Early Spring Hardwood Cuttings

[Graftolstoy]

I was considering trying to make some hardwood cuttings of a few trees now, as the buds are beginning to swell in New York. From what I have read online, there seems to be a consensus that winter is the best time for these types of cuttings. I am sure that there are very good reasons for this, but was wondering if someone could explain it to me. I would have thought that spring, when the energy has begun to move from the roots to the buds would be even better (at least as long as the cuttings can be protected from possible frosts). I'm sure that I am overlooking some extremely basic horticultural explanation, so any help would be appreciated. Also, on a more practical level, have people had success with spring hardwood cuttings, is there anything special I should do?

 

[theone420]

My thought was because the energy is moving from the roots up the tree and a cutting has no roots. that is why i did a few in October and November and I have had good luck with them. but they were pretty easy trees to root(Chinese Elm, Tamarisk, Ficus)

 

[Dav4]

Just spit balling here, but my understanding is that a cutting must form callus first before being able to grow roots. Now, traditional semi-hardwood cuttings have foliage on them which is subject to everything from drying out in the sun and wind to potential cold damage. Dormant, hardwood cuttings apparently start to form callus before the foliage pushes. I see them as being less fragile and able to handle cold and heat better then the traditional cutting due to the lack of foliage. Also, healthy hardwood should have a fair amount of carbs stored in the cambium prior to being harvested, too.

 

[jmw_bonsai]

Just spit balling here, but my understanding is that a cutting must form callus first before being able to grow roots. Now, traditional semi-hardwood cuttings have foliage on them which is subject to everything from drying out in the sun and wind to potential cold damage. Dormant, hardwood cuttings apparently start to form callus before the foliage pushes. I see them as being less fragile and able to handle cold and heat better then the traditional cutting due to the lack of foliage. Also, healthy hardwood should have a fair amount of carbs stored in the cambium prior to being harvested, too.

I think Dav is on the right track. I think its callus development that you are looking for over the winter dormant months.

Of course I just got thru pruning all of my landscape maples, buds swelling quickly in Atlanta. So ill be sticking a few of them just for fun even though it would be better to have done them a few months ago. I just got to the pruning last weekend and didn't have time to do anything else before leaving town. I'm doing my usual slack "callus development" over the next week as they sit outside in the elements. Last year I did get some leafing out with the energy from the buds. This year if I can fell comfortable getting the misting system going and not freezing, hopefully I can then keep them going for a few months and root development.

My main goal for pruning is really to produce lots of nice juvenile growth this spring for softwood cuttings. Oh and to keep the wife from hacking on them all summer while I'm not around supervising! LOL

 

[Stan Kengai]

You can take traditional cuttings from hardwood on certain species in the spring. Elm and japanese quince are two varieties that I personally know will take in this manner. These should be taken after the leaves partially unfurl, and have to be kept under plastic.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I'm sure that I am overlooking some extremely basic horticultural explanation, so any help would be appreciated.

When deciduous trees go dormant, they actually "harvest" the chlorophyll from their leaves - which is why leaves turn colors in the Fall. The tree salvages the constituents of chlorophyll - primarily nitrogen, magnesium and phosphate - and stores these nutrients in the bark. It is these stored energy reserves that make hardwood cuttings possible, and why hardwood cuttings that are current year growth (i.e. less than one year old) fail - they don't have mature bark to store nutrient reserves.

When the cutting approaches spring, it can awaken buds and push leaves solely from the stored energy in its bark. These, in turn, generate the auxin that signals the cuttings to start generating roots.

 

[RobertB]

Does anyone know if this possible with Japanese maples? Not necessarily dissectums.

 

[Dav4]

Does anyone know if this possible with Japanese maples? Not necessarily dissectums.

Sure is... struck a few last year and I have a batch that I harvested a month that are slowly pushing leaves as we speak.

 

[Graftolstoy]

Thanks everyone for the replies. They really helped me understand that I was looking at winter, at least early winter, in the wrong way. It is not necessarily a time of utter inactivity, but rather consolidation. Also, good to know that, although not optimal, at least elms and may root from hardwood cuttings in the spring. My university is pruning some trees around campus, including american elms, so, since I have the space, I might as well take a few home to experiment.

 

[RobertB]

I've even heard that you can take Japanese maple as the buds just start to swell.

 

[sorce]

Boy! I alnost been as ghost as @Redwood Ryan !

3rd thread! Crazy is Dead!...?

Sorce