Benichidori softwood propagation

[Canada Bonsai]

Just a follow-up question - I understand your approach is driven by maximizing volume of individual cuttings*, but if you were more interested in maximizing the strength of the individual cuttings (even if it meant fewer total cuttings) would you consider taking cuttings that are 2 or 3 nodes instead of a single node?

Would the cutting have more strength and momentum to grow forward and faster if it had more nodes?

Good question - it's a hard one to answer, though!

I have done side-by-side studies with a few Acer palmatum different cultivars and a few others species like Chinese Elms, Prunus mume, and Callicarpa to name a few, and I never noticed any differences in terms of rooting success-rate or growth post-rooting. That said, since before I can remember I have been working in environments where I was controlling water, air flow, humidity, etc. very closely.

I suppose that if some variable in your propagation set-up was lacking and this happened to be made up for by whatever it is that some extra length in your cutting might bring to the table, then perhaps it could be helpful in that circumstance. If this sounds vague it is my intention that it be so because it's not entirely clear to me what the extra length or extra internode does to benefit the cutting (scientifically I mean, because its certainly easy to speculate).

 

[leatherback]

Good question - it's a hard one to answer, though!

agreed: I have taken one-node, two-node and three-node cuttings from the same plant. I have not seen clear differences between them. But never done a full comparison trial.

 

[MrBonsai19]

Good question - it's a hard one to answer, though!

I have done side-by-side studies with a few Acer palmatum different cultivars and a few others species like Chinese Elms, Prunus mume, and Callicarpa to name a few, and I never noticed any differences in terms of rooting success-rate or growth post-rooting. That said, since before I can remember I have been working in environments where I was controlling water, air flow, humidity, etc. very closely.

I suppose that if some variable in your propagation set-up was lacking and this happened to be made up for by whatever it is that some extra length in your cutting might bring to the table, then perhaps it could be helpful in that circumstance. If this sounds vague it is my intention that it be so because it's not entirely clear to me what the extra length or extra internode does to benefit the cutting (scientifically I mean, because its certainly easy to speculate).

thanks for the feedback ! maybe i will try some informal testing myself on that point. its hard to logic my way out of the idea that "more plant tissue = more stored sugars = more roots" etc but I also appreciate that there could be a lot of reasons why it wouldn't work that way. Lack of roots might make it harder for sap to flow and nutrients to move anywhere at all and the only thing that immediately contributes to root development could be what is in the immediate vicinity of the cut site + hormones.

 

[clem]

thanks for the feedback ! maybe i will try some informal testing myself on that point. its hard to logic my way out of the idea that "more plant tissue = more stored sugars = more roots" etc but I also appreciate that there could be a lot of reasons why it wouldn't work that way. Lack of roots might make it harder for sap to flow and nutrients to move anywhere at all and the only thing that immediately contributes to root development could be what is in the immediate vicinity of the cut site + hormones.

More plant tissue (without any roots) also means more evapotranspiration and faster dehydration, or even death if we reason logically. So a cutting with 2 leaves has -logically- a better chance of surviving for a longer time without roots than with 4 or 6 leaves.

That said, the nurseryman specialist in cuttings, from whom I went to buy my cuttings, usually kept 4 to 6 leaves.. but he had a system of regular and frequent misting to hydrate the cuttings until they produced roots. ->