safer soap will do that.

I’ve seen cuttings with one root piddle about for months, then suddenly push hard and flourish.

From our experience, azalea cuttings don’t need dormancy for two years. Did this when growing hundreds of whips a couple years ago. They were too tall (and hardy) after that to keep indoors.

When were the cuttings taken? Which media was chosen?

Good Luck
DSD sends

 

[Carol 83]

Unless our first year cuttings are strong, we don’t keep them outdoors. Instead they are inside under lights with a heat mat and they grow all winter.

Good to hear. I brought mine in also, not sure what to do. Glad I did.

 

[Paradox]

Good idea. Sounds like the cuttings described are hard to strike or late starts.

imho Indoors it appears best to only spray cuttings/media 1-2x daily when in this state, while keeping the cuttings covered yet vented. When the media gets dryish every couple weeks or so soak in water for a bit to rehydrate.

We use 1 tbsp 3% H2O2 in a spray bottle of water with 1/8th tsp Miracid added for the spray. The H2O2 keeps the Fungus gnats down, but not totally. Safer soap will do that.

I’ve seen cuttings with one root piddle about for months, then suddenly push hard and flourish.

From our experience, azalea cuttings don’t need dormancy for two years. Did this when growing hundreds of whips a couple years ago. They were too tall (and hardy) after that to keep indoors.

When were the cuttings taken? Which media was chosen?

Good Luck
DSD sends

Took them in July and put them in Hoffman bonsai soil which is a mix of expanded shale, sand, turface and pine bark.



I chose that for media because it's small grain ~ 1/8 inch, retains some moisture and drains well. I tried using peat and perlite last year but it stayed too wet and the cuttings rotted.

I'll take a picture of the cuttings tomorrow. They really are tiny. The azalea I took them from isn't a large bonsai and these were just trimmings I took off when I pruned it

 

[Paradox]

Here is a picture of the trays with a small regular paper clip for size comparison.
Of the 6 left. one looks like its on its way out.
One looks pretty strong and has a bud on the top.
The other 4 are just hanging out at this point, not really doing anything which I suppose is good because it means they are still alive.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm. Looks very dry for an azalea cutting.

First thing that came to mind is to add moistened peat, which would be difficult, but possible if these have a few roots. Not sure this would work.

Wondering about the original peat/perlite mix and after care.

If desired shoot PM my way and I’ll go through our process.

Best
DSD sends

 

[Glaucus]

Looks like a pine medium. I would never us this. try peat, ericaceous potting soil combined with this material or perlite or coarse sand, lava etc.
And if you do want to go 100% substrate, try 100% kanuma.

 

[Paradox]

The 50/50 peat/perlite mix. I followed some guide I found online. It said to use that mix and keep covered inside a vented seed tray and put under lights.
It stayed too wet and the cuttings got a fungus and rotted.

So I tried this mix this time. I put them in a shady spot on the bench and they were getting watered every day.
I'm sure there is a better way but at least I got some to take this time instead of all of them dead

Part of the issue might be the size of the cuttings. Most of these were really tiny because the tree is small and I used trimmings when I pruned it.
There just isnt room to take bigger pieces off it

 

[Pitoon]

You can keep your cuttings outside, just make sure they don't freeze. Protection from wind is also very important.

Optimum growing mixture for azalea cuttings is anything that can stay moist but not wet. I prefer to root my cuttings in either monto clay or NAPA 8822. Once I feel they have enough roots to support themselves I transplant into a peat mixture to grow out.

Your cuttings are very small be patient with them, it may take up to two seasons for them to shoot up.

Don't fall for the kanuma trap, azaleas will grow in it but it's not a necessity for them to flourish.

 

[Glaucus]

The 50/50 peat/perlite mix. I followed some guide I found online. It said to use that mix and keep covered inside a vented seed tray and put under lights.
It stayed too wet and the cuttings got a fungus and rotted.

This soil mix can indeed retain a lot of water. But it doesn't have to. You could actually squeeze the water out of it so that it is just a bit moist.
If you cover the cuttings, you wouldn't even water the soil mix unless the peat starts to get bone dry and the colour changes.
I water the peat-perlite, then I let it dry, and then I put it in a box and I don't water it again for weeks.
Fungus is treated by fungicide and H2O2. If you have too much fungus indoors, try rooting outdoors where there's more ventilation and lower temperatures.

If you want to use zero peat, use 100% fine sand. It will retain more moisture than larger substrate particles.

So I tried this mix this time. I put them in a shady spot on the bench and they were getting watered every day.

They don't need to be watered because they don't have roots (yet).

I'm sure there is a better way but at least I got some to take this time instead of all of them dead

Part of the issue might be the size of the cuttings. Most of these were really tiny because the tree is small and I used trimmings when I pruned it.
There just isnt room to take bigger pieces off it

Very short cuttings are much harder to root.